Yes, I am in your district. Yes, I am fairly biased in your favor.

However that doesnt take away from your post.

Intellectual honest and debate act as purifying proces which pushes our core conservative ideals.

In any case, thank you for stepping up and talking to us directly.

I realize there are a lot of considerations that are being weighed in terms of electoral chances for the fall but I hope that Republicans in Congress will realize that a lot of their problems have arrived in the past two years because of a failure to adhere to their principles.

On the outside we can’t do anything to make members of Congress act as Republicans and it may be that the Party itself has to suffer in a long walk through the desert in order to recover its principles, but I hope not: I hope the very real problems they’re facing in this election tell them that instead of schucking them off, they should be fighting for them.

It’s a bit of complicated matter and our Presidential nominee needs to be on board also. My advice is to speak to him: because Republicans in Congress need a President they can rally behind when necessary, and they have to stop this dissolution that has charactized them since 2006.

Here in the blogosphere we’re just little people but we believe — I BELIEVE — in the fundamental values that define our party. It’s about time we stopped transgressing them for the sake of political expediency.

…and that is all true but I agree with Kowalski…we need the follow up…we are conservative republicans and that ain’t changing but we are screaming for our reps to follow through and it all seems to go unnoticed.

I think you have the what it takes to take it to the Democrats….

1st please do not call them the Democratic Party, there is nothing Democratic about them.

2nd, could you please do a photo-op walking from the House to the nearest gas station ala Pelosi and friends 2 years did to embarrass Republican’s.

3rd, please hold a press conference from the House and Senate everyday to lean on the Democrats because they certainly did that in the 2 years from 04 to 06…and that daily barrage did you guys in.

Turnabout is fairplay and we out here are waiting for you all to get in the game and kick some..you know what.

Thank you for posting here, we appreciate a good conservative voice, we just wish we could hear more of them.

The gas pumps idea is a good one. I’m astounded at the backlash from some Democratic reps about this drilling issue.

I told someone yesterday if we’d done this 10 (really even 5) years ago, we’d be much better off right now. Frankly, everyone is focusing on the economy as a negative. There are good things happening with the economy right now. The biggest issue in my opinion for young people and lower income people is the price of gas and the price of food.

I mentioned to another friend the food prices are partly a result of diverting crops for alternative energy programs, but they’re also a result of issues like the tomato/salmonella mystery (now it’s peppers or Basil or whatever).

Thank you for paying us modest bloggers a visit. I enjoyed reading your post and I always enjoy reading what you write elsewhere as well.

Best wishes from sunny Florida–Kay

Please don’t be a stranger. I’m trying to build a big chunk of Missouri support here and influential politicians such as yourself would do wonders.

The Pelosi Reid Congress has a 9% approval rating. Do you think you guys could stop talking about the poisonous atmosphere for Republicans, and the unpopularity of the President and the Iraq War and whatever excuses you keep coming up with an fight? The fact that Republicans can’t make any headway with a 9% approval rating hanging over the Dems heads is a disgrace!

I’m going to scream the next time I hear a Republican so called leader telling us that Congressmen had better run scared if they have an R by their name! Be a man for God’s sake and stop sniveling!

Oh…and the next time a Democrat says we can’t drill our way out of the energy crisis and it will take 10 to 20 years to bring any new production on line… Instead of sitting there like a knot on a log…why don’t you all start saying something like, “If it’s going to take 10 to 20 years…isn’t it time we at least got started”? I scream it at the TV every time they say it and for the life of me I can’t figure out what’s so hard about a simple comeback like that to show them for the fools they are!

I know I’m talking to dead air because you haven’t bothered to reply to Kowalski…but I got it off my chest at least.

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in Washington—Fred Thompson

But not nearly enough…I’ve seen it over and over again where the Dem throws out their talking points and the Republican just let’s the lie sit on the table for everyone to absorb with nor repost or rejoinder!

The following statement:

“If it’s going to take 10 to 20 years…isn’t it time we at least got started?”

cut’s to the heart of the issue in one short sentence, shows the Democrat’s talking points to be empty and vapid and shows the Republican has a backbone and is willing to stand up for what he believes instead of cowering in a corner acting like he’s ashamed to be a Republican!

I als0 see you didn’t address my biggest frustration that these guys can’t make headway against a Pelosi/Reid Congress with a 9% approval rating.

As for any disrespect, if the Congressman doesn’t want to face criticism, he shouldn’t be in politics and he definitely shouldn’t be in leadership. I’ll give respect where respect is due…I’m just sorry there is so little respect due in the Republican Caucus today. I hope the representative can take what I’m saying and realize that I speak for millions of Conservatives that are sick of the never ending game of Democrats attacking while Republicans take the lumps delivered like a battered wife…it’s time for a burning bed and if these guys won’t light the match, they deserve to lose this November like they keep telling us they’re going to!

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in Washington—Fred Thompson

Nice winner of an article, Congressman, filled with statements like “where blogs like the Puffington Host [sic.] and Daily Kos serve as a bulletin board for standard Democratic talking points.”

Standard – do you mean as in “anti-torture?” Yeah, I guess that’s standard for Dem blogs…not for you though, since you support torture. Oh – perhaps you mean supporting environmental regulation for the good of American citizens? Well, yeah, that’s pretty standard in Dem blogs – not for you though, and not here! After all, your boy McCain has a ZERO rating from the League of Conservation Voters – he’s almost as much of an environmental nightmare as he is an imperialist warmonger.

Perhaps by “standard” you mean Dems not wanting to get their civil liberties trampled upon by quaking-in-their-boots Republicans who will give up any liberty and spy on their fellow Americans if it will make their miniscule risk of getting hurt in a terrorist attack even more miniscule? Yeah, that’s pretty standard for Dems…interesting that you and your lily-livered cronies are scared enough to sign whatever authoritarian bill crosses your desk though.

Nearly 50% of Americans identify as Democrats, and they engage in open debate just like any other American. To deny this obvious fact is to pathetically pander to the Red State audience and to weaken your credibility. Kudos on accomplishing each of this in such a succinct post.