Every story must have a villain, and for eight years, there have been myriad candidates to choose from. Now that we have a new administration, I've been wondering who might fill the enormous void left by Dick Cheney and his closest friends -- and I've settled, at least for now, on Jon Kyl, the other Senator from Arizona and current Minority Whip. Kyl came onto my RADAR after calling President Obama's Inaugural address "low brow," but today's meeting with the president has further affirmed to me that this is a man I won't be inviting to dinner in the next few years.
Today, top congressional leaders met with President Obama to discuss the economic stimulus plan:
[Kyl] challenged the president and the Democratic leaders over the balance between the package’s spending and tax cuts, bringing up the traditional Republican notion that a tax credit for people who do not earn enough to pay income taxes is not a tax cut but a government check.
Obama noted that such workers pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, property taxes and sales taxes. The issue was widely debated during the presidential campaign, when Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, challenged Obama’s tax plan as “welfare.”
You may have already seen Obama's summary response to Kyl, but it's worth repeating. "Challenged by [Kyl] over the contents of the package, the new president, according to participants, replied, 'I Won.'"
Welcome to the new world, Jon Kyl. Just because Obama is interested in bipartisan discussion doesn't mean he's willing to compromise his party's values. There's meaning in victory, as Republicans proved to us again and again and again from 2001-now, and I'm extremely excited to see the president acknowledging that capital now. Sometimes, even in the "post-partisan" world, "I won" really means "you lost."
I respect Kyl and his colleagues for sticking to their increasingly unpopular guns on issues like this; really, I do. It is important that all sides are heard -- something that hasn't been the rule in D.C. for a while. Having said that, it's not always important that both sides are happy, particularly when they are wrong, as Kyl is in his "they don't pay taxes" assertion, and particularly when they've just faced massive rejection of their core philosophy by a majority of American voters.
This adherence to conservative principle seems to be coming a little late, since Kyl didn't appear too troubled by actual fiscal conservatism when he voted, twice, to authorize TARP, or when he claimed in October that President Bush has no responsibility for the current economic mess. It's also stunning to hear Kyl saying he's helped delay the confirmations of both Timothy Geithner and Eric Holder because he believes more information is needed and more time must be spent on these decisions. He was pretty quick in 2005 to support Alberto Gonzeles, partly on the strength of his endorsements, calling him a "compelling example of the American Dream" and " a credit to his people, his home state of Texas, and the nation he has served in so many ways."
See, the difference is that now Kyl has started paying attention again, because the guy who won isn't his guy any more. Apparently, it's the dawn of a new day for Republicans, a day where you have to show up for work, instead of just phoning it in. Only here's the thing: just as he's not willing to call a truce with Obama, I'm not willing to call a truce with him. Mr. Kyl, you and your friends in the Bush White House got us into these messes, so you'll excuse me if your newfound desire to stand on principle is less than inspiring. Welcome back to doing your job; I hope it sucks for at least the next four years.
Expect to hear more from Kyl. Being an Opposition Leader offers a tremendous platform for yelling and screaming (and also, thank goodness, for getting shot down by the president). It also, of course, offers a keen platform for running for president -- as Kyl's colleague from Arizona, Sen. John McCain, was so kind to point out last night when he mentioned Kyl as a possible 2012 contender.
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Catherine Forsythe
Writer to the Stars
Emily Holleman
Iron Skillet
Leslie Harpole
old new lefty
Salon.com
Comments
Just had to see that again. :-)
Yes, let them campaign on the same crap that was just rejected. By all means. Give us your "best".
Great as always, Saturn. Especially like, being heard is not the same as being happy.
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It would be funny if these guys weren't in charge of any decisions. Oh, wait, it still is kind of funny.
On the journalistic side, you can add Krauthammer & Gerson to the list of people who will be spouting nonsense from their ideological soap-boxes. I'm damn near cancelling my subscription to the Washington Post (& we get two papers every day) simply b/c they give Gerson space for his absolute drivel.
Krauthammer went off today on Obama's "mediocre" speech. If that doesn't beat all!
Someone should remind Kyl of all this just before they take it all away and kick his ass out the door.
