RPT Chairman Munisteri Announces Resignation, Speaks to Memorial West Republican Women 2/2/15

How timely is it that RPT Chairman Munisteri is the featured speaker for the Monday meeting of Memorial West Republican Women?  Very timely!  The public is welcome to come to the program and listen to what the Chairman has to say to us.

The meeting is at Ninfa's on Memorial.  Come for coffee at 10:30 am and stay for the program at 11:00 am.

Below is the statement released by the Republican Party of Texas and one from Chairman Munisteri.

Austin, TX - Republican Party of Texas State Chairman Steve Munisteri informed the State Republican Executive Committee today that he will resign as State Chairman effective Saturday, March 7^th at 1:00 PM.

At the last meeting of the SREC, the Chairman proposed a bylaw amendment which allowed for there to be a seamless transition from the current Chair to a new Chairman without the necessity of the Vice Chairman taking over temporarily. The amendment allows an outgoing Chairman to set a future day for resignation on which date the election for a new Chairman could be held. This bylaw requires the outgoing Chairman to give at least 30 days written and irrevocable notice of a date and time certain.

As a result of this new bylaw, Chairman Munisteri will chair the business portion of the first quarterly meeting of the SREC, scheduled for March 7^th in Austin. Other than the election of a new Chair, all business is expected to be concluded by 1:00 PM. At that time, an election for a new State Chairman will be held. Vice Chairwoman Amy Clark will preside over the election which will be conducted under Roberts Rules of Order. There will be as many rounds of voting as necessary until a candidate receives over 50% of the votes of the SREC. Candidates are not eliminated after each round unless they withdraw. There are 64 voting members of the SREC, including the Chairman and Vice Chairwoman. Once the Chairman steps down there will be 63, meaning 32 will constitute a majority.

There will be a candidate forum for SREC members sponsored by the RPT the night before the vote. This forum will be held in Austin at a site to be determined. There are currently four announced candidates running for Chairman. They include current RPT Treasurer Tom Mechler, current National Committeeman Dr. Robin Armstrong, current Dallas County GOP Chair Wade Emmert, and former Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill.

Chairman Munisteri offered the following statement regarding his decision:

 “Today I informed the SREC that I will be stepping down on March 7^th. I have done so, in part, in order to accept the position of Senior Advisor to Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Senator Paul shares my vision of promoting the conservative values of individual freedom, limited government, a strong national defense, and defense of the Constitution in each and every community in our country.

My top priority as Chairman these past five years has been to engage every Texas community. During my tenure, we established the position of African American Engagement, Asian American Engagement, and Hispanic Engagement. We undertook a robust grassroots engagement program throughout the state which included a large number of field staff and Victory offices, with some being located in nontraditional Republican areas.

Senator Paul also shares my belief that the Republican Party cannot expect to win a national race unless we attract younger voters and take our message aggressively to the Hispanic, African American, and Asian American communities. He shares my vision of doing so by actively engaging community leaders, traveling to nontraditional Republican communities, and making it clear that everyone that shares our beliefs are welcome in our party. Most importantly, he believes we can be effective in doing so without compromising our principles. I have known Senator Paul for well over 30 years and have found him to be one of the most intelligent, well-read, well-informed, and rational thinkers that I have ever encountered. I am honored to assist him in whatever his future endeavors may be.

It has been my honor to serve as RPT Chairman since June 2010 and oversee our party’s efforts during the last three election cycles. I am proud that by working together, we have had a net increase of 1,182 Republican officeholders during my time in office, representing an increase from 45% of all state officeholders to 67%. We have also set the all-time record for most number of elected Republican Texas State Representatives and Republican Texas Congressmen, as well as tying the record for most number of Republican State Senators.

At the same time, we paid off the party’s debt to $0 for the first time in 18 years and have remained debt free since November 2010 while bringing in over $22 million in revenue. This would not have been possible without the support of literally tens of thousands of grassroots activists and donors, for which I will be forever grateful. It has been the honor of my life to represent tens of millions of Texas Republicans and I wish our new Chairman well, whoever that may be, and plan to offer my support in whichever way I can help.”

Memorial West Republican Women has an open invitation to the public to come and hear the monthly speakers. If you want to stay informed on Republican politics in Harris County, a Republican Women's club meeting is a necessary stop.

Stay informed.  Be empowered.

Netanyahu Invited to Speak to Joint Session of Congress

Speaker John Boehner invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress.  Consulting with The White House and the State Department was not a part of the process. Naturally, the White House felt the sting of the Speaker going rogue and called the invitation a break in protocol.

I know. I chuckled, too. President Obama and his White House take great pleasure in going around Congress at every opportunity yet Boehner is breaking protocol?  We have in our democratic republic three separate branches of government.  While unusual, the move is not usurping power from the Executive Branch.

Recently, British Prime Minister David Cameron told the White House press corps that he made phone calls to members of Congress to encourage them to not proceed on increasing sanctions against Iran as it could hinder ongoing nuclear power negotiations.  Ever heard of that kind of statement from a foreign leader? I suppose a break in protocol is in the eye of the beholder.

The reasoning from the House speaker is that members simply do not trust the president and stories in the press that the White House believes that the president doesn't need approval from Congress to sign a deal with Iran led the House to the invitation to Netanyahu.  

The relationship between Netanyahu and Obama has never warmed, to say the least.  Obama has already said he will not meet with Netanyahu during his visit. "It's an ongoing soap opera", said Aaron David Miller, Vice President for New Initiatives and a Distinguished Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, as well as a former advisor to both Republican and Democrat Secretaries of State on Arab-Israeli negotiations.

This White House has a real problem with transparency.  This has been called the most secretive, least transparent presidency since Richard M. Nixon. In keeping with this White House's behavior, the promise to keep the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the loop on the decision to end the embargo on Cuba was broken.  An apology was made to Senator Marco Rubio, who specifically asked the White House to keep the committee updated and was told they would during a hearing, once the President made his announcement.

Have you seen the video of Rubio in his most recent questioning on the Cuban decision?



Sometimes turnabout is fair play, even if it is between Congress and the president.

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Republican Women and the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

This is our message as Republicans. It comes from the State of the Union response delivered by newly elected Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa. All issues are important and principles matter.  This, however, is the absolute core of Republican philosophy.

