In this fine Human Events article, Erick Erickson reviews the career (and future) of the key conservative in Washington -- Senator Jim DeMint. ...With George Bush in the White House and the Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, it might have been difficult for most Republicans to shine, but DeMint ran as a conservative first and was ready to fight in the Senate.
He overcame his addiction to earmarks and began fighting pork, whether it came from his party or the Democrats. He aggressively opposed President Bush’s immigration reforms. He opposed TARP and the auto industry bailout. He was the lone no vote on a number of budgetary matters, including military appropriations because they were so loaded with pork. People started noticing.
Through the devastations of the 2006 and 2008 elections, DeMint recognized the GOP needed a new start. Calling themselves fiscally responsible, DeMint saw the GOP backing candidates who were coming to Washington campaigning as conservatives, but actually voting as something less than conservative. He decided to take action and launched the Senate Conservatives Fund (“SCF”). He told an interviewer, “I’ve just found that the Senate is going to be the last place to change, and if I wait for them to act, America will be in a ditch.”
Read the rest right here.
