Big Money Republicans Demand New Congressional Leadership

It's hard to argue with the logic in this:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When House Republican leaders left Washington for their Fourth of July break, they felt good about outwitting the Democratic majority. The feeling was not reciprocated 3,000 miles away, where conservative California Republican activists were drafting an ultimatum. The Lincoln Club of Orange County is telling GOP leaders of both the House and Senate that it is too late to repent. They must go -- or else lose big money.

The message: "Come Nov. 5, should the current GOP leadership in either house survive to lead in a new Congress, the Lincoln Club of Orange County will review the financial backing of all congressional Republicans, and we urge others to do likewise. A GOP caucus that would re-elect such leaders is not one we would likely continue to support. Because, simply put, we refuse to support a permanent minority."

The Lincoln Club estimates that its nearly 300 members will individually contribute $1.5 million to federal causes and candidates in the 2008 election cycle. The club is spreading its message to angry Republicans throughout California and around the nation. The ultimatum finds responsive members of the House (if not the Senate), who even now are preparing a housecleaning after the additional loss of seats in this year's election.

Someone else I know suggested that we ought to flush them all and start over, but if we can't get all new congressmen, we definitely should get new leadership.

Let me quote the late Tony Snow from a 2005 piece which pretty accurate describes the state of the Republican leadership:

Elected Republicans and their legislative leaders nationwide have fallen prey to the natural temptation to view power as their birthright, rather than a reward for hard and righteous work. This explains why they behave like reckless heirs to someone else's fortune. It's a little difficult to mock Ted Kennedy or Howard Dean when George W. Bush can't even say no to peanut institutes in Alabama or gambling halls (rather than, say, repaired levees) in Louisiana.

Tony added this at the end of the piece which would be good advice for today:

Hence, the moral of Tuesday's election: The party that best praises limited government and traditional virtues will win — and if Republicans won't do the touting, Democrats will.

That was written before a number of Democrats won election in Republican districts by running as conservatives. There's no sign yet that the GOP has figured it out.