 "You don’t need to come from wealth or privilege to make a difference. You just need the freedom to dream big, and a whole lot of hard work."

Personal freedom to make the American Dream work for you and yours is our most basic message.  Why, then, do we continue to allow the male leadership of the party to torpedo our message when it is completely avoidable? 

Wednesday House Republican women took on the male leadership and it was a very good thing.  Instead of allowing the leadership to present a bill simply for the optics of the date, the bill was pulled without a vote allowed.  The bill is called  Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and has been voted on in the affirmative in previous years.  Last year it was voted on and passed despite a last minute change that betrayed the Republican women enough that they told leadership that if it happened again, they would no longer vote for the bill.  What did the leadership do? Put the language into the bill again this year anyway.

This year leadership brought the bill forward to be passed Wednesday, with the optics playing out that the March For Life in D.C. was set for Thursday.

Taking the lead were Rep Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Rep Jackie Walorski (R-IN). There was language in the bill that required women to report rape to the police in order to receive an exception to the law for an abortion after 20 weeks. This language was slipped in at the last minute the last time and Republican women objected, yet voted for it anyway.  This time it was different.  

The women were concerned that requiring a police report would discourage some women from reporting rape to medical officials.  The women were also concerned about the next election. This type of rigid language is what turns off Independent and more conservative Democrats from voting for Republicans in the presidential elections.  As responsible politicians, it is vital that they look at the long term gains of legislation, not just quick optics that contain potentially offensive language. 

About eleven Republican women stood up and insisted that passing a bill on the anniversary of Roe v Wade just for optics was not the way to go.  More thoughtful discussion was needed.

Do social issues matter? Yes. It is also imperative that Republican candidates and elected officials learn to talk to voters in a way that maintains personal principle while keeping conversations on the true focus of Republican philosophy.  Why give the ugly leftists fodder to lob against Republican candidates?  There is a better way.  It is perfectly reasonable to support the Pain Capable Anti-Abortion Bill, except for the one requirement.  Republican candidates in 2016 need all the millennial and women voters possible. 

As pointed out in this article, abortion is an issue that can be prominent in both parties, but the messages are different.   

 But, the key to politics -- or at least to winning in politics -- is emphasizing those issues where you have the support of a majority of the country and spending less time and energy on those where you don't. Abortion -- particularly when it comes to questions of women who have been raped or the victims of incest -- is an issue in which the majority of the country is not in line with the Republican base. Fifty-two percent of voters in the 2014 election said that abortion should be legal in the United States (23 percent said in all cases, 29 percent in "most" cases), while 44 percent said it should be illegal in all (17 percent) or most (27 percent) cases. And those raw numbers might not even tell the full story. Remember that the electorate in 2014 was strongly tilted toward Republicans, making it more likely that in a more neutral election with presidential-year turnout -- like, say 2016 -- the support for keeping abortion legal would be higher.

Message matters.  The Republican message of economic opportunity and the freedom to pursue it is the strongest of all messages from the party.   Sixteen House Republicans spoke in favor of the bill Wednesday night. Only one was a woman. It is time to move women forward as a voice of the Republican party, especially on an issue like this one.  This is a perfect example of why it is so necessary for women to run for and win elected office. Women bring a different perspective to issues.  

The language in this bill would not have brought a single new voter to vote Republican in the next election.  Banning abortions after 20 weeks is not unreasonable. I would say that eliminating any federal money in abortion is not unreasonable. Without the police report requirement, at least the battle from Democrats on that issue is eliminated. And conservative Republican principles remain in tact.

Obama Presents the State of the Union Address Minus Reality

It was the standard big speech delivered by a far left liberal intent on transforming America more in line with the Democratic Socialist governments in Europe.  President Obama used the State of the Union address to promote lots of goodies while presenting no plans for financing these new entitlements, except for the mention that "the rich" must pay with more taxation.

THIS is the transcript released by the White House. You will note that it was released before he delivered the address to the country.

THIS is a good fact check on some of the bigger claims made by Obama. His claims on energy production, Obamacare and jobs were inflated and not quite honest, to be sure.

It was as though President Obama could not bring himself to acknowledge the shellacking he and Democrats received in the November 2014 election results.  There was no mention of the new majorities in Congress in the hands of Republicans. One has to ask, if his policies and programs have been so successful - as he boasted - then why did voters respond by bringing in even more opposition to his agenda? He made attempts to say he wanted to work with Republicans but this is the same old story - when the opposition speaks up and challenges his agenda, he is quick to go into "I won" mode and threaten vetoes. He also enjoys going on the road with speeches laden with taunts and pokes to Republicans. His inflated ego does not allow him to not be blinded by raw ideology in his partisanship. Barack Obama has shown himself the most partisan, least mature president in my lifetime. He is simply not up to the job. He divides when he should unite.

Texas Senator John Cornyn said, ‘Sadly, the President has doubled down on the same agenda, which in his own words was on the ballot this last fall and was soundly rejected. I think I speak for many Americans and many Texans when I say, Mr. President, enough is enough.’

What didn't the president mention in the 2015 State of the Union address?  al Quada.  Considering the state of the world today, that is an amazingly cynical omission. Taking shots at previous administrations, he referred to U.S. foreign policy as "bluster" and yet he is the one issuing red lines and then failing to act when countries like Syria ignore his own form of bluster. Perhaps bluster is in the eye of the beholder.  Today Yemen is on the verge of toppling into a completely failed state.  That vacuum has been quickly filled by those who plot to kill westerners, the most extreme of those practicing Islam.

This president refuses to use the term "extremist Islamists" when speaking about those terror cells in the headlines recently.  

My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of America. In doing so, the question is not whether America leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads; when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military — then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more prosperous world. That’s what our enemies want us to do.I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don’t let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents. That’s exactly what we’re doing right now — and around the globe, it is making a difference.

 First, we stand united with people around the world who’ve been targeted by terrorists — from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris. We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we’ve done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies.At the same time, we’ve learned some costly lessons over the last thirteen years.

