Brat's Wise Demands for the Next Speaker

David Brat bagged a RINO last year.

He is a professor, but a thinking one, because he is a conservative, an advocate for the rule of law, free markets and free people, but most importantly limited government in tune with the needs of the people, not lobbyists along K Street.

Impressive.

With the growing pains maturing the Republican Party, breaking them off the teat of Big Business and the Chamber of Commerce, Congressman Brat proposed ten commitments which the next Speaker of the House must abide b.


I think these polices are sound ideas, and should be followed or at least seriously considered.

10 Commitments the Next Speaker and House Leaders Should Make

The House will soon make an important decision on a new Speaker of the House and potentially other leadership positions. These leadership elections are important not only because they will decide who will lead the House of Representatives, but it will also have major implications for our policy efforts and the processes of the House.  The next Speaker and other House leaders should make the following ten commitments before stepping into positions of public trust.

I appreciate how the Congressman looks past party politics, and looks at the policies which the House must advance.

Congressman David Brat

These commitments are essential to improving the structure of the House and showing the American people that we can lead with a positive agenda that helps the American people, not the interests of Washington's political class.

Thank you and thank you again. The political class, or "The Washington Cartel" has taken advantage of the levers of power, at the expense of the states and the people, for too long. The Bush II years were rampant with such big government expansionism, and cannot be tolerated a second time.

10 Commitments the Next Speaker and House Leaders Should Make

Policy

1. Facilitate a budget that balances within 10 years and seek to enforce it through the authorizing and appropriations process.

I like that word "enforce". The sequester would not have worked out if the automatic cuts had not been put in place, regardless of the actions and interventions of house members, or from the US Senate. I think Brat should consult Tom Coburn's "Back in Black" and take note of the comprehensive tax and spending cuts which he proposed. No one walks out of the budget restrictions unscathed.

2. Encourage committees to advance market-driven health care reforms to replace Obamacare.

Bruce Poliquin of Maine voted against repealing Obamacare precisely because Republicans had not offered something better. Numerous proposals have been offered from think tanks and individual congressional representatives. Now the committees and their leadership must promote and pass them.

3. Support policies that secure the border and enable interior enforcement while opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Thank you. Secure the border and demand enforcement not just along our borders, but within our communities, and even from businesses. How about that? "Interior  enforcement" - that's a phrase more Presidential candidates should be using.

4. Urge all committees to advance agendas based on limited government, economic opportunity, and fiscal responsibility.

Let's focus on scaling back the state, not expanding it.

5. Enforce the rule of law and separation of powers against executive (presidential) overreach.

That means no funding for executive amnesty, even if it means shutting down the federal government.

Process

6. Seek reforms of the Republican Conference Rules so leadership committees better represent the American people.

How about listening to the concerns of constituents? How about making it easier for citizens to communicate their concerns with House Committees, without having to fly to Washington DC?

7. Adhere to the majority-of-the-majority principle for bringing legislation to the floor.

Boehner has routinely flouted the Hastert Rule. No one should be raising the debt ceiling, or funding anything without the permission of the majority of the majority.

8. Support changes to the budget process to promote fiscal responsibility, particularly regarding mandatory programs (70% of current spending).

Something must be done about the entitlement spending. Anything!

9. Empower committee members to choose chairs and craft reform legislation without fear of retaliation.

Power from the grassroots instead of the treetops.

10. Broaden opportunities to offer amendments and legislation on the House floor with full debate.

We do not have to agree on every bill, Brat points out. But individuals should be free to debate this legislation and allow for reforms.

Final Comments

Brat brings up good points about future leaders in the House of Representatives. The Congressman has more leverage than most, in large part because he slayed the majority leader last year. He understands the power of the grassroots conservatives in his state, and more conservatives are learning how to be effective in the political process.

His comments on the next Speaker are wise, and should be heeded.