Romney has support of gov't spenders

From Red State

Former Democratic Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn famously said, "Son, Republicans aren't the enemy. The Senate is the enemy." For conservatives interested in small government and familiar with Congress, there might be a different formulation: "Son, Democrats aren't the enemy. Appropriators are the enemy." Along similar lines, Americans' for Prosperity Phil Kerpen says, "It is often said, and largely true, that Washington has three political parties — the Democrats, the Republicans, and the Appropriators." Today, Bob Novak calls the appropriators (and leadership) the "Business as usual GOP."

Given that this is a "change election," it strikes me as fair to ask who the appropriators support. The answer is clear: Mitt Romney.


Of his 37 Congressional endorsements (the list is not complete. It misses Rep. John Carter (R-TX), an appropriator ), 14 of them are appropriators, including, yesterday, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), the Senate Republican Appropriator-in-Chief. Someone recently off the list is former Speaker Dennis Hastert, also no inspiring hero of conservatives interested in small government.

John McCain has 4 out of 33 congressional endorsements. That number would go to 5 if Jeff Flake, a small government hero, is appointed to appropriations. But, as Novak points out, don't count on it.

And Rudy Giuliani has 4 out of 25.

Here's my question. If Mitt Romney is the "change" candidate who will fix Washington, what did he tell the business as usual crowd to make them so happy with him