Instead of Americans patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, we’ve trained their security forces, who’ve now taken the lead, and we’ve honored our troops’ sacrifice by supporting that country’s first democratic transition. Instead of sending large ground forces overseas, we’re partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe haven to terrorists who threaten America. In Iraq and Syria, American leadership — including our military power — is stopping ISIL’s advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group. We’re also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort, and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism. This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed. And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL.Second, we are demonstrating the power of American strength and diplomacy. We’re upholding the principle that bigger nations can’t bully the small — by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine’s democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies. Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our allies, some suggested that Mr. Putin’s aggression was a masterful display of strategy and strength. Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters.That’s how America leads — not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.

Unfortunately there is little evidence that the rest of the world trusts this president for support against terrorism.  He is so busy being the anti-war guy that he fails to acknowledge the real threats to national security at home and abroad. The recent terror attacks in Paris show clearly that his response is typically late, muddled, and insufficient.

Is the incessant use of drones to kill bad guys - along with innocents, too often - a better way of winning hearts and minds overseas versus capturing on the battlefield and using GITMO? Is it more efficient in the war on terror?

The first female combat veteran to be elected to U.S. Senate, Joni Ernst delivered the Republican response to the president's State of the Union address. She wore camouflage pumps, the pictures creating a social media buzz, and presented her delivery in a calm, concise and firm  as she delivered her  response. She is also the first woman elected to serve Iowa in Congress.

George Will said  a "semi star was born." "Helped put a fresh face on the Republican party." I agree.

World Leaders Marched In Paris As Obama Stayed Home

The world rallied for France Sunday while the Obama administration took a pass.  More than one million people marched in Paris in a show of solidarity with the country after the assassination of seventeen people by terrorists last week.  World leaders convened to join in.  Not one person was there to represent the American people by proxy through the Obama administration.  The only person of any kind of dignitary status was the U.S. American ambassador to France. That is all.

There was not a presence of President Obama, the First Lady, the Secretary of State, the Vice President, and on down the line of those in leadership who normally attend these international events.  The absence of American officials was particularly poignant as video emerged of the world leaders lined up to lead the march, linking arms and walking in unison as the crowd cheered.  It was another missed opportunity for this tone deaf and woefully incompetent Obama administration.

Even CNN noticed.  The on air talent anchoring the coverage noted the absence of the president and the others.  As one or two tried to make excuses, as they do, for the president and his administration, those were easily knocked down.  All of the other leaders present faced the same security and logistics concerns.  Yet, they attended and did the right thing.

World leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, joined the march.

They observed a minute’s silence before the march began.About 2,000 police officers and 1,350 soldiers – including elite marksmen on rooftops – were deployed to protect participants.The march was split into two routes for security purposes. Both rallies began at the Place de la Republique and finished at the Place de la Nation.

Attorney General Eric Holder was already in Paris for talks on terrorism and even appeared from the city on Sunday morning shows.  He was said to be attending the march, yet left town before it took place.

US Attorney General Eric Holder, already in Paris for anti-terrorism talks, was supposed to attend but was a no-show at the massive unity rally, which honored the 17 men and women killed there last week by terrorist gunmen, officials said.Holder attended meetings about militant extremism in Paris and even made the Sunday morning talk-show rounds but skipped town before what was billed as the largest rally in French history.Before the rally, he pledged US support.“On this day, we are all French citizens,” Holder said. “I am a citizen of France, and we stand in solidarity with the French people.”US officials gave no clear reason for Holder’s absence.

The rest of the world noticed the absence.  Remember after 9/11/01 here in America and the unity expressed from the world leaders to our nation?  France was one of the first to do so and President Chirac was the first world leader to visit the White House after that tragic day.

THIS SENTENCE sums up the problem quite nicely: "What is astonishing about Obama is how his White House continues to make rookie missteps nearly six years into its tenure on Pennsylvania Avenue." The author of that piece was writing about another misstep in foreign policy but the sentiment holds true in this case.

This president has a weak record on foreign policy and wishing away terrorism isn't a viable strategy.  As he continues to work diligently to release those held in GITMO and close the facility, it is not lost on those interested in world events that this president has once again lost an opportunity to lead.  He is dangerously naive and his rigid ideology persists despite the growing levels of danger in the world. Let's remember how important foreign policy and national defense is as we begin the process of nominating the Republican candidate for President in 2016.

U.S.House Passes Keystone Pipeline XL Authorization Bill

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Keystone Pipeline XL could move forward, thus removing the final reason President Obama had for postponing his decision. Unfortunately for those of us supporting the pipeline, he has signaled he plans to veto the legislation, should it come to his desk.

The ruling from Nebraska was far from a profile in courage - the project can move forward only by default.

The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday approved the route for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline, reversing a lower court that had blocked the proposal and clearing the way for a U.S. State Department ruling on the plan.The court said it was divided and could not reach a substantive decision, leaving in place legislation that favored TransCanadaCorp (TRP.TO) and its claim to build a crude oil pipeline across the state."(B)ecause there are not five judges of this court voting on the constitutionality of (the legislation), the legislation must stand by default," the court said in its ruling.

President Obama chose to start the year 2015 by issuing three (3) veto threats and ushering in 300 new regulations.  One of the veto threats pertained to the announcement that the House would take a vote on the authorization of construction of the Keystone XL pipeline as the first order of business for the new Congress.  As promised, the House voted Friday on this authorization.  It passed, thanks to a new, energized Republican majority and twenty-eight (28) "moderate" Democrats. 

HERE is a list of the Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing construction of Keystone XL:

Twenty-eight Democrats voted with 238 Republicans to authorize construction of the controversial Keystone XL oil-sands pipeline during a House vote on Friday.The legislation, sponsored by Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, passed the House 266-153. The Senate is expected to begin debate on an identical measure early next week, despite a White House veto threat.Keystone XL, a pipeline that would ship crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to the Gulf Coast, has driven a wedge into the Democratic caucus. Two major constituencies that traditionally support Democrats are at odds over the project. Environmentalists oppose Keystone XL, saying that its construction will worsen the problem of climate change. Labor unions, on the other hand, back the pipeline, contending that it will spur job creation.Several Democrats who backed Keystone XL Friday are members of the House Blue Dog coalition, a group of Democratic moderates. Coalition Cochairmen Kurt Schrader of Oregon, Jim Cooper of Tennessee, and Jim Costa of California sent a letter to the White House on Thursday urging swift approval of the project.

If President Obama was truly looking to get off to a fresh start with Republicans and work to sign into law bipartisan bills, this would be a good way to begin.  He won't as his words rarely match his actions.  Some of those Democrats on the list who voted in favor of the bill are normally the first to spew ugly against Republicans.  

