It is painfully obvious that he just doesn’t get it.

Citizens want the spending to stop. Period. Earmarks are symbolic of Washington, D. C. corruption, and for Cantor to advocate a comeback for them is political suicide.

Primary him in 2012, and be done with him.

Eric Cantor is forever sending me e-mails wanting my contribution for something!! I will definitely send him an e-mail re: MY thoughts on EARMARKS!!!!

My 2 senators and my representative have already a LOAD from me on this subject and looks like they will again.

Thanks for the info…

to PLEASE NOT VOTE FOR Boehner now that is only 3 people however if there is a TRUE Conservative Caucus both in the House and the Senate they will absolutely NOT VOTE for McConnell and Boehner/

This is serious business, Boehner voted FOR as did McConnell FOR the bailout of the banks which should have failed. WE DO NOT reward bad behavior and it was the MOST SHAMEFUL moment in the History of this Country. I will NEVER forgive President Bush for “socializing” the banks in the United States of America……NEVER!

I have said it over and over, President Bush and his so called “compassionate” Conservatism KICKED DOWN the door for Barack Hussein Obama’s SOCIALISM!

No Wonder the voter think that there is not much diffrence beteewn the two parties

No Wonder the voter think that there is not much diffrence beteewn the two parties

Earmarks and programs that rely on the good guys being in charge, mean they are not a potential good for America. For example, Mitt Romney defends RomneyCare by a “when we were in charge of it, we did better” campaign. I thought the founders planned for worse case, for those of weak character and limited abilities, rather than counting on always having a supply of good guys.

This is why both parties are in the dumper. Like the guy in the special election in NY said last year when becoming an Independent; he thought people should have a choice.

Merit is to Cantor what fair is to Obama.

We need to confront this problem head on.

Our side needs to get the message. No more printing money, no more earmarks, no more reckless spending. “Merit?” What exactly does that MEAN, Congressman?

Mike Pence should challenge Eric Cantor for Majority leader if we do take the majority. Unlike Cantor, who clearly doesn’t understand why we’re poised to possibly take back Congress, Mike Pence gets it and would be an outstanding leader.

We MUST hold our side’s feet to the fire this time. We were so giddy in 1994 that we stopped teaching and did a lousy job on the grass roots level of making sure our side was accountable,

We can’t have this anymore. We just can’t afford it.

…is a well-deserved strike. He represents the “Ruling Class” sentiment in the GOP. And having taken Robert Hurt under his wing to take back the seat held by Tom Periello in VA-05 may doom the GOP there. Getting him removed from leadership will be a blessing.

In addition to Mr. Cantor’s position being wrong, he delivers the bomb shell so casually. Another guy completely detached from the people.

He has always struck me as being weak on the issues and his arguments are always strained. He comes across as being a rookie – maybe because he doesn’t fully buy-in to the argument he is making. For that matter, I am not a fan of Boehner either.

The only time either of them gets riled up is when it’s already too late.

Is for Paul Ryan to be majority leader.

And, I want to see, just once, Thaddeus McCotter on the House floor talking jive.

When I read of that comment by Cantor, my stomach turned. Thoughts of all the efforts of the past year and the gargantuan fight ahead rushed past me as I thought of how this guy, as a leader in the GOP, would destroy all that, by entertaining such a stupid thought and then foolishly say at this juncture. I’ve noticed that when you guys address something here, it often spreads like wildfire. I hope and look forward to this happening with this issue, so that it can be nipped in the bud.

Again thanks, God Bless, and please know your efforts are much appreciated and admired by more than you know.

If they have “merit” then they should be easily passed after a transparent debate, not slipped in the backdoor of some unrelated legislation.

These establishment Republicans are like traders whereas We The People are investors. They play the ups and downs and make money both ways. We are in it for the long haul and have a vision.

Can you see Cantor ever caring about a “shining city on a hill”?

The very worst outcome of a Republican victory would be for Republicans in Congress to relax and think their business-as-usual policies have been vindicated.

1. Elect as many Republicans as possible in November

2. Let them all know, old timers and newcomers, that they hold temporary jobs, not tenure, and can be replaced for malfeasance.

If the voters come out strong in 2010 and toss out the Democrats who have voted for spending since 2006, they will expect Republicans to rein in spending, even if it has merit.

Cantor will guarantee Obama another term if he and fellow Republicans go back to their spending ways.

The voters will stay home in 2012 or vote for a 3rd party if earmarks reemerge.

That Cantor will be the Majority Leader?

