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Streetcar Line
Scalise: Worth a Study
A new conservative communicator you’ll be hearing from.
For years, the Republican Study Committee has been Command Central for true conservatives in the House — a sort of internal think tank for those more interested in ideas than in careerism. It will be chaired this year by rising star Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio — and its new head of communications will be Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who is perfectly suited for the task. Scalise also has been making a name for himself as an aggressive and effective advocate for energy exploration and development. In a relaxed interview on the Gulf Coast during the Christmas break, he had plenty of interesting things to say, including a clever and accurate way to turn around an epithet the Democrats and establishment media (forgive me for repeating myself) like to hurl at Republicans.
Forget Republicans being the “Party of No,” says Scalise. It is Barack Obama who risks becoming “The President of ‘No’.” It is Republicans who are pushing a thoughtful and popular agenda, and the president vetoes or otherwise blocks that agenda at his own political peril.
“He can’t ignore our ideas anymore, because we are running things in the House,” Scalise said.
“There is a great opportunity for us as House Republicans as a majority to restore constitutional principles, even if the media doesn’t give us a fair shake and Obama has the bully pulpit. By our actions, we can redefine [the public’s understanding of] what it means to be a conservative — on spending, on job creation, and on health care. We can start by repealing Obama’s law and then replacing it with real reforms.
“We also can pass a real national energy policy — an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach. This president is making our country more dependent on foreign oil. It’s jeopardizing American energy security and it is costing many thousands of American jobs. The administration is punishing the companies that were playing by the rules and operating safely. It’s what I call a ‘permitorium.’ It’s real. You can go along the Gulf and see companies losing millions of dollars and losing thousands of workers all because of this president’s policies and against the advice of his own scientific experts who say we should let people go back to work and drill safely.”
As gasoline prices leave $3-per-gallon behind and rocket towards the outrageous $4 mark, Scalise is absolutely right that this is an important — and winning — issue. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, he is well positioned to carry the fight. He said he will offer a bill taking discretion away from regulatory agencies so that they “must,” rather than “may,” allow offshore drilling off of Virginia and other states that welcome it. He notes that this would be not just good energy policy, but good fiscal policy too: Royalties would accrue to the federal government, to the tune of many billions of dollars, to cut the national debt.
Aside from energy policy, Scalise also is pushing two other bills that may appear to be “small ball” in terms of direct savings, but that could set the tone for a serious reduction of federal overreach. First, he would “sunset” funding for all presidential policy “czars” unless they are confirmed by the Senate. Second, he would change the policy concerning the disposition of any unused money from individual congressional offices at the end of each year. Now the money reverts back to the Speaker’s office, to be used (in effect) at the Speaker’s discretion. There’s no incentive, therefore, for Members not to splurge. Scalise would require that unused funds be used to reduce the national debt. If the media reports on this stewardship of congressional office funds the way it reports on, say, campaign finance reports, then congressmen could get popular credit from their constituents for their thriftiness.
Both symbolically and in practice, says Scalise, “The country is very hungry for real solutions to our spending problems. People want to have an adult conversation for how we start solving these problems. They want to see a step-by-step approach, and that’s what we intend to give them.”
Methinks Steve Scalise is on the right track. Conservatives should get used to hearing more from him, and to liking what they hear.
About the Author
Quin Hillyer is a senior editor of The American Spectator and a senior fellow at the Center for Individual Freedom. Follow him on Twitter @QuinHillyer.
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Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.7.11 @ 6:17AM
And in that step by step process don't forget tort reform. Until something is done about that, the economy is going to remain flat on it's back. There are too many risks in simple business activities.
Marc Jeric| 1.8.11 @ 6:21PM
Absolutely essential! We have about 1,100,000 lawyers in this country - about 250,000 are trial lawyers; Germany, Great Britain, and Japan together have about 35,000 trial lawyers. In all civilized countries of the world there is this automatic rule - the loser pays! And the loser pays all direct and indirect costs of the successful defendant, immediately upon the trial conclusion. That would cut down on number of hyenas trolling for "victims" on TV and the newspapers.