Is Gov Scott Walker Running for President?

Is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker running for President?  Some recent developments would point to that logical conclusion:
He isn't scared off by rivalry for the nomination by Jeb Bush.

"Jeb Bush is a friend of mine, and a good guy," Walker said, although he said he will base his decision on family considerations and the state's needs.

He went to kiss the ring of Las Vegas billionaiare Sheldon Adelson last December.

Adelson has been a key financial backer for Walker in his last two runs for governor and, if persuaded, could be a source of even greater funds for a White House bid. 

Recently Gov Walker hired Rick Wiley, former Republican National Committee political director. Wiley is reported to be "aggressively" reaching out to potential staffers.

Wiley, a national political strategist, has left his position at the consulting firm Mercury LLC, a source confirmed with The Hill. He worked there since March 2013, along with Michael DuHaime, chief political strategist for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), a likely presidential rival to Walker should both enter the race. Last year, Wiley advised several successful Republican gubernatorial campaigns, including those of Walker, Bruce Rauner in Illinois and Greg Abbott in Texas. He also worked in the same role for Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Before joining the RNC for two years, he worked on Rudy Giuliani's 2008 presidential campaign and President George W. Bush's reelection in 2004. He also served as executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party in 2005. 

Wednesday it is reported that Scott Walker is going to Iowa.

Walker will attend a major conservative gathering organized by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) and Citizens United on Jan. 24.The event will feature a number of Walker's potential primary rivals, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (R).

The next step would be for Walker to announce an exploratory committee or the formation of a PAC for a presidential run.

He's young at age 47; he's a successful two term governor who has gone up against heavy opposition in Wisconsin, including teacher unions and raucous recalls; and he has already gotten the story out of the way that he did not graduate from Marquette University, his alma mater. He is articulate and engaging with his audience, though I wouldn't characterize him as charismatic.  I heard him speak during a Texas Public Policy Foundation Legislative Orientation session several years ago. I have kept an eye on his career since, as I knew he would likely become a potential future presidential candidate.

Speaker Boehner Re-Elected As Opponents Learn A Hard Lesson

Like many Republicans, I have been on the lookout for up and coming politicians who will step forward and lead with statesmanship, not bombastic bromides and perpetual outrage.  Happy warriors win over uncertain voters, just as those who came before us instructed, like Ronald Reagan.  There is no substitute for a well reasoned, articulate response to those who oppose us.

All this leads to the spectacle that presented itself Tuesday as the House of Representatives re-elected Speaker John Boehner. Facing a less potent threat to his re-election this year than two years ago, Boehner was nominated in November by the Republican caucus to continue on as Speaker of the House. No one moved to challenge him for that spot.

A couple of challengers emerged in the days before the vote Tuesday on the Speaker's race.  Louie Gohmert and Ted Yolo both decided to run for the job.  The problem is, neither offered a reason nor a path to victory. Both clearly were spur of the moment candidates and neither, frankly, are up to the task.  As written about HERE, if a politician wants to topple the sitting top guy, then there had better be some ground work completed in advance.  In other words, ducks need to be in a row.  Think back to the days of Newt Gingrich and the historic Republican takeover of Congress in the early 90's. There needs to be a large enough group of supporters to make it happen.

Gingrich began working with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in 1979 as part of an effort to take the majority, and later took over GOPAC. Both organizations were focused on helping elect new Members to Congress. This means that newly-elected Republicans would be indebted (and thus loyal) to Gingrich. Aside from his brilliance as a visionary thinker, Gingrich spent years assiduously cultivating support and planning for a majority.

Now, about that statesman...  

As you can imagine, the supporters of the challengers were a bit upset (sarcasm noted) about a rather easy victory for Boehner.  Some really hideous temper tantrums played out in social media, both on Twitter and Facebook, from the purists.  Frankly, they should be ashamed of themselves.  No one likes to lose but there is such as thing as losing gracefully and moving on to fight another day.

Rep Mick Mulvaney, from South Carolina, hardly a hotbed of liberalism, went into statesman mode after observing the level of crazy exhibited and posted this on his Facebook page:

There was an attempt to oust John Boehner as Speaker of the House today. I didn’t participate in it. That may make some people back home angry. I understand that, but I’ve got some experience with coup attempts against the Speaker, and what I learned two years ago factored heavily in my decision today not to join the mutiny.First, I learned two years ago that people lie about how they are going to vote. And you cannot go into this kind of fight with people you do not trust. We walked onto the floor two years ago with signed pledges – handwritten promises – from more than enough people to deny Boehner his job. But when it came time to vote, almost half of those people changed their minds – including some of those who voted against Boehner today. Fool me once, shame on you… Today was even worse: there were never enough votes to oust Boehner to begin with. On top of that, some people who had publicly said in the past that they wouldn’t vote for Boehner did just that. This was an effort driven as much by talk radio as by a thoughtful and principled effort to make a change. It was poorly considered and poorly executed, and I learned first-hand that is no way to fight a battle. This coup today was bound to fail. And in fact, it failed worse than I expected, falling 11 votes short of deposing the Speaker. At least two years ago we only failed by six.I also learned that the Floor of the House is the wrong place to have this battle. The hard truth is that we had an election for Speaker in November – just among Republicans. THAT was the time to fight. But not a single person ran against Boehner. Not one. If they had, we could’ve had a secret ballot to find out what the true level of opposition to John Boehner was. In fact, we could’ve done that as late as Monday night, on a vote of “no confidence” in the Speaker. But that didn’t happen…and at least one of the supposed challengers to Boehner today didn’t even go to the meeting last night. That told me a lot.Some people wrote me encouraging me to vote for Louie Gohmert. I like Louie, but let’s be clear: Louie Gohmert was – is – never ever going to be Speaker of the House. I respect his passion, but he isn’t a credible candidate. That was proved today by the fact that he got three votes, despite all the national media attention he managed to grab. My colleague who got the most anti-Boehner votes was Daniel Webster of Florida who got 12 votes. I like Daniel. He is a nice guy, and a good thinker…but his lifetime Heritage Action score is 60% (by comparison, mine is 91%). And this was supposed to be the savior of the conservative movement? Would the House really have been more conservative if he had won?The truth is, there was no conservative who could beat John Boehner. Period. People can ignore that, or they can wish it away, but that is reality.Some people tried to argue that voting against Boehner would give conservatives leverage, or somehow force him to lead in a more conservative fashion, even if the coup attempt failed. All I can say to that is that the exact opposite happened two years ago: conservatives were marginalized, and Boehner was even freer to work with moderates and Democrats. My guess is that the exact same thing will happen again now. And I fail to see how that helps anything that conservatives know needs to be done in Washington.I understand people’s frustration and anger over what is happening in Washington. And I also acknowledge that John Boehner may be partly to blame. But this was a fool’s errand. I am all for fighting, but I am more interested in fighting and winning than I am fighting an unwinnable battle.Finally, the most troubling accusation I have heard regarding the Boehner vote is that I have “sold out” my conservative principles. All I can say is this: take a look at my voting record. It is one of the most conservative in Congress. And I was joined today by the likes of Jim Jordan, Raul Labrador, Trey Gowdy, Mark Sanford, Trent Franks, Tom McClintock, Matt Salmon, Tom Price, Sam Johnson, and Jeb Hensarling. If I “sold out” then I did so joined by some of the most tried and tested conservative voices in Washington.I can say with 100% confidence that I have done exactly what I said I would do when I came to Washington: fight to cut spending, stop bad legislation, work to repeal Obamacare, and hold the President accountable for his actions. That will never change, and neither will I.

