[Previous entry: "gore"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "no gore"]

12/15/2002 Archived Entry: "moderates"

WHICH IS WORSE - SEGREGATION OR TAX CUTS?: That is what the left wing of the Republican Party needs to decide. Conservative Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK) has called on the Senate GOP conference to hold a referendum on Trent Lott's continued leadership. Many of those who are resisting this are moderate to liberal Republicans. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) affirmed his support for Lott and announced it was time to "move on." Ex-GOPer Jim Jeffords has released a statement of support. Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), considered the most liberal Republican in the Senate and the one most likely to bolt the party if the circumstances were right, told the Providence Journal that he thought Lott's comments, which appeared to be nostalgic for Jim Crow, were "stupid" but he was supporting him because he was afraid he would be replaced by someone more conservative.

Presumably, that means Nickles, the number-two Senate Republican until January when he hands over the Whip position to conservative Lott backer Mitch McConnell (R-KY) due to term limits. So Chafee, a northeastern progressive Republican, would rather be led by someone with a tin ear on race than someone who will push for deeper tax cuts and spending restraint? He is less concerned about statements that appear to condone segregation than he is about smaller government?

Despite bipartisan criticism of Lott that extends across the political spectrum, there are three obstacles to removing him from the leadership position: The friendship and personal loyalty of many GOP senators, the fear that he will leave the Senate entirely and be replaced by a Democrat (resulting in a 50-50 split that places the GOP majority at serious risk in the event of a defection), and now the resistance of moderate and liberal Republicans who would rather be led by someone lacking credibility on racially tinged issues than by a movement conservative. Given the long history of support for civil rights in the Rockefeller wing of the party, they should be ashamed to be one of these obstacles.