On a serious note, the Future Really is NOW for the Republicans. This week is when the House picks it's Champion for House Majority Leader. If the Republicans foul this one up, the consequences can be catestrophic to their hopes of maintaining their majority in 2006. Also, the revolution that Newt led in 1994 could be a thing of the past.

I, for one, am firmly in the Shadegg camp, even though I am not a party member. However, I want them to be accountable AND force the Dems to become more competitive. Simply voting in someone who represents the 'usual suspects', is unacceptable.

The Future Is Now
By The Prowler
Published 1/30/2006 12:08:29 AM


This coming week promises to be critical for both Republicans and conservatives in moving forward into the second half of George W. Bush's administration.

If conservatives are to shape an agenda and drive true change in the GOP, who Republicans select to lead their caucus in the House of Representatives and how the Senate vote on Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito goes down will speak volumes. The coming week may well determine not only the outcome of mid-term elections this fall, but national party's future prospects moving into 2008 and beyond.

In the House, supporters of Reps. John Boehner, Roy Blunt, and John Shadegg aren't sure what will play out in the coming days. Blunt, who tried big-footing and bluffing his way to the House Majority Leader slot, has quieted some. "We just don't know where we stand," says one House Republican member who has thrown his support behind Blunt. "We thought we had the numbers, but Shadegg and Boehner have hung tough. I don't think, if we ever had the numbers to win, that we have them now."

What the principles in this race seem to understand is that this election is not just about Majority Leader; in reality, it is a race for the House Speakership.

Boehner in particular has made clear his desire for that post, and his campaign and organization -- including policy papers -- are evidence of the planning that was being put into such a campaign.

"Whichever one of these guys wins the Majority Leader job will be primed for the Speakership when Denny [Hastert] retires or steps aside," says a longtime House leadership aide. "People have been wondering about Denny's desire to hang in there, and there were rumors that we might be looking at a bigger election than we are already looking at."

That was one reason why rumors have persisted that a deal exists between Reps. Boehner and Shadegg should the election play out as they hope: Boehner runs a close second to Blunt, with Shadegg denying Blunt enough votes to force a second ballot, and Shadegg then throwing his support behind Boehner. Presumably, Shadegg would then be positioned to become majority leader if Boehner became Speaker.

If nothing else, Boehner, Shadegg and other conservatives have done a good job of tarring Blunt with the "insider" label and as someone with more of a Jack Abramoff taint than Boehner has. That has given the man from Ohio a slight edge for weeks, and an advantage coming into the week.

Beyond the House majority leader slot, there may be other positions opening up sooner than expected. Deborah Pryce is thought to be in danger of losing her leadership position as chairman of the Republican Conference, possibly to Marsha Blackburn, one of the leaders of the anti-spending movement late last year.

Blunt has not indicated whether he would step down as Whip, a position he still holds, though should he lose the House leader race, expect to see mounting pressure for him to step aside.

Beyond the "insider" label, Blunt has been hit -- rightly, according to House Republicans -- for allowing Rep. Tom DeLay's well-oiled Whip organization to become less than a smooth operation.

"One of the first things the new leader will have to deal with is a caucus that has become far less united than it was even a year ago," says another House member. "We're all going to have to fall behind our new leader and focus on fixing our caucus. The Democrat caucus isn't in any better shape, in fact it is probably worse. But this has to be about us first."

The Republicans must run on National Security issues, and drive home the fact that the Democrats have no ideas to offer in their platform to counter what the GOP is doing in Iraq and on the economy. The Democrats can hammer the Republicans on border security, education, campaign finance, and social security.....but they still remain vulnerable on defense, taxes, morals, and abortion.

The republicans have chosen thier future - John Boehner - and in effect has chosen the status Quo as he is seriously opposed to real reform as he indicated on Meet the Press and Fox News yesterday.

As for the security issue being the defining factor in the elections - it was Karl Rove who pushed this in front of the GOP a week ago and guess what? Karl is about to take a great fall! Whether the GOP follows - remains to be seen - but John Boehner shows the republicans have learned nothing, and that will most likely count for a lot come this fall election.