Thanks, Susanne. Maybe it's because I have farmers in my family? ;)
Lps, I admit I have avoided Krauthammer because reading him takes years from my life in the blood-pressure spikes that ensue. The only conservative that the Post keeps around that I enjoy reading -- though I still heartily disagree -- is George Will.
Tom, from your typing fingers to the Arizona voters' eyes...
Whoo-Hoo! I absofnlutely Love this!
My money is on the stern chinned, thin but strong, articulate and passionate new President.
Call me a dreamer. Call me naive. Just don't ever call me late for dinner. ;-)
Wonderful work from the OS Future Pulitzer Prize winner.
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Conniemack, that's an excellent way to put it -- I felt the same reading his comment. Woo hoo!
We won't be chatting about who "won". But how America lost.
These days are not good times to be a liberal in Arizona, considering that our two senators are Kyl and McCain, our governor is Jan Brewer, and both houses in the legislature are Republican controlled.
These guys have zero accountability, zero conscience, zero shame.
BTW - SCHIP goes to the Senate floor this week. And for a bill that should be as bipartisan as it gets, it is predicted to be a "bloodbath."
I love these Republicans, who can criticize but not come up with concrete suggestions of their own. I have heard several say in the last couple of days, "It is easier out of power, than in power. Then you don't have to do anything but be critical of the present administration."
I guess the answer is yes.
I'd have been more of an ass if I were the President. I'd have said, look, we tried it your way for the past eight years. Ain't turned out so good, huh? So you'll excuse me if I want to go down a different road. Oh, and by the way, I won.
I don't question that indeed this is the traditional republican line, I just don't understand why it is. The Republicans claim that it's important to remember that taxes are money belonging to the individual that is being yielded to the government, not money belonging to the government being given to the people. That's the whole basis for the desire for estate tax relief, capital gains tax relief, etc. But in this one case, they think that failing to take the money earned and owned by a low-income individual is a government tax giveaway. I think “they” [*] should be relentlessly held to account for the inconsistency involved in such a statement, not to mention the inhumanity of it (which seems not to matter a lot to them).
[*] They = the ones writing the playbook for the Republican party. I suspect there are many decent Republicans who aren't like this and don't want me calling them inhumane. They can avoid me thinking of them that way by standing up for less taking from the poor and especially less reference to such greedy taking as being any kind of government handout or check. A tax credit is not a check; it is declining to take because it recognizes that a citizen is already doing their part, sometimes by investing in America, sometimes by just putting up with the fact that America has not invested a whole hell of a lot in them.
I subscribed to the Post for 30 years [1978-2008] and for a few years prior [1969-1972]. However, when Len Downie took over and started inviting all his right wing friends to populate the editorial page and editorial board, I cancelled. It was hard, being without the "hard copy" of a newspaper I'd become used to. I actually ended up re-subscribing, but yet another of the right-wingers rants or editorial positions drove me from the fold. They called, snail-mailed & e-mailed me for months, pleading with me to come back, and it satisfied me no end to tell them, each time, why there was NO CHANCE that I would do so.
It's a hard habit for us oldsters to break, but it's worth it. I encourage you.
Icemilk, I think they do still matter, but it is nice to see them reminded of what the meaning of this election was.
Jon, Joseph, Nerdyjen, you do seem to have a grim situation in AZ. Keep up the good fight, though.
Emma, at least the no accountability problem seems to be getting better, with Obama et al, right?
Wakingupslowly -- SCHIP being a bloodbath makes me a little ill. What are they thinking?
GMGaston - Yeah, I'm afraid we're moving toward a "we're less responsible for what we say now!" situation with the out of power GOP. Never a good situation.
Faith -- yes! Loyal Opposition. I look forward to seeing how that plays out with this administration. Some seem to be embracing the role, which seems a good sign for democracy. And like WorkingClassDem says, he does seem to be more of a foil for the moment than an actual obstacle.
Tony, indeed, he does seem up to the fight, and though I enjoy your response more, I think he mya have made/kept more friends with his succinct reply.
Kent, I'm with you, and I do think there are a few that wouldn't want to be seen in the way you're describing, but may have no choice if party solidarity becomes important to re-election. SOme of this depends on who the next RNC chair is.
MauiMom, good on you for explaining your reasons when they call! The actual paper edition is a hard habit to break, though, I agree.