If so, it’s going to be like herding cats in a room full of rocking chairs considering the number of grassroots conservative candidates replacing Democrats and even some left leaning Republicans.

We won’t make it easy for him in the mud pit. It just means that a lot of those folks who have newly become active will have to stay active to keep their Congress men and women apprised of what the people want.

Earmarks are bad… bad policy and bad politics…Period. If an earmark has “merit” debate it as a separate issue.

Voters, especially Independents know very well who is still in charge on the Republican side of the aisle. But these acolytes of mediocrity, these denizens of self-interest, believe a tidal backlash against the most destructive Congress and President in our history will let them slither back into their den’s.

Unless current Republican leadership promises to step aside, realizing this is not only a historical vote against this current government, or lack thereof- but also a vote against the corrupt, disingenuous type of politics they represent, then get ready for much smaller numbers in November.

Notice how these “leaders” have not signed onto anything closely representing “a contemporary The Contract with America” and moved in lock-step to free us from our current bondage. Ever wonder why? It’s because they feel it will be an unnecessary encumbrance to their real agenda.

Should we hand back control without any type of guarantees or commitments to new leadership? In the words of Boehner; “Hell no.” I am a little tired or living in the wilderness watching reruns of McCain, Graham, Collins and Snowe holding hands and doing a Thabal Chongba, with a sanbiki no saru, represented by McConnell, Cornyn and Kyl sitting in the middle. It may be conjecture, but I believe there are a few more people that may feel the same way.

It will be almost impossible to fix the deficit if we “re-institute” earmarks and bribes for votes. The spending will just get shifted around.

Earmarks in and of themselves are not the problem, since they are a good way to get some important items funded that are too small to fit into a larger bill.

The problem is earmark transparency. Every one of these needs to have a sponsor’s name and justification for the expenditure included. I also wouldn’t mind seeing a cap, or even a special earmark omnibus bill passed every year.

One of the reasons we believe that Conservatism trumps Liberalism is that we take into account the reality of human nature, and don’t live in Utopian fantasies. The reality is that these types of funding items are going to occur, either as an earmark or as a little noticed program in a larger spending bill. It is better to bring them into the light of day and make Congress accountable to prove the worth.

Earmarks go to those who have votes to sell or who hold powerful positions on committees. We need to be “fair” about this and share the wealth with those who don’t have powerful positions. If those not in the “in” group would band together to say that all districts will get the same benefits as all the others, we can stop earmarks.

The way it would work would be that, if the top district received 1 million in earmarks, then all other districts would receive 1 million too. Subtract the ear marks in each district and give the rest of the money as tax refunds to those who vote. Soon, no district would choose an earmark over a tax refund.

It would work because those in the in group are always far less than those in the out group. They will have to be smart to prevent the in group from coming up with a new tag for earmarks to get around this idea. But selling it on the democratic idea of “fairness” (choke) should shut down the opposition.

I am 100% in agreement with first ensuring that an R majority is back in place.
Conservative in the primary and R in the general is what I will live by.
However, past that point, MAJOR surgery needs to be done on the GOP.

As you stated, and many excellent comments have already expressed above, the GOP, starting with Cantor, have not changed one bit. They completely don’t get it.

But actually they do get it. For much of the current GOP core, they love it they could let conservative blogs and Tea Party activists take care of all the hard work for them so they can avoid a Huffington article. Meanwhile instead of planning bold new leadership plans to take back the country, they are simply planning to re-establish pork.

For the House, Cantor’s comments on earmarks show that they are more than willing to engage in the fiscal sins that got us to this point. The pork 11 Senator group has similarly responded to keep earmarks.

When it comes to primary candidate’s support, both the House and the Senate have demonstrated a different rule “liberal RINO in the primary, progressive liberal RINO in the general, and conservative never.” Also, the lead RINO in chief (McClame) will be back in full swing in November and will no doubt rally and re-create the RINO caucus with Grahamnesty, Trigger Sisters, and Lugar.

I am supporting R for the general election. After that, I support many different varieties of MAJOR surgery on the GOP coupled with extensive amounts of NUCLEAR medicine on them.

If the progressive GOP core in both the House and the Senate leadership are not shifted, the R gains that appear to be inevitable, will not make the difference that they absolutely MUST make in order to shift the country back to the people.

This is also another reason I’ll give to individual candidates but have nothing to give the GOP when they call except a huge mouthful of “Not another penny!!”

Does someone have a strategy? I’ll be completely on board. I want Boehner gone too. Ryan for speaker and Ron Paul for majority leader!