Makes it pretty clear, right? 

Opposition needs a plan, a willingness to do the ground work and earn the position.  How silly of these two men, in particular, to feel entitled when they have not earned it.  No politician is entitled to his/her office without accountability, that is true. However, one thing is certain about John Boehner - he knows about strategy and he knows how to work the process in the House.  He's not perfect but so far, no one else stepping forward to complain has proven to be anything better.

And those few who voted against Boehner? The ones with somewhat plum committee assignments no longer have them. That's the real world.  Apparently that consequence wasn't thought about in advance, either.  If your elected representative behaves in this manner, now is the time to demand better.

Scalise Under Fire For Scandal That Wasn't

It's a slow news week.  People are on winter breaks, celebrating the holidays and the incoming New Year. What constitutes a newsworthy item during such a slow time? The scandal that wasn't, as it turns out.

First you take a reporter working for the Washington Post reporting on a story written on a state politics website by a blogger in Louisiana. Add the bonus of the victim being a newly ascended Republican in the U.S. House, now third in the leadership ranks. Mix in cable news outlets with lots of air time to fill and presto! We have a scandal brewing.

Or, do we?  Rep Steve Scalise, (R-LA) is the incoming House Majority Whip.  It was reported Monday that he spoke to "a gathering of white supremacists" back in 2002 in Metairie, Louisiana - Scalise's home, a suburb of New Orleans. At the time, Scalise was a state representative with visions of pursuing higher elected office.

The Washington Post reporter promoted the breaking story heavily on social media Monday.  It was reported on CNN by late afternoon.  It has been all the buzz on Tuesday cable news shows.  CNN has been very deliberate to use black female anchors and talking heads to talk about the story.

Tuesday, however, the real story breaks that should cause heartburn to all those giddily reporting a story involving race and the GOP, but it won't.  It never does.  The question is till being asked if Scalise should resign his position, preferably his seat in Congress.  That's how Democrats roll, despite their own smarmy record on race relations and elected officials.

Here are the facts, as retold by the guy who invited Scalise to speak to this group:

Kenny Knight, a longtime political adviser to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, said in an interview Tuesday that he personally invited House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) to speak to a 2002 gathering of white supremacists.
“He was my neighbor,” Knight said of Scalise, who was serving as a state representative at the time of the conference. “I asked him to be the first speaker before the meeting kicked off.”
“This all came about because I organized the EURO meeting for David Duke as a courtesy after he had moved to Russia. I’ve known David for 40 years so I did him a favor. As part of that, I decided to ask Steve, our local representative, to come by and say a few words before the conference started,” Knight said. “He agreed, believing it was going to be neighbors, friends, and family. He saw me not as David Duke’s guy, but as the president of our civic association.”
Knight continued, “Now, at the time, I was a prominent person in state politics. I was on the radio, I was doing campaigns. Steve knew who I was, but I don’t think he held it against me. He knew I lived by his street and that I was active in our community. And I didn’t see a problem with having him speak.”
“Steve came in early on the first day of EURO, spoke for about 15 minutes, and he left,” Knight recalled. “He didn’t hear David speak remotely to the crowd.” Knight also said that he does not have video of Scalise’s remarks nor does he know if video of the speech exists.

So, David Duke was not present, he was videotaped from Russia.  Scalise was not told the facts of the group or Duke's association.  And, he left after being the first speaker - about 15 minutes later.  Silly enough for you yet?

David Duke is a despicable person because of his personal viewpoints on race and Jews and all that entails, there is no question about that.  The man is a former Metairie city councilman and pursued elected offices, including Governor of Louisiana before deciding to move to Russia.  That's right, Russia.  Any elected official should be held accountable for associating with David Duke.  This, however, is not a story that fits that narrative.  

The media is all too happy to pursue stories that do not end well for Republican elected officials.  This is just the latest example.  Scalise has made a statement explaining this speech and disassociating himself from the group.  There is no indication that he knew enough about the group to support them.  He was accepting an invitation to speak to a local group of business men and neighborhood people in the suburb where he resided and represented in the Louisiana State House.  Politicians with aspirations to run for higher office speak to anyone and everyone who invite them to do so, that's how campaigning works.  

I hope Scalise survives this ordeal.  Obviously someone had a political score to settle and decided now was the time to do it, as Scalise took the position of House Majority Whip.  He took responsibility for the speech right away.  I hope Speaker Boehner supports him.

And, let's hope that Scalise does a bit more research into the background of organizations and groups requesting his speeches in the future.

Culberson Sets the Record Straight on CRomnibus

U.S. Representative John Culberson (R-TX) sent out an email to set the record straight on the passage of the Omnibus bill, referred to as CRomnibus, as false information continues to be spread on the facts of the content of this bill.