My sister, medical doctor, had to close her practice when her malpractice insurance jumped 4 times - and she was never sued herself.
TORT REFORM!!!
Brian Mc| 1.7.11 @ 6:38AM
Wow...what a boost to my day! I now have a small shred of hope that the insanity will give way to reason. Each of the coming bills must not have a single lick of pork attached...no more buying votes; it's time our reps answered for their simple votes to simple bills.
Charity in Truth| 1.7.11 @ 7:35AM
Actions speak louder than words.
Time, gas prices and the American Spectator will tell. Seek the truth away from the mainstream, liberal/bias, mass media as well.
Chalkdust| 1.7.11 @ 8:47AM
As head of communications for the RSG, I will be more impressed with Rep. Scalise when he begins to side-step the liberal press filter (NYT, WP, LAT, ect.) and use smaller newspaper to release news stories and interviews.
Super Car| 3.2.12 @ 4:19AM
Actions speak louder than words. Super Car
Motor Show
Old Joe| 1.7.11 @ 9:26AM
I am proud to say that Steve Scalise represents my district. He is a perfect example of a true conservative who happens to be a Republican. We are all hoping he doesn’t let Washington change him.
Times have really changed here in Louisiana. I remember when I moved here over 30 years ago, we were a solid Democrat state. We had a long history of the Long’s (Huey P and Errol K) and the Boggs (Hale and Lindy. The state was Democrat but conservative. As our citizens watched the Democrat party drift ever leftward toward socialism, they began to vote more and more Republican. The citizens weren’t changing their politics, they were just voting for the party that more and more represents their politics. Today there are only two Democrats in Washington representing Louisiana, Senator Mary (Louisiana Purchase) Landrieu and now Representative Cedric (disbarred, arrested on violence charges, kick backs to his girlfriend’s charity) Richardson who will so ably replace Representative William (Icebox) Jefferson in the federally mandated minority district. Louisiana is changing for the better and we are proud to call Representative Steve Scalise our own.
Steve A| 1.7.11 @ 10:15AM
Old Joe, I grew up in New England & married a Destrehan girl (long story.) I moved down to LA in 1990-1. As I drove through Metarie on Veterans Blvd I saw all of these people with signs in the "neutral ground." When I found out that it was both sides campaigning for the runoff for Governor (Edwin "serving time" Edwards vs. David KKK Duke) I was convinced I had landed on another planet. "Y'all" have come a long way since those days.
Richard Baker| 1.7.11 @ 10:24AM
Old Joe:
I hope Louisiana is changing for the better. I asked a Cajun in 1989, when I was working for Petroleum Helicopters (PHI) in Lafayette, how he could vote for Edwin Edwards as he was a crook. He replied, "Richard (pronounced the French way), you right he's a crook. But he's an honest crook." I had others tell me that in Louisiana politics was entertainment. From the Longs to Clyde Vidrine to Edwards, even David Duke, crooked politics is accepted as normal. Hope that's changing.
post*tenebras*lux| 1.7.11 @ 11:10AM
Mi ReeCHARD, where is crooked politics NOT accepted as normal in the United States? Please, do tell. I want to live there Cher!
Richard Baker| 1.7.11 @ 11:39AM
post*tenebras*lux:
Remember, Russell Long, Huey's son, once said, "One of these days, the people of Louisiana are gonna get good government, and they aren't gonna like it." While there is corruption elsewhere, to be sure, Louisiana is the only place I know where it's entertainment and a public sport except maybe Illinois and Cook County. Man is a sinful creature but Louisiana politics revel in the sinfulness, sadly. You need, maybe, to read Clyde Vidrine's book, if you can find it.