There is absolutely no chance at all that Cantor will not win in November. Zip. I would love to see a strong, uncompromising primary challenger to run against him in 2012, but even that is doubtful. I mainly want to see him taken out of any leadership positions in the House. I want his young gun program exposed for the sham that it is. He has recruited people he can control. Don’t forget that he sent a check for $5 grand to Dede Scozzifozzy.

Can someone provide Eric Cantor’s email so we can bombard him with our views and make him take a vow to not take any more pork/earmark as long as they are in House Majority?

Since he is likely to be the majority leader in new Congress, this is the only way to keep him straight and narrow.

is it written in stone that cantor has to be speaker?
with a good conservative election why would they vote back in the problem children…

he actually told prospective voters that he already had a plan in the works, with other potential and current conservative House members, to attempt to force House rule changes (assuming the Republicans take back control of the House).

David explained last week at a Tempe Tea Party meeting, where he and other candidates spoke, that he had just returned from D.C. where he had met with a group of conservative incumbent Republicans. They are trying to build the largest group of conservatives possible, reaching out to new conservative primary winners (perhaps Dr. Dan Benishek in Michigan?), to employ a strategy to force a series of rule changes that will force the House to get spending under control.

This conservative coalition will pledge, for example, to not vote for any candidate for Speaker who will not agree to a rule change requiring every House bill to be a “single issue” bill; that is, for example, a defense appropriation bill would be limited to defense appropriations. No possibility to add any earmarks to it. Another change to the rule the group would demand, I seem to recall he mentioned, would be that no “vapor bills” could be introduced: a bill would actually have to be written before debate could begin on it and would have to be in actual, final, written form before a final up or down vote — no more “fill in the blanks” legislation would be permitted.

For Liberty,
ColdWarrior, PC (that’s “precinct committeeman,” not “political child!”)
Conservatives, UNITE! CHANGE the Republican Party and save the world by UNITING INSIDE the Party as precinct committeemen. NOW! (70 days until Nov. 2 — what are YOU DOING to help get out the vote in your precinct?)

He has always been part of the problem.

He has no respect for the conservative uprising that will return the House to the Republicans.

make Ron Paul the house minority leader. At least he will honestly make the GOP do what they promised to do.

The re-election of John McCain is so troublesome. It shows signs America has not learned her lesson yet.

What in bloody hell will it take? (I fear the answer)

The re-election of John McCain is so troublesome. It shows signs America has not learned her lesson yet.

What in bloody hell will it take? (I fear the answer)

If these idiot RINOs dare to start this kind of spending, then we will get them next!

We will toss out every single politician who does not respect the fact that they are spending OUR money. You better watch out Cantor! You start this crap and you will be following Harry Reid into retirement.

You should at least applaud Cantor’s candor on the matter.

These are legislators with constituencies. Earmarks aren’t going anywhere because there is a demand for them. This is pure market economics.

Voters oppose earmarks in the abstract, aka, when they are not directly benefiting, but voters love earmark projects in their districts. And woe to the legislator that denies pork to his constituents.

I believe people are confusing the backlash against the socialism of Obama with backlash against the government teat.

If you make that miscalculation you are setting yourself up for a giant disappointment no matter what the outcome is in November.

The American voter opposes socialism, but they are by and large Keynseian at heart and so is the Republican Party.

I’m not suggesting anyone stay at home or sit on their hands. On the contrary I suggest blocking Obama and the socialists is a sufficient good, but don’t kid yourself.

Republicans will continue to earmark and maintain a big government status quo. They just won’t be socialists.

The bribes are called “pork.”

Earmarks are how the money allotted in a particular bill gets allocated.

Cantor as “guy in charge” — I’ll leave that up to larger skulls than mine. But all this mess over a remark about spending allocation seems like much ado about nothing.

……………..Pence…Boehner..Ryan……CANTOR…Issa……..Castle
Cato………63.5…..47…………66……….57……………55……….64….(trade issues)
NCU………99.6….94…………92.4…….96.7…………91……….52.5
NatJour….7……….7.8………..19.3…….11.7………..14.5…….42.2..(low = Cons)

Pence is clearly the most conservative according to these raters, and deserves his leadership position. But Cantor ranks above Boehner by 2 of 3, above Ryan by 2 of 3, above Issa by all 3, and (far) above Castle on 2 of 3. A couple more, for comparison:

…………….Bachmann…..Ron Paul……..
Cato……..57………………76
NCU…….100…………….82.9
NatJour..10.2……………29.7