E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Ohio Rep. Steven LaTourette said Tuesday he would not seek re-election this fall, further shrinking the ranks of moderate Republicans on Capitol Hill.
The nine-term congressman, a close ally of House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), cited the hyperpartisanship in Washington as a contributing factor in making his decision to retire at the end of this term.
“The time has come for not only good politics but good policy,” he said in a press conference this morning, “I have reached the conclusion that the atmosphere today, and the reality that exists in the House of Representatives, no longer encourages the finding of common ground.”
News of LaTourette’s retirement leaked to the press on Monday, which LaTourette said prompted phone calls of both understanding, and urging reconsideration of his decision. He said the current atmosphere on Capitol Hill had taken a personal toll, suggesting that his difficulty in climbing the ranks was a result of him voting “funny” compared to the rest of the GOP conference.
GOP aides also said that the fact that LaTourette would likely not be the next chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee could have contributed to his decision. That seat will likely be given to Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), who is not only younger than LaTourette, but has also been serving for almost half the time.
"The expectation is if you want to go up in the ranks of either party you gotta give them your wallet and your voting card,” LaTrourette said, “I’m not interested in giving them my wallet or my voting card.”
LaTourette joins a growing group of moderates who are leaving long careers on Capitol Hill because of the changing culture involved in today’s politics. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), one of the Senate’s most established moderates, announced her retirement in February, citing the inability to compromise as a reason for leaving.
The outgoing Ohio congressman pointed to the House’s failure to produce a long-term transportation bill as a prime example of Congress’s inability to accomplish what he called “no brainer” legislation. LaTourette called the passage of a two year bill that originated in the Senate “an embarrassment to the House of Representatives.”
He also cited the nation’s $15 trillion debt as a reason why he thought compromise was necessary. “We are a hiccup away from being Europe, we are a hiccup away from being Greece,” he said, “Getting it right means on my side of the aisle we have to talk about revenues and on the other side of the isle we have to talk about entitlements.”
LaTourette’s retirement comes as a bold reminder of the power of Tea Party, an ascendant force that has pressured moderates into more loyalty. LaTourette had also publicly criticized the no-new-tax pledge authored by Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform, and signed by many GOP lawmakers.
In March of this year, LaTourette was the main Republican backer of a budget based on the bipartisan Bowles-Simpson plan, which uses cuts as well as tax increases to decrease the deficit, a move seen by many as a break from the current Republican agenda That budget received only 38 votes, the fewest of the seven budgets which were introduced.
LaTourette’s announcement fueled immediate speculation about the competitiveness of his seat in November. Boehner was quick to say in a statement that “Republicans are in good position to hold this seat,” but Democrats argue that it could be a possible pick-up in their drive to win back the majority.
“This is the second Republican from Speaker Boehner’s own delegation jumping ship on his sinking Tea Party Republican Majority,” DCCC Spokesman, Jesse Ferguson said, “When Speaker Boehner’s own friends don’t want to stay in support of his out-of-touch agenda, there’s no reason independent voters will support protecting millionaires at the expense of the middle class.”
Leave a Comment:
What little is left of moderate members of the GNOP are dropping like flies!
It's either full blown bat sh!t crazy or retirement...
The scorched-earth, no compromise, unreasoning and unreasonable party-of-no just claimed another victim...of one of their own.
The party-of-no is imploding from within, as its members and extremist ideology cannabalize each other in an effort to prove who is further to the right. Extremist views first, country last.
How sad! The party that eats their own! Let's see them throw up another radical T-nut to replace him.
I remember a republican party of years ago, that at least thought a little bit about the common good for our nation.
I guess that party died.
RIP!
Back then, I could at least respect them...
I never thought I would say this, but the Republican Party has resurrected old Joe McCarthy. They are paranoid, dismissive of facts, prone to attack people by the use of innuendo, and intolerant of anyone who does not look like them. White, old and isolated in gated communities, attending social events at restricted country clubs.
We need two well functioning political parties in this country. The Republican Party no longer serves the public interest.
Eisenhower is weeping in his grave over the pitiable state of his political party and what it is doing to his beloved country.
There is no respecting this shallow shell of a party called Republicans. They have lost all common sense; all intelligence and integrity; they have lost what used to be a soul.
Hope pitiable this is all that's left of the GOP.
Obama/Biden 2012
My concern is this: if all the congresspeople who care about the American people and are willing to compromise for the good of the nation leave because their party is only interested in obstruction and power; what will we be left with?
a moderate Republican?
is there such a thing?
"The time has come for not only good politics but good policy. I have reached the conclusion that the atmosphere today, and the reality that exists in the House of Representatives, no longer encourages the finding of common ground."
