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Ousted Utah Sen. Bob Bennett Criticizes Republicans but Predicts GOP Gains
Bennett told The Ripon Society that Republicans will win back control of the House this year and could regain the Senate soon, but the party risks losing all of Congress if it continues to put forth rhetoric instead of solutions, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
"As I look out at the political landscape now, I find plenty of slogans on the Republican side, but not very many ideas," Bennett said.
"Indeed, if you raise specific ideas and solutions, as I've tried to do on health care with [Oregon Democratic Sen.] Ron Wyden, you are attacked with the same vigor as we've seen in American politics all the way back to slavery and polygamy; you are attacked as being a wimp, insufficiently pure, and unreliable."
Bennett was ousted at a GOP state convention in May, hammered by conservatives for teaming up with Wyden to push a health care measure to rival the Democrats' plan. He came in third behind Tea Party favorites Mike Lee and Tim Bridgewater. Lee, a conservative lawyer, went on to win last week's primary and will face Democratic nominee Sam Granato in November.
The Tribune said Bennett told Ripon members he's worried the GOP may find itself in the role played by Robert Redford in the movie "The Candidate," who after winning office turns to his aides and says, "What do we do now?"
"The concern I have is that ideology and a demand for absolute party purity endangers our ability to govern once we get into office," Bennett said.
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the tea baggers are going to be very disappointed when they find that "their candidates" will not be able to get the job done according to how they want things done.
June 30 2010 at 9:47 PM Report abuse Permalink -5 rate up rate down Reply"slogans but no ideas"...isn't that the truth.
June 30 2010 at 8:58 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplySenator Bennett is correct. The GOP has no ideas. They are simply the party of NO. Their solution to every problem is cut taxes on the rich. If they do gain control of one or both houses of congress they will continue to obstruct everything the President tries to accomplish.
June 30 2010 at 8:56 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyYou are correst..you probaly remember the democrats playing this same political game when republican presidents were elected..for in reality 9 times out of 10.. republican presidents...had a democrat congress and senate..
June 30 2010 at 10:54 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down ReplyNo actually I remember the democrats working with Pres. Bush on: No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, Immigration...Just to name a few.
July 01 2010 at 10:52 AM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down Replyevery one who voted against the people should go !!!
June 30 2010 at 8:43 PM Report abuse Permalink +6 rate up rate down ReplyWhat does that mean? Those who voted are the people. Or do you have different people in mind?
July 01 2010 at 2:09 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply...there's only one thing the Republicans have to do to get my vote; promise to stop spending and cut the debt. Stop handing out $100 million here a $100 million there. Stop the bribes of elected officials and read the bills.
June 30 2010 at 8:11 PM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down ReplyThey have promised that every election in fact they run on the point thell cut our debt but the last three republican pressidents spent money like it was water and all of it on the credit card the only conservative pressident was clinton.So it appears that not only have they fooled you three times but it appears ounce again there fooling you.
July 01 2010 at 12:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWolfsonnydiane - here in lies the problem with republicans. Ideology or common sense. of course they know Bush I and II spent way more money than what they promised and it was all on the american tax payer credit card. They raised taxes after they said they wouldn't. 2 democrat presidents lowered taxes Clinton & Obama and 1 created a surplus Clinton. They know this but ideology interferes with their common sense. Common sense would say lets look a lot more closely at what these republicans have to say but no they call themselves republicans and will vote republican no matter what lame idea they have. They'll vote republican because they are republican and for no other reason. That doesn't make sense but they don't care. It is why the Independent sector of the voting populace is growing - they will use their common sense and vote for the best person or the job and not part line.
July 01 2010 at 2:15 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyA very astute observation by an intelligent man...no wonder he was booted out.
June 30 2010 at 8:08 PM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down Reply
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