My office has received a tremendous number of phone calls and emails from constituents who believe I should have voted against the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill. However, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation about the bill, and I believe a yes vote was the right vote for both Texas and our nation. I am sending you accurate information in this email so you can decide for yourself.  1.  All Republican Members of Congress share the same goal – to totally defund and repeal President Obama’s illegal amnesty and to repeal and replace Obamacare. Our only difference is in the tactics we believe will work best. 2.  It is not true that the omnibus funds President Obama’s illegal amnesty.  3.  It is not true that the omnibus fully funds Obamacare. 4.  If the House had passed a short term Continuing Resolution, we would have almost certainly lost all of the good provisions that House conservatives won in this legislation. Plus a Continuing Resolution means the President can continue to do everything just as he has been. We need to stop President Obama as quickly as possible, and I do not want him to keep doing things the same way. Former Texas Senator Phil Gramm often said that liberals achieve so much because they’re satisfied with small incremental gains. He often told me that conservatives must advance our legislative agenda, even if it’s just two or three feet at a time. This bill does that. As a college football fan, I know it is always a bad idea to punt the ball and get nothing if you are in field goal range. Particularly since we will have a Republican Senate in less than three weeks and can immediately get to work to go after the rest of President Obama's destructive agenda. I am frankly amazed we forced Obama to cut overall federal spending and to implement the additional spending restrictions House conservatives won in this bill. The final omnibus bill is the product of nearly 100 House committee hearings and markups, more than 400 amendments offered by members during 79 hours of floor debate, and is based on eleven individual House Republican appropriation bills. So all House Republicans participated at length in creating almost all of this bill.  I am writing today to reassure you that I will always keep my word to you. My good name is my most valuable possession, and my reputation as your representative in Congress is built on trust. I have given you links within this email so you can verify everything I have told you. Above all, I want you to know that I treasure your trust, and I will always work hard to earn it.  You have my word that I will do everything in my power as your representative to stop Barack Obama from doing more damage to this great nation, and that I will not rest until we have undone his illegal amnesty and repealed and replaced Obamacare. I will always do the right thing for the right reasons, and I will keep working to cut spending and taxes, to balance our budget, and to restore the 10th Amendment to get the federal government out of our lives, so that Texans truly run Texas.

The House Appropriations Committee released this statement.

THIS is a good piece explaining the win for conservatives in Congress. Is it a perfect bill? No. There is no such thing as perfect in governing.  

There’s some grumbling on the right, of course, but that is to be expected. It’s not a perfect vehicle and not, one hopes, what would have been put forward if there had been a Republican president in office ready to sign legislation sent up Pennsylvania Avenue by a Republican House and Senate. Nevertheless it is a strategic victory that strengthens the hand of the GOP, even at the expense of what are arguably tactical setbacks.

Listeners to talk radio need to stop being willing advocates for those who make a very handsome living off  dividing the voters in the Republican party.  They are paid dividers - professional complainers.

Culberson made the right decision to support the passage of this bill.  It was the right thing to do.  Those criticizing the elected officials who voted to pass the bill refuse to accept the reality of a minority Republican party.  That all will change in January, with the new majority Republican party in Congress.

In January, Republicans will right the process of appropriations and do it the correct way.  While Democrats have controlled the Senate and the White House, the elimination of the normal appropriations process brought about the prospect of government shutdowns, which Republicans are blamed for and only recovered from the last one because of the utter failure of the Obamacare website failure.  Do not believe any "conservative" who states that government shutdown was a win for Republicans. It wasn't.

Sometimes a bit of experience in working inside the legislative process comes in handy.  Culberson's choice to support the CRomnibus brought as big of wins for the Republicans as was possible.

Want a more perfect bill to the liking of conservatives?  Stop the divisions within the Republican party and work harder on unity.  Work harder to support and elect our nominees to higher offices.  Stop staying home if you are not 100% happy.  Start acting like a winner.

Cornyn Succeeds In Purple Heart Medals For Ft Hood Victims

The terrorist attack at Fort Hood, Texas executed by Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist and Medical Corps officer, was carried out in 2009.  Originally described by this President's White House as "workplace violence" it was later determined to be, in fact, a terrorist's attack on U.S. soldiers.  

Senator Cornyn has been a champion for the families of the victims of this attack.  One area in particular, awarding the Purple Heart medal to victims of the attack, is now a reality. Senator Cornyn wrote the legislation for the Senate bill which has now been voted into law.  On the House side, Rep John Carter, (R-TX31) and Rep Roger Williams (R-TX25) ushered the bill through for passage.

Here is some background provided by Senator Cornyn's office which speaks to why the process took so long to move through Congress:
Existing criteria for the Purple Heart provide for the medal to be awarded to service members killed or wounded “as the result of an international terrorist attack against the United States.” The provision in the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill would update the definition of “international terrorist attack” to include a terrorist attack that was inspired or motivated by al Qaeda or another U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization, and one prior to which the attacker was in communication with the terrorist group. The provision would be retroactively effective as of September 11, 2001, and would require fresh reviews of the 2009 Ft. Hood attack and other attacks since 9/11. For the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart—the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom—the measure would require a determination of whether it should be awarded to any civilians who were killed or wounded in the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood. Sen. Cornyn and Reps. Carter and Williams previously introduced similar legislation, the Fort Hood Victims and Families Benefits Protection Act, in both 2009 and 2011, and the Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act, in 2013.

The bill now goes to the President's desk for signature.  The Department of Defense will then be able to make the awards so long overdue.

Landrieu Delivers Farewell Speech to U.S. Senate

Today soon to be former Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) delivered her farewell speech to the U.S.Senate.  She was mostly gracious in acknowledging those who supported her and helped her along the way, both in her own party and in the Republican Party.  She did, however, feel the need to give a parting smack to former president Bush when it was time for her to talk about Hurricane Katrina.  She wants to keep alive the notion that somehow he is to blame for the failures of New Orleans.

"President Bush was not that forward leaning. I will just leave it at that. There will be more about it in my book." Senator Mary Landrieu criticized the former president in his actions post Hurricane Katrina, mostly about the money she was trying to get appropriated to the state.

Here is the speech.

She said several times that she has been an elected official since the age of 23. That's more than long enough for her.  She fell victim to her own campaign boasting long ago as she believes she is a legendary figure from Louisiana.  The fact is, she traded on her family name and political patronage.  This does not make her unique, certainly not in a state like Louisiana.