The outgoing Ohio congressman pointed to the House's failure to produce a long-term transportation bill as a prime example of Congress's inability to accomplish what he called "no brainer" legislation. LaTourette called the passage of a two year bill that originated in the Senate "an embarrassment to the House of Representatives."
Clearly he talks about the failure of the Republican controlled House lead by his "good friend" John Boehner and in opposition with the Tea Party caucus.
Dennis, how are you today, good I hope? Personally I wish more of the old timers would retire. I have always said if you support something then you stay and fight for it instead of throwing in the towel. The atmosphere in Washington is very toxic and both parties can and should be blamed.
I believe the article mentioned he knew he was not going to be the Chairman of the Transportation Committee so he quits. I have seen members of both parties retiring citing the same reasons.
The people keep complaining about our Congress and their rating is around 15% or so. Yet the same people keep sending the same members back to Congress. Why keep voting for the incumbent and then turn around and b!tch about them?
Hi Sarge,
He is only 58 and has been in congress for 18 years.
I think members of Congress should be looked at like the members of our armed services where retirement with pension should be in the 20 to 30 year range. Expertise and experience are important.
What we need to get out of politics is the money and outside influence. The only influence that should be permitted is from the voters.
It used to be the rule in Congress that you paid your dues by generally following the Party line, helping out your fellow Congressmen to get a bill passed and eventually, if you were around long enough, you would get to be a committee chairman when your party was in power.
The take no prisoners, no tax increases EVER, no compromise attitude of the TeaThuglicans has made it so the House of Representatives is no longer the source of governance of our nation. The GOP has all but chased out all of the moderate Republicans from the party. They will find that when the 20% that make up the independent voters look at what the Republican party now stands for those independents will run screaming to the Democratic Party. Unfortunately for the GOP, those independents will probably take the 10-20% of true moderates left in the party with them. As we all know, the right wing extremists have no place in the GOP for anyone who is not as crazy as they are.
What is more funny than Feisty commenting on a lack of moderates? On these blogs there is a dirth on both sides. Maybe moderates just read and smile.
I am voting today for Tea Party candidate Steve Cruz in the TX Senate primary run off. Do I respect the Teapublicans? Absolutely not. However to vote for Governor Rick Perry's hand picked cardboard cut-out would only perpetuate the current state of influence peddling and cronyism that characterizes TX politics.
I will go with the nut job Cruz supporters just to shake up the corrupt TX GOP.
Besides, he will still have to win the general election.
Are there really worse things than Tea Party Republicans? When you're talking about Texas politics and Rick Perry - you betcha' !!!
This is great news! Maybe the GOP will lose the seat. Thank you Steven LaTourette for your wisdom!!
Drive to 25 continues!! President Obama 2012!!
You really have to wonder if the moderates are throwing in the towel hoping a dem will be elected to fight the battles they can't win in their own party. If they aren't radical enough they're labeled as a RINO. Why would anyone hang around in that environment?
Probably comes under pressure or complete disghust due to the current bunch running the Republican party. Those right wing nut job, Fascist wannabes are causing the total demise of their party. It won't be long before they go the way of the Federalists and the Whigs. What will the new party slightly right of center be called?
Black pastors group launches anti-Obama campaign around gay marriage
By Dan Merica, CNN
Washington (CNN) – A group of conservative black pastors are responding to President Barack Obama’s support of same-sex marriage with what they say will be a national campaign aimed at rallying black Americans to rethink their overwhelming support of the President, though the group’s leader is offering few specifics about the effort.
The Rev. Williams Owens, who is president and founder of the Coalition of African-Americans Pastors and the leader of the campaign, has highlighted opposition to same-sex marriage among African-Americans. He calls this campaign “an effort to save the family.”
“The time has come for a broad-based assault against the powers that be that want to change our culture to one of men marrying men and women marrying women,” said Owens, in an interview Tuesday after the launch event at the National Press Club. “I am ashamed that the first black president chose this road, a disgraceful road.”
At the press conference, Owens was joined by five other black regional pastors and said there were 3,742 African-American pastors on board for the anti-Obama campaign.
When asked at the press conference for specifics about the campaign – funding, planned events and goals – Owens said only that the group’s first fundraiser will be on August 16 in Memphis, Tennessee. But Owens insisted that “we are going to go nationwide with our agenda just like the president has gone to Hollywood.”
Looks like the Rattlesnakes are beginning to commit suicide! The decision to pander to the Hispanic vote added 800,000 illegal aliens to the job market in the black 18-30 demographic where the unemployment rate is 40%! Now he's abandoned a major part of the leadership in his own black constituency... All decisions made out of desperation of a failed presidency and a failing president!!!
Talk about @!$%#ting in your hat!!!
Romney 2012!!! Yeah Baby!!!
I thought the repubs were fighters, I can't you allow a few teastups to force you out of your party. You fight the demos, fight these idiots.