The Republican Party had a great opportunity to begin to reclaim its pro-growth, limited government credentials by advancing two important bills in both the Senate and House this week. Sadly, the GOP has disappointed fiscal conservatives yet again.

Today's editorial in The Wall Street Journal explains it all:

In the Senate, Maine's Olympia Snowe helped to scuttle even a single-year extension of the current 15% tax rate on dividends and capital gains that is due to expire in 2008. Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley was thus forced to postpone a committee vote on extending a tax cut that has been crucial to an economic rebound that since mid-2003 has been marked by 10-straight quarters of nearly 4% average growth. Tell us again why Republicans need 55 Senators?

The chaos was even worse in the once-disciplined GOP House, where leaders had to pull their budget from the floor for lack of a majority. The immediate cause was the revolt of the 25 House Members?who signed a letter demanding that a provision to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge be stripped from the bill.

House GOP leaders caved into their demands and stripped ANWR from the bill. But guess what? It still wasn't good enough for the RINOs! The House still didn't have enough votes to pass the bill.

In effect, RINOs shut down Congress this week because they didn't want to cut even the rate of growth in spending or support the very same tax cut that was instrumental in jumpstarting our economy.

Well, the Club for Growth's PAC wants to help change the kind of irresponsible behavior explained above. If Republican (and Democratic) lawmakers don't want to support pro-growth proposals, the Club's PAC will support the people who will.

On Monday of this week, the Club for Growth PAC announced its first endorsement for a challenger in a GOP primary for the '06 cycle. The Club's PAC identified incumbent Congressman Joe Schwarz (R-MI) - who was one of the 25 House members listed above -- as one of the worst examples of Republican politicians who have abandoned any real commitment to limited government and pro-growth policy. The Club's PAC endorsed a terrific champion of limited government and economic freedom -- former state representative Tim Walberg.

"Republicans in Congress are sliding toward abandoning their core commitment to limit the size and scope of the Federal government," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "Rep. Joe Schwarz is a major part of the problem and one of the worst offenders. By replacing him with a true economic conservative like Tim Walberg, we improve our ability to enact the pro-growth agenda."

"Tim Walberg is a steadfast opponent of higher spending and taxes, having never voted for a tax increase during his 15 years in the Michigan State Legislature. His principled philosophy is exactly what the taxpayers need in Congress."

We'll be sending a request to you in the near future asking for support for Walberg, but in the meantime, give Olympia Snowe's district office a call. Let her know that you want the cap gains and dividend tax rates made permanent. If the phone line is busy, keep calling. If you live in Maine, tell your friends to call her as well. Her phone number is (207) 945-0432. And if you want to read more about our endorsement, click here and here for recent news reports.

Wouldn't it be nice to wake up one day and find that lawmakers who were elected with Club member support were in charge of the House of Representatives? Larry Kudlow, of CNBC's Kudlow & Company, ponders that very thought on his blog this week. Click here to read what he says.

Club for Growth President, Pat Toomey was on the air in a few states this week, making appearances on: A.M. Tampa Bay (WFLA) in Florida, The Rick Baxter Show (WKHM) in Jackson, Michigan, and KNTR AM Talk Radio in Lake Havasu, Arizona. Stay tuned for more radio spots in the future.

Consistency & Freedom - Don Boudreaux, PTR
Curtains for Tax Cuts? - Michael Darda, NRO
A Bridge the Senate Could Not Cross - Richard Cohen, RCP
A Windfall of Hypocrisy - Squawk Blog
GOP Dumps Gipper 25 Years Later - Union Leader Editorial
 

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