Legislator Report Card

Each year the Club for Growth rates those in the House and Senate according to how they voted on measures which would curb wasteful spending projects. The “Anti-Pork Score” of 100% indicates the legislator voted to cut the pork 100% of the time. For anyone claiming there’s no difference between Republicans and Democrats, consider these statistics: The average Republican score in the House was 43% and in the Senate was 59%. The average Democrat score in the House was 2% and in the Senate was 12%.

We’ll have to wait a few more months before the 2008 list is in, but in the meantime we can shine light on those who served us well in 2007. You will recognize some of the names. Many of these folks very well could be part of the answer to the question, “Who is going to lead our party and steer it in the right direction?”

In the House, the following all scored 100%:
Jeff Flake (AZ), John Shadegg (AZ), John Campbell (CA),
Doug Lamborn (CO), Paul Broun (GA), Nathan Deal (GA),
Lynn Westmoreland (GA), Mike Pence (IN), John Kline (MN),
Dean Heller (NV), Scott Garrett (NJ), William “Mac” Thornberry (TX),
Jeb Hensarling (TX), Paul Ryan (WI), Frank “Jim” Sensenbrenner (WI)

In the Senate there were four: John McCain (AZ), Richard Burr (NC),
Tom Coburn (OK), Jim DeMint (SC).

Several other legislators had scores of 90% or higher. For more details and the full lists, go to http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/08/the_2007_club_for_growth_repor.php.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) only scored 53%. In the first quarter of 2008 McConnell appointed Richard Lugar (IN) to head up a task force to address earmark reform. I have to wonder how Lugar was the best he could find. Lugar’s anti-pork rating was 67%. Isn’t that a D- kind of grade? Why didn’t McConnell appoint someone like Coburn, DeMint or John Ensign (NV)? (Ensign had a score of 98%.) Then again, he could have chosen Saxby Chambliss (GA), who scored 93%. That’s at least an A-. I guess with his own score of 53%, McConnell figured 67% was good enough. Or maybe, the choice had something more to do with the old boys club. I’m not sure it really matters anyway. After all, why the heck is a task force needed? The solution is quite simple: Stop the earmarks, stop the spending! Was this task force substance, or just show?

House Republican Leader John Boehner (OH) only scored 60%. Toward the end of last year Boehner was quoted by Newt Gingrich as saying, "House Republicans have changed, too. We fully recognize the failure to control earmarks helped cost our party the majority, and dramatic change is needed." Let’s see if his 2008 report card shows any kind of “dramatic change”. I certainly hope so.