Alfred| 1.7.11 @ 11:53AM
All the King's Men - "Man is conceived in sin and born in corruption and he passeth from the stink of the didie to the stench of the shroud."
Angelo | 1.7.11 @ 1:39PM
Tort reform ...has not been mentioned by anyone...neither democrat ..nor and especially Republicans ..which leaves me to believe the new people in congress will not address it at all...and it is a hugh cost to our health crisis.......
We have enough oil in this country to supply us ..without new discoveries for the next 100 years..
Oil finds and fields in NOrth and South Dakota..
Oil share in Colorado ...off the coast of Virginia..California....and the gulf of Mexico...we have oil ...and plenty of it...the eccocondriacs ..a new religion is stopping us from drilling ...and the "great One"...The Mackdaddy...has his own reasons for bankrupting this country...with the price of gas at the pump hovering near four dollars ...the housing market will also have a major double dip recession......our country runs on oil ...and we have it....
Angelo
idalily| 1.7.11 @ 3:23PM
First Boehner, now Scalise...I feel rays of hope warming my face. They damn well better not give me sunburn. Don't blow this, Republicans. We are watching.
Richard Baker| 1.7.11 @ 3:34PM
idalily:
Agree with you entirely. Vigilance will be required to keep the back-sliding to a minimum.
youfamissim| 1.7.11 @ 5:59PM
California has oil reserves out the Kazoo. Some beaches, near Newport, contained so much oil floating up from the sea bed, that hotels give guests special towels to wipe the oil from their skin. This has occurred for millenia. If Governor Moon Beam had a clue, he could fix the deficit in Cali by drilling hard and often. But that's doubtful. There's enuff oil inside the US borders that American could give the middle finger to the Saudis and others AND... stop providing the royal family and their pals student and other visas. There'd be no need to concern ourselves about getting enuff oil or the troubles in the ME. And another tid bit - technology is evolving that will make other, more difficult to access reserves more readily available. $10 @ barrel oil could be the legacy of this new Congress.
But I digress.
They had best dig in their heels and shut down the government. No deals, No blinking. Egobama has shown he will blink first everytime. He is weak and cannot tolerate conflict well. Republicans can roll and bully him - if they show they have a spine. That may get ego another term, but as a Lil' Byatch. I'm getting popcorn.
foxjohnsix| 1.7.11 @ 9:06PM
Here is another twist on a demo-marxist saying.
Not only is the Obama the President of No to self sufficency and energy development, but he is for the Exporting of Jobs (energy jobs) out of America. Remember when the Democrats would sling that sound bite around?
Nite| 1.7.11 @ 10:14PM
Thank goodness they are going to defund all of those unconfirmed Czars. I like the way this Representative thinks. I am glad the Republicans are hitting Obama, Democrats and their radical agenda on numerous fronts. Hip Hip Hooray!
Oldefarte| 1.8.11 @ 1:51PM
Great information, Quin! Hopefully, he and many other Republicans will become household names [and political forces] in the future!!!!!!!!!!
PattyMor| 1.9.11 @ 6:00PM
Perhaps a ray of hope in Jim Jordan and Scalise.
I say let's use the debt celing limit to our advantage. We need the crisis to push through our agenda. Confirmation of czars (wow I can't wait for the kooks to be "white washed"); consolidation of education programs. Paring back on welfare programs. Drilling in shallow water, deep water, on land, on federal lands, in Alaska. Permits for nuclear plants. Roll back of EPA and FCC, plus loads of others. Its now or never.
And a monthly bill to roll back Obamicare. Make them own it and defend it. Point out all the unpopular aspects of it, including premium escalation.
This is our issue to go for the gusto if we have a leadership with guts.
Adidas | 8.11.11 @ 5:53AM
is good
العاب بنات | 4.10.12 @ 12:20PM
Actions speak louder than words.
Time, gas prices and the American Spectator will tell. Seek the truth away from the mainstream, liberal/bias, mass media as well.