Landrieu Loss Lights Up Louisiana

Saturday night brought election defeats in Louisiana for both U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu in her bid for a 4th term and former Governor Edwin Edwards, who was running for a congressional seat. It is a new day in the state in which I grew up.

A wide coalition of conservatives from across the country fanned out and took on the task of working  the ground game on behalf of Rep Bill Cassidy.  National Federation of Republican Women, Texas Federation of Republican Women, tea party activists, and a newly formed group called the Black Conservatives Fund  were among the coalition. Though Landrieu's defeat was commonly thought to be a sure thing, Cassidy's trouncing of her on Election Day would not have been so spectacular without the Black Conservatives Fund.

Leading the way into new inroads for the Republican Party in black communities, members of the Black Conservative Fund organized in April, 2014. From their website:

The Black Conservatives Fund is a political action committee committed to turning out the black vote and elect black conservatives at every level of government. We provide direct contributions in addition to running TV and radio ads, conducting get-out-the vote drives, and funding any other activities our endorsed candidates need. We are first and foremost a CONSERVATIVE political action committee.  We are committed to assisting candidates who support reining in the size and scope of government, protecting our nation through a strong military, and promoting American values – especially the right to life.
We believe that despite the election of Barack Obama, the conservative movement has a golden opportunity to expand our coalition by supporting black conservative candidates whenever possible.

You may not have heard of this PAC but you will.  Perhaps best known among the founding members is Anita MonCrief, the ACORN whistleblower . The PAC is comprised of the next wave of conservative activists working to take on the black community and spread the word of the Republican Party and its principles of smaller government and strong national defense.  Their mission is to promote and support black candidates at all levels of government.

Defeat was obvious early into the evening.

CNN called the race for her Republican opponent Rep. Bill Cassidy a little over a half hour after the polls closed. Republicans picked up nine Senate seats this election cycle and will have control of 54 seats in the chamber next year.

Once seen as Democrats' strongest incumbent, Landrieu ended up such a long-shot in her runoff with Cassidy that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee cut its investment in the state, a move that Landrieu decried as leaving "a soldier on the field."

In her concession speech, Landrieu touted her own "record of courage, honesty and integrity and delivering for the state when it mattered the most."

The senator also said she didn't regret her vote for Obamacare, which the GOP used to attack her and every other vulnerable Democratic senator this cycle.

"This is something to be proud of, and I'm glad we fought for it," she said, touting some of the benefits of the law.

Mary Landrieu said of Obamacare: "If they don't like it, they can unelect us." So, the voters of Louisiana did just that.

Obama Flies to Vegas to Mock Republican Criticism

Essentially, what President Obama told Congress - the GOP led House of Representatives specifically - that they took too long to act on his cause du jour.  He decided to scuttle any hopes of changing course when the new Republican led Congress takes office in January.  He has now made it perfectly clear that he is going it alone. If his agenda is not moving quickly enough, he'll just amp up his use of executive orders (or in the case of immigration policy, a memo) and that will be that.

Remember, this is the man who ran for president calling himself a constitutional scholar.

The next Republican president could do an Obama move and move unilaterally on an issue important to that White House for political gain. It is amazing that Democrats seem to forget that Republicans remember bad behavior and what is to stop going forward unilaterally then?

The polls show the American people are uneasy about Mr. Obama’s unilateral law-making, and liberals should be too. Mr. Obama is setting a precedent that Republican Presidents could also use to overcome a Democratic majority. How about an order to the IRS not to collect capital-gains taxes on inflated gains from property held for more than a decade? That policy would be broadly popular and also address a basic lack of fairness. Mr. Obama’s rule-by-regulation has already been rebuked more than once by the Supreme Court. His “I, Barack” immigration decree is another abuse that will roil American politics and erode public confidence in the basic precepts of self-government.

How about a general gutting of the IRS code and substituting it with whatever the idea of the month was at that time?  Would that happen without a squawk from the tax crazy Democrats?

It is time for a calm, studious course of action against the executive memo President Obama announced Thursday night.  Most importantly, Republicans have to ignore the impulse to take the bait - don't cry impeachment or government shutdown.  Instead, Republicans have to get to work and coordinate between the House and Senate for bills to be voted on taking apart the action, even if it is piece by piece. The media and Democrats (some would argue that it is redundant) are chomping at the bit to claim Republican divisions.  The party has to pull together and remain unified in order to do the work necessary now.

Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), a moderate from the Philadelphia exurbs, said the leadership is asking his colleagues to “not play into the president’s hands.”“The president wants to see an angry and intemperate response, thinking the Republicans will do something that leads to a shutdown,” Dent said. “Don’t take the bait, and don’t have a hysterical reaction. We can be strong, rational and measured.”

President Obama flew to Las Vegas Friday morning to rally with Harry Reid and union supporters. Predictably, he was full of himself in his speech and mocked Republicans, as is his habit.

Nothing new policy-wise there. A predictably warm reception for the president’s big rollout speech for immigration reform.

• The president reassured the crowd he was not backing down despite talk of his having overstepped his executive powers or accusations that he had sabotaged the democracy. “I will never give up,” he said.
• The president borderline mocked Republicans for not advancing immigration legislation. “Pass a bill,” he repeated. “Pass a bill!” He said he had been willing to wash House speaker John Boehner’s car or walk his dog if he would bring a vote on the Senate immigration bill.

Let's be strong, rational and measured. It won't be easy. Long hours and hard work will be necessary from our elected officials.  Let's encourage them to work together and just do it. We can't give up, either.

Obama Grants Amnesty To Millions - A Bypass Of Congress

Some months ago, President Obama said "I am the President of the United States. I am not an emperor. My job is to execute the laws of the United States" in response to increased pressure from immigration reform groups pressuring him to grant amnesty to millions in this country here illegally. There are many more examples of President Obama declaring that action taken solely by him, as in executive action, would be an unconstitutional move. 

Go here for more examples of his flip flop: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/barack-obama-hecklers-immigration_n_4338945.html 

http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/16/shock-flashback-obama-says-illegal-immigration-hurts-blue-collar-americans-strains-welfare-video/?advD=1248,657950

Thursday night, President Obama gave an executive action statement on television.  The big alphabet networks - ABC, NBC, and CBS all declined to give him a spot in prime time to make the announcement.  Instead he was shown on cable networks.  Oh, and he was shown on Univision.  Univision was expecting a large audience Thursday all along - it was the night of the Latin Grammy awards. This was the only yes Team Obama really wanted.

