Featured Advertisers
Thu, Nov. 12  -   -  Mobile  -  RSS
  

Make a post about this story on FredTalk. Get a printer-friendly version of this page. E-mail this story to a friend.

Cantor

Visit the Photo Place

Cantor to guide GOP toward solutions

Cantor talks about his new challenge


Date published: 11/21/2008

BY CHELYEN DAVIS

Rep. Eric Cantor, newly elected chief Republican House of Representatives minority whip, says part of his job will be guiding GOP members in Congress toward offering practical solutions instead of mere ideology.

Cantor, who represents the 7th District which includes parts of Orange, Culpeper and Louisa and parts of Caroline and Spotsylvania counties, was elected as chief whip this week.

That puts him in the party's No. 2 leadership position in the House. He had previously been a deputy whip.

Cantor said Republicans, who suffered losses in the elections earlier this month, must "rehabilitate ourselves" in the way they espouse conservative principles.

Cantor, who earlier this week told the Washington Times that Republicans in Washington are no longer "relevant" to voters, said he doesn't think those principles are unappealing to voters, but they need to drive solutions to problems of job security, the economy, health care, defense and other issues.

"It is to not just talk in ideological terms, but to make sure those terms are applied to practical solutions," Cantor said.

Cantor said the chief priority of Congress must be to get the economy going, and that he as whip is ready to work with President-elect Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other Democrats--as long as they're working to lessen the tax burden on working Americans.

If Democratic proposals would run counter to that, he said, "it is our duty to serve as the check and the balance" on Democratic control of both chambers and the presidency, and "make sure our voice is heard on the floor of this House."

Cantor also said he hasn't seen Democrats offer specific plans for change, especially to solve the problem of the failing American auto industry.

He doesn't support the proposed bailout for the auto industry, which seemed doomed anyway yesterday.

"We would just be throwing good, hard-earned taxpayer money after bad," Cantor said.

He said Washington has for years operated under an "antiquated system of bureaucracy, and that Republicans want proposals to solve problems in a "radically different way," and want them soon.

For example, Cantor said one obstacle to people's feelings of security is the fact that if they lose their jobs, they usually lose their health insurance.

He'd like to see the law changed to provide more flexibility, so that health insurance is not tied to one's employer.

Chelyen Davis: 804/782-9362
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com



Follow us on
twitter
fredericksburg.com Facebook page


Date published: 11/21/2008


Most recent reader comments:

Viewing all 4 comments. (Sorted in reverse order, with most recent post at the top.)

Display comments on this page. | Sort:

PLEASE READ: These reader comments are not moderated. Each user is solely responsible for any message (s)he posts here. The Free Lance-Star does not endorse the views expressed within these comments. All users who post to this Web site must agree to the terms of the FredTalk User Agreement. We rely on our readers to police themselves, and report any content that violates our User Agreement. In accordance with our User Agreement, we reserve the right to remove any post at any time for any reason, and will restrict access of registered users who repeatedly violate our terms. Any reader can report inappropriate content by clicking the "Report this post to admins" link at the bottom of each comment. You need not be registered to report a post.

CWJr., Go to "www.house.gov"... (posted by bhaas , Nov. 23, 2008 7:55 am)   
and look for "write your reprersentative" and send your message to Cantor through that route. It has worked successfully for me a number of times.

WHY? (posted by charterwellsjr , Nov. 21, 2008 1:19 pm)   
Why does this voter always get one of those "mailor daemon" error messages when he sends an email to Cantor at congressman.cantor@housemail.house.gov?

More of the same (posted by MrWonderful , Nov. 21, 2008 7:26 am)   
This guy offers us the same old GOP garbage. Congrats to a local pol making good, but he really is part of the problem.

Brint the party to the middle (posted by Talisman , Nov. 21, 2008 5:09 am)   
If the GOP wants to survive in Virginia they need to come towards the middle instead of the far right position they currently hold. I don't believe Cantor can do this or would want to do this.Virginia has turned blue and the GOP needs those swing votes in the middle. Those votes that are pro-choice but pro gun also, pro law enforcement but pro sentencing violent criminals harshly while sentencing non violent offenders less harshly. Roe v. Wade has been law for 35 years and the GOP still makes it an issue.

What do you think?
Enter your FredTalk username and password to post a comment on this story. If you are registered on FredTalk or another part of this site, use that login here. Otherwise, you can just REGISTER here... .

Username: Password:

Post title:


Please keep it brief: (512-character limit)
Please make sure CAPS LOCK is off. Posts in ALL CAPS will be deleted.)


By checking this box, you agree to the terms of the FredTalk User agreement.