It is the Cotton Bowl, Red River Rivalry between the Texas Longhorns versus the Oklahoma Sooners, both undefeated in the Pac 12. It is the 4th quarter tied 27 to 27. Suddenly, the quarterback and tight end for the Texas Longhorns, angry at the coach, quit and walked off the field. Oklahoma wins!
The lesson to be learned is to work out your problems in the locker room before the game and come out on the playing field united and ready to win.
Angry with the Speaker, eight U.S Republican Congressmen, abandoned the Republican majority, joined the entire Democrat party and thus caused the Republicans to lose control and power to change policy in the U.S. Congress.
We should remember Ronald Reagon’s 11th commandment “Thou shall not speak ill of any Republican.” Fight like hell in the caucus but come out united.
By the way, the Red River Rivalry between the Sooners and the Longhorns was a terrific game. Both teams were impressive. Oklahoma won 34, Texas 30.
The heart of politics could be summarized in one word, power.
These eight Congressmen brought down the Speaker of the House and weakened the Republican’s power, thus the Conservative cause. Their motives may have been flawed; I don’t know. I do not question their dedication to Conservative philosophy, balanced budgets, limited government, and a strong national defense but their tactics were wrong. Their actions made the party look silly, disorganized, and weak in the public eye.
I served in Congress for 14 years from California, and I watched my leaders, Gerald Ford, Bob Michaels, and John Rhodes lead our caucus with fairness, kindness, and authority. We can learn from these honorable past leaders. They were not perfect either but did their best to listen to each of our concerns. We always stayed united and thus were a formidable force in the Congress.
Being Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives is not an easy job. He must make decisions that are not always popular. He must keep order and the institution running in conducting the people’s business. He has the job knowing what the President wants and what the U.S. Senate wants. He must be knowledgeable of many pressures and problems to make the impossible possible. He must understand protocol, rules, and national needs to advance legislation and thread the needle between 435 individually elected representatives’ points of view. No small task.
He is obligated to his majority caucus to support, in this case, conservative principles and goals. Keven McCarthy is not a perfect human, and he will make mistakes. He was voted out by the Democrats and the eight Republican conservatives. That was not right, and he needs to be put back as Speaker.
In the caucus McCarthy needs to do a better job of listening and find common ground whenever possible. Those in the caucus are obligated to make their case but when the members walk out that door all must be united, or they lose the power they have by being the majority.
The modern conservative movement was founded in the l960s. It was born on the backs of William F. Buckley, Senator Barry Goldwater, and President Ronald Reagan. Liberty, freedom, personal choice, defined what Republicans believe in. That man is a spiritual being and wants nothing more than to be free, to be left alone to enjoy his life as he wished. For sure we need a safety net for those unable to take care of themselves.
That was the philosophy of our founding fathers who created a Constitutional Republic which protected those freedoms. It was an insurrection by Patriots in 13 colonies against British rule and King George III.
Over these past many years there has been an erosion of these freedoms by liberal progressive politicians who in the name of compassion have created programs that have slowly chipped away our rights and our Liberty.
I know these eight Congressmen as good people who take their job seriously. They believe passionately in their efforts to stop this progressive destruction of our freedoms. Politics is about power, about who has the votes, but divided we lose united we win.
When the quarterback and tight end walked off the field because they disagreed with the coach, that team lost the game. Come on boys, get back in the huddle, get back in the caucus. Fight like hell. Debate your opponents, present the facts, wage war, behind the door but once the door opens come out united and advance our Conservative cause.
Barry M. Goldwater Jr. served in the U.S House of Representatives from California at the same time as his father Arizona Senator Barry M. Goldwater served in the U.S. Senate, 1969 to 1983. He is now in private business and Chairman of the Conservative Caucus organization.