May 23, 2001

The biggest RINO (Republican In

The biggest RINO (Republican In Name Only--but I prefer to call them "squishes") in the U.S. Senate is expected to leave his party tomorrow. Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont isn't taking the expected hardball politics from the Bush administration very well and will hand over control of the Senate to Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and the Democrats. When Jeffords voted against Bush's tax-cutting plan and complained that the government didn't spend enough on education, did he actually think he would be treated with kid-gloves?

It shouldn't be a surprise that Jeffords is leaving the GOP. What should be surprising is how long he's stayed a Republican. Mark Levin points out that Jeffords has a history of not voting like a conservative, let alone a Republican.

As a member of the House, Jeffords frequently abandoned his president and his party. In 1981, he voted against the cornerstone of Ronald Reagan's economic agenda — significant, across-the-board cuts in marginal income-tax rates. Jeffords's behavior followed him into the United States Senate. He voted for Hillary Clinton's national health-care plan even when many Democrats were jumping ship. He voted not to convict Bill Clinton for his high crimes and misdemeanors during the impeachment trial.

When Jeffords announces he's leaving one positive result will be the end of the Strom Thrumon Death Watch. The Democrats won't care about Strom's demise if they already have control of the Senate.

"Outing Himself"