Forget those girly-men stereotypes. A new crop of congressmen is signaling the return of the alpha male Democrat — and it’s by strategic design. "The members of this new faction, which helped the Democrats expand into majority status, stand out not for their ideology or racial background but for their carefully cultivated masculinity," the New York Times reported. These macho Dems include war veterans, a sheriff, a former pro quarterback and buzz-cut farmer Sen. John Tester, D-Mont. But now that they are in Congress, these lawmakers could create problems for Democrats. "These new Democrats have heterodox political views that could complicate Democratic caucus politics," the Times reported, "and their success may raise uncomfortable questions for those Democrats who don’t pass the new macho test."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The Republican-against Republican arguments over embryonic stem-cell research, an issue now in a complicated tangle with cloning and college funding, has folks talkingabout the "Kansas-ization" of Missouri and its GOP, reports the Kansas City Star. Good luck with that.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Dallas-based chain Pizza Patron has found out how scary the current anti-immigrant sentiment can get. Its decision to accept pesos at its 59 stores in Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and California has drawn death threats and hate mail. “If people would understand that the majority of our customers are Hispanic, then it might make more sense for a company to sell pizza for pesos,” said spokesman Andy Gamm. The chain just wants to sell more pizza. Whatever happened to letting businesses do business? How does this hurt noncustomers? At least change is given in U.S. currency.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., is understandably getting a lot of attention for opposing President Bush’s plan to send more troops to Iraq. But what do our other delegation members think of the plan?
Sen. Pat Roberts said his support was conditioned upon Iraqi forces stepping up efforts to end the violence. “At this point, I believe it is the only realistic choice given the regional instability and danger we face,” he told Associated Press. Rep. Todd Tiahrt said in a statement that he was pleased that the plan “includes moving Iraqi security forces to the front, with U.S. troops serving in a support role.” Rep. Jerry Moran was skeptical, telling Associated Press that it doesn’t make sense to send more troops if the Iraqi people aren’t willing to set aside sectarian differences. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Lenexa, said that “the president’s troop escalation plan will not create a stable Iraq,” adding that the “new strategy is more of the same.” And Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, didn’t take a definitive position after the speech but said that she had “deep concerns.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Interesting quote from former Attorney General John Ashcroft, during a Tuesday night speech to the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce: “The Patriot Act is a friend of American liberty, not a threat to it.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
You always hate to see the little guy get beat down. So I suppose some sympathy is in order for General Motors when it complains that it’s lost its lobbying advantage to Japanese automakers like Toyota.
“They outspend us,” GM vice chairman Robert Lutz groused Tuesday at a Detroit auto show. “One of the sad things is, Toyota is so profitable and has plants in so many states that, frankly, they’ve got more congressmen and senators than General Motors does.”
Whether that’s true or not is debatable. GM spent about $7.8 million on lobbying in 2005, compared with $5.7 million by Toyota. But the truly worrisome thing is how blithely a U.S. executive speaks of owning congressmen and senators.
Posted by Dave Knadler
