Card Check Legislation. In 2007, the House passed the “Employee Free Choice Act” – otherwise known as Card Check – which would have ended secret ballot elections allowing labor unions to organize workplaces. The Democrats were unable to get the 60 votes needed to shut down the GOP filibuster.
Washington D.C. Voting Rights. The Senate Republicans stopped blatantly unconstitutional legislation passed by the House that would have granted non-State Congressional representation.
Funding for American Troops. In December 2007, the House approved an emergency spending bill that rejected President Bush’s request for military funding in Iraq. Senate Republicans were able to force the Democrats to accept $70 billion in troop funding with no strings attached. Overall, the Democrat-controlled House has passed 31 bills calling for various restrictions on American troops or funding in Iraq, all of which have been stopped by Senate Republicans.
Although the Presidential race is far from over, the American public must wake up to the real possibility of total Democratic control of Washington. A President Barack Obama -- joining House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – would have an unfettered path to enact these aforementioned bills – and much worse – unless Republicans maintain 41 Senators led by Mitch McConnell.
Over his four terms, Senator McConnell has been a conservative hero. For 15 years, McConnell led a principled opposition to Constitutionally-questionable campaign finance reform legislation, which he correctly argued would have restricted political speech protected by the First Amendment. Related to this, he has spoken out against Democrat calls to reinstitute the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” requiring broadcasters to provide competing voices on public policy debates, but having the practical effect policing speech and silencing conservative voices.
McConnell, a consistent pro-growth tax cutter, has been a tireless champion for commonsense legal reform every year he has been in the Senate. Most important, as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell has ensured funding for a strong national defense and an aggressive global war on terror.
It is no wonder that liberals want to make Mitch McConnell the “Tom Daschle” of this election cycle. His defeat would not only imperil the Senate GOP Firewall, but it would strike a major blow to conservatism by ending the career of one its most effective leaders.