Mike Pence (R – IN 6th) was elected Republican Conference Chairman for the 111th Congress by his peers. He has swiftly become one of the most credible and oft-cited Republicans on the Hill. I am proud to say he’s my Congressman, and equally proud to say I’ve met the man.
The ability of the Republican leadership to make a principled stand (177-0 on the proposed Economic Revitalization Act) makes them a force to reckoned with. Just 40 blue dogs will allow Republicans to pass their own legislation. Eleven blue dogs defected from Pelosi’s ranks to join the Republican opposition to big government and wasteful spending.
The Senate version will be interesting. More cooperation is expected in the Senate than there was in the House. More tax cuts are expected to come out of the negotiations in the Senate. Sen. John McCain (R – AZ) has stated that he will oppose the Revitalization Act as it stands. If bipartisan support is what President Obama wants, getting Senator McCain on board will be critical.
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated that he expects when the two versions are combined and the House votes again, that there will be bipartisan support. His metaphor is that we’re counting the score in the third inning of the baseball game. It’s not a bad one. But for those of us wondering how much power the minority will have in Congress, this has been a statement that they will be more powerful than expected if they can maintain a unified voice.
