Thread: Boehner Ridicules Proposals From Republican Senators

Boehner Ridicules Proposals From Republican Senators (Update1)

By Laura Litvan

May 12 (Bloomberg) -- House Majority Leader John Boehner dismisses recent legislative proposals on energy and immigration as ``stupid,'' ``insulting'' and ``a big mistake.''

Boehner's scorn isn't directed at his usual target, the Democrats: The proposals drawing the Ohio Republican's ire come from members of his own party in the Senate.

The harsh words reflect growing tension between House and Senate Republicans, a divide that may complicate efforts to strike compromises on legislation and retain the party's control of the House in the November elections.

``The majority in the Senate is out of step with Republican voters on spending and immigration,'' said Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, who leads a group of more than 100 House Republicans called the Republican Study Committee. ``But the House majority may pay the price.''

Senator Trent Lott, a Mississippi Republican, said the harsh rhetoric risks damaging party members in both chambers.

``I don't think it's constructive,'' said Lott, a former House member who says he often counsels House leaders. ``I've pleaded with the House, let's not be shooting shots back and forth at each other within our own party, because anything that hurts us, hurts them in the end.''

While there's always some institutional tension between the House and Senate, the friction is more intense than usual, said Mark Rozell, a professor of public policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. It reflects concerns about the consequences of low party approval ratings, the Iraq war and persistent budget deficits, he said.

A Frustrated Party

``We have a frustrated Republican Party right now that is at odds with itself,'' said Rozell. ``The House members are much more worried about losing control of their chamber than the Senate.'' Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats in the House, and six in the Senate, to gain control.

Public opinion polls continue to show a slide in approval ratings for Republicans in Congress in advance of the elections, in which all 435 House seats and one-third of the Senate's 100 seats will be at stake. A Gallup Poll released yesterday found that 48 percent of those surveyed had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, while 36 percent viewed Republicans favorably.

Rozell said another source of division is that House Republicans are focused entirely on this year's elections, while as many as five Republican senators, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, are looking past November to possible presidential runs in 2008. ``One cannot discount national ambitions of any senators,'' Rozell said.

`Focused on 2006'

Frist spokeswoman Amy Call said the Tennessee Republican is ``100 percent focused on 2006'' and has advanced an election-year agenda that includes proposals on health care and energy.

Boehner, 56, told reporters this week that he is confident differences between the two chambers can be ironed out.

``You have got two different institutions, two different rhythms,'' he said. ``And while there are always going to be some differences, if you look at House and Senate Republicans, you will see us agreeing on many of the same principles.''

Boehner was less conciliatory when Frist proposed giving Americans a $100 rebate to offset soaring gasoline prices on April 27. Frist was forced to withdraw the proposal within days in the face of widespread criticism. Boehner was one of the sharpest critics, calling it ``insulting'' to consumers, and ``stupid.''

Representative Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican, said the rebate idea made the party look ``desperate.''

Bad Ideas

``When you get elections like this, and the party is doing so poorly and Republicans are doing poorly with the base and everybody, you're going to find people speaking more freely about bad ideas,'' Flake said.

Call said Frist continues to press ahead with other components of an eight-point energy proposal that Republicans in both chambers can agree on, including plans to increase domestic oil production and improve conservation.

Some Republicans are more concerned about the war spending legislation. The Senate approved, 77-21, a $109 billion measure funding operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the face of President George W. Bush's threat to veto any legislation exceeding $94.5 billion. House Republicans pushed through a $92 billion measure and are insisting that the Senate drop special projects from its version that were ``earmarked'' for home states.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois called the much larger Senate version ``dead on arrival'' in the House. In a joint statement, Hastert and Boehner called it a ``huge spending spree'' and a ``special interest shopping cart disguised as a supplemental.''

Frustrated With the Senate

``I'm very frustrated with the Senate,'' said Representative Phil Gingrey, a Georgia Republican. The size of the Senate bill, he said, ``goes beyond throwing something on a wall and seeing if it will stick.''

On immigration, the House last year passed a measure designed to bolster security at U.S. borders. The Senate is debating a more comprehensive version that would create up to 400,000 guest-worker visas for unskilled workers and provide a path to legal status for many of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

Boehner told reporters late last month that he views a bipartisan Senate compromise that would allow some illegal immigrants who have stayed in the U.S. more than five years an opportunity to remain as a ``big mistake.''

``This idea that was being kicked around the Senate about providing some sort of amnesty for those who have been here five years or more, I just think it was a very big mistake,'' Boehner said. ``You are just inviting more people to come.''

Anger at `Amnesty'

Representative Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican and a member of a 96-member House Immigration Task Force that wants to crack down on illegal immigration, said the notion of ``amnesty'' angers voters in many Republican-held House districts. Jones said there will be strong opposition to the Senate version if it reaches the House.

``The people in my district want us to secure our borders first,'' Jones said.

Representative Joe Pitts, a Pennsylvania Republican, said Republican infighting risks turning off voters. ``On so many issues, we're out of step,'' Pitts said. ``We have some vulnerable people up for re-election. I think there's a lot more sensitivity to the people on the ground and what they're saying.''

Across the Capitol, Republican senators are trying to look on the bright side. Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska said Boehner was ``trying to demonstrate his leadership'' and ``represent the House position.''

Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas said members of his party should train their fire on more traditional targets.

``I wish the rhetoric were lower, and I think you're going to start to see that happen,'' Brownback said. ``Hopefully, we're past the stage of shooting at each other and we're going to start shooting at the opposition.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... FxDqXR3gYg

``I wish the rhetoric were lower, and I think you're going to start to see that happen,'' Brownback said. ``Hopefully, we're past the stage of shooting at each other and we're going to start shooting at the opposition.''

What Senator Brownback and many other republican Senators don't understand, is that they ARE the opposition. They are in opposition to the overwhelming wishes of the American people to secure our borders and enforce our laws.

Republican Senators wrongly think they're safe this round because there's more Democrat seats open. Which reminds me, I have to get an absentee ballot this year since my district is now using electronic ballots so I can be sure that my vote isn't hacked.
Republicans, like Ed Gillespie and Mehlman think that I will 'get over it' if they pass an amnesty immigration bill soon. Democrats think that as long as they're mute on the issue they won't get nailed in November.

However, the House Bill on Border Security has overwhelming appeal over the Senate ones. Voters DON'T want Amnesty.
IMO, Both parties are in for an unpleasant shock.