The justification for the boldness used in pursuing executive action and bypassing Congress from Team Obama is that President Reagan and President GHW Bush did it.  For Republicans to object is hypocritical, they say. Prosecutorial discretion is allowed under the Constitution and it was  used by Reagan and GHW Bush for a targeted group of people.  Obama is writing his own requirements for legalization.  It is to come from Congress, according to the Constitution.  

These Reagan and Bush 41 executive actions were obviously different than what Obama is doing now. They were trying to implement a complicated amnesty that Congress had already passed. Congress’ action was a form of immigration relief that obviously fit within our constitutional system. Moreover, Congress left a gap when it came to immediate family members, including minor children, of individuals who qualified for the amnesty. Presidents Reagan and Bush 41 forbore from deporting people in that select group.
Obama, in contrast to Reagan and Bush 41, is not trying to implement a lawfully created amnesty. There has been no congressional amnesty. In fact, there has been no immigration action from Congress in the past few years except the post-9/11 REAL ID Act of 2005, which made it harder, not easier, for aliens to qualify for immigration relief. More than that, Congress declined to pass a legalization of the type Obama is issuing during both Obama’s term and in a hotly-contested bill during President Bush 43′s term.Thus, Obama is clearly contravening both ordinary practice and the wishes of Congress—as expressed in statute—by declaring an amnesty himself. This is nothing like Reagan’s or Bush’s attempts to implement Congress’ amnesty. The progressive media’s claims otherwise are blatant lies, relying on their readers’ ignorance of events in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Such attempts should be rejected wherever they are found.If Obama wants to justify his lawless immigration action, he will have to do it some other way than citing (blaming, more like) prior Republican presidents. They, to their credit, were trying to implement Congress’ will. Obama, on the other hand, has declared that his government will act despite Congress, or, I suspect, to spite Congress. Such pettiness finds no support in the presidencies of Reagan and Bush.

This executive action will be called a memo. Just as DACA (Dreamer Act) was a memo at the eleventh hour before the 2012 election (his re-election) and before that, the Morton memo in 2011 that commanded ICE Director Morton to not deport certain people.  This is how Obama operates. It is all about politics, not compassion.  It is cynical and unlawful.  It is shameful.

The good news is that most Americans polled believe in immigration reforms but do not agree that this is the way to do it.  The bad news is we are stuck with this until a new person is in the White House, if then.

None of this was necessary.  It was the ultimate poking a finger in the eye of his opposition, mostly Republicans, after a truly dismal showing for the Democrats on election night.  As with Obamacare, I think this stunt will prove to be bad news for future elections for the Democrats.  

In January, the new GOP controlled Congress must remain calm and focused. Coordinate calendars and bills between the House and Senate and pass common sense, realistic immigration reform - one step at a time, if necessary.  They must prove they can lead now.

Hail Mary Turned Into Fail Mary for Landrieu's Keystone Pipeline XL Vote

Instead of a Hail Mary we watched a Fail Mary come about as the U.S. Senate denied passage of the Keystone Pipeline XL by one vote Tuesday afternoon.  One vote.  

Safe to say that Rep Bill Cassidy can now begin measuring the room for furniture arrangement as he will be the next Senator from the great state of Louisiana.  It is high time that the Bayou State be relieved of the burden of Senator Mary Landrieu.  She has been on the taxpayer's payroll for one decade too many.  Soon she will be free to accept a nice cushy lobbyist job in Washington, D.C. like the rest the career politicians once they fall out of favor with the voters back home.

Mary Landrieu told voters that she had to be re-elected because she has seniority in the Senate.  She said she has power and is chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  She has been unable to convince Senate Majority Harry Reid to bring the Keystone Pipeline XL vote to the floor all these years the bill has languished on his desk, but never mind that. 

To be fair, Landrieu is one of the more conservative Democrats left in Washington, D.C.  but she's still a Democrat and she votes for their agenda.  At crucial times, she goes with the more liberal faction of the party - she voted in favor of Obamacare after a promise of receiving increased taxpayer money for Medicaid in Louisiana - so under pressure she truly votes in her own best interest, not for what the people of Louisiana are telling her.  

So, because Rep Cassidy is up over Landrieu in the polls in their run-off race, the Democrats in Washington, D.C. decided Landrieu's re-election chances would improve if a vote on the Keystone Pipeline XL finally happened.  With a strong message sent from President Obama that he would not sign the bill into law, but in fact veto it, many Democrats felt more secure in voting yes.  Americans strongly favor the pipeline but anti fossil fuel billionaire Tom Steyer has bought the support of many Democrats in office as he pushes his climate change alarmist agenda.  Democrats abandoned Landrieu and the vote failed.

The vote will happen again in the Senate.  In January, when a new Congress convenes - this one with a strong Republican majority in both the House and Senate - the vote will be brought up and pass.  This vote could have happened several months ago or it could have just waited until January but it proceeded Tuesday as a Hail Mary for Landrieu's campaign.  She lost.

Rep Bill Cassidy brought the most recent Keystone Pipeline XL bill to a vote in the House and it passed.  He will continue to campaign for the Senate seat as the victor of this battle between the two chambers of Congress.  The American people wait.

Landrieu has conducted a dismal campaign to date laden with mistakes.  Her last resort has been to go negative against Cassidy.  Now the Washington Post calls the Keystone Pipeline XL vote her final indignity.  Ouch.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) has participated in a keg stand. She has run this desperate ad. She lost an energy committee chairmanship that she often touted, when the GOP took the Senate on Nov. 4. She has clashed -- in front of reporters -- with a leader of her party. That same party basicallyabandoned her in her runoff campaign for a fourth term.But on Tuesday, she suffered the biggest indignity of her 2014 campaign, and possibly of her political career.Landrieu, reduced to a relatively pointless gambit to demonstrate her clout in Washington, failed to secure the 60 votes required to move forward with the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. She came up one vote shy.This was basically Landrieu's final play. With no party funding for her campaign, she has been drubbed on the airwaves -- as in, exponentially so. And even before that, few gave her much hope in her runoff with Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.).

.Bye girl, bye.