Olympia Snowe (R Maine) and Collins (R Maine) may be helpful, because we hear the Rs may filibuster.
I am so ready for SCHIP to be done!
Absent a credible path to entitlement reform, this stimulus will merely accelerate a federal government bankruptcy and a follow on hyperinflation.
The elites of both parties have led us to this juncture.
Mr. Obama should be credited in his speech by the way, with at least hinting at the fact that the real problem of the United States is that we have not dealt with such long term problems in the first place.
U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona)
Republican Whip
Biography
Jon Kyl was elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona in 1994 and re-elected in 2000 and 2006, after having served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. As the Republican Whip, he is the second-ranking member of the Senate Republican Leadership and responsible for building support on key issues.
He serves on the Senate’s Finance Committee, where he is the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, and on the Judiciary Committee, where he is the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security.
Among recent accomplishments and legislative efforts, Kyl has:
Led efforts to increase funding for border security and other immigration enforcement;
Served as the driving force behind the landmark Arizona Water Settlements Act;
Won passage of legislation to establish the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University, and to expand Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park;
Won passage of a historic bill guaranteeing the rights of crime victims; and
Successfully fought for strong anti-terrorism tools for law enforcement, including the “Lone-Wolf Fix” to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Before his public service, Kyl practiced law at Jennings, Strouss & Salmon in Phoenix. In 1985 he served as chairman of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.
Born in Oakland, Nebraska, Kyl received both his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Arizona. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was editor-in-chief of the Arizona Law Review. He and his wife Caryll have two children, Kristine Kyl Gavin and John Kyl, and four grandchildren.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. joined a quarter-million people on the National Mall for the March on Washington. After years of smaller demonstrations, this historic event began to galvanize a movement. People of all ages and races joined together to pursue a common goal of racial equality. Now, we reflect on the impact of Dr. King’s life and the mark that he left on American history.
Dr. King’s roots as a pastor shaped the principles that guided his leadership of the civil rights movement. His position at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1950s and 1960s gave him a pulpit from which to gain the respect and confidence of the African-American community. He battled the injustice of segregation, but his commitment to nonviolence set him apart from his radical counterparts. He passionately promoted the ideals of peace, freedom, and racial unity. As racial tensions escalated in Montgomery, King’s prominent status gave him the unique opportunity to lead a community away from violence and toward peaceful civil disobedience.
Beginning with the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, Dr. King and other community leaders organized nonviolent protests of segregation laws in many southern cities. These massive, peaceful demonstrations gained national attention and gave hope to many. The March on Washington stirred President Lyndon Johnson and congressional lawmakers to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Foreign audiences even drew inspiration from King and led peaceful independence movements in more than 100 countries.
At the Lincoln Memorial, an engraving marks the place on the steps where Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. From that stone, one can look across the National Mall toward the Capitol, where we will witness another historic event on January 20. The Inaugural swearing-in ceremonies of America’s first African-American president give us the opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s dream.
In most respects, it has been fulfilled. Not only have all public vestiges of segregation ended, the attitudes of Americans have obviously changed. You can imagine how proud he would be this Inauguration day.
King’s legacy of service also endures in the way we commemorate a day in his honor. In 1994, Congress enacted legislation that recognized Martin Luther King, Jr., Day as a national day of service. Schools, families and religious organizations orchestrate and participate in volunteer projects across the country. These include distributing food at homeless shelters, cleaning parks, and constructing homes for impoverished families. Millions of Americans will follow Dr. King’s example and serve in their neighborhoods. It is important to recognize that building up America starts with our local communities.
As we remember Dr. King, let us be vigilant of the principles that he firmly held: a firm and confident belief in the Almighty and in the promise of freedom and equality in America’s founding documents. We should honor him by continuing to pursue his dream.
inho BUSH was a good man who did a lot of good as president.
Obama is also a good man who will try to do a lot of good as president.
Perhaps some day we can learn to appreciate all of those who have chosen to serve their country and put up with our bullshit.
People have a problem with his position.
Obama should try to work with him, but if he isn't someone who can be worked with, then Kyl should be viewed as an obstacle to accomplishing a goal.
And if someone gets in the way, you run their ass over and you show no mercy.
Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful comments on this post, btw!