The other day, I was going on about the fiscal conservatives, libertarians, and moderate Republicans who were not being politically served by their elected representatives. Well, I wasn't kidding. Six conservatives groups have just broke ranks with Congress and The White House.
National leaders of six conservative organizations yesterday broke with the Republican majorities in the House and Senate, accusing them of spending like "drunken sailors," and had some strong words for President Bush as well.
"The Republican Congress is spending at twice the rate as under Bill Clinton, and President Bush has yet to issue a single veto," Paul M. Weyrich, national chairman of Coalitions for America, said at a news briefing with the other five leaders. "I complained about profligate spending during the Clinton years but never thought I'd have to do so with a Republican in the White House and Republicans controlling the Congress."
Warning of adverse consequences in the November elections, the leaders said the Senate must reject the latest House-passed omnibus spending bill or Mr. Bush should veto the measure.
(snip)
The Heritage Foundation has projected that passage of the bill would "mark the third consecutive year of massive discretionary spending growth" following increases of 13 percent and 12 percent in the previous two years.
"Congress' continued fiscal irresponsibility is clearly exhibited in the thousands of pork projects contained in the bill," the Heritage report noted.
There you have it - the fiscal conservatives standing up for themselves and demanding to be served.
We also have some fitful stirrings frpm social conservatives, who I didn't even include the other day in my analysis (and, overall, I'd say they're being served well), in regards to immigration reforms, and Cheney is trying to do damage control on that as we speak (as rumours that fundraising will be affected are rampant, and Cheney seeks to spin the immigration reforms as necessary for national security).
As for moderate and young Republicans, not to mention libertarians, I don't see any overt public displays of rebellion, just explicit displays at the ballot box, or reduced turnout.
