Conservatives had mixed reactions to Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-S.C.) announcement that he’ll be leaving the upper chamber to lead the Heritage Foundation.
DeMint had been trying to hold the line in caucus against agreeing to any new taxes — including Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) compromise of raising additional revenue through closing loopholes and limiting deductions.
“Speaker Boehner’s $800 billion tax hike will destroy American jobs and allow politicians in Washington to spend even more, while not reducing our $16 trillion debt by a single penny,” DeMint said in a statement two days ago. “This isn’t rocket science.”
Yet lawmakers on the right also thought an appropriate champion was headed to the conservative think tank.
“Jim is not just a colleague; he is a friend and a mentor, and his departure will be a tremendous loss for the U.S. Senate and for the conservative movement. In eight years, he has personally led the effort to change the composition of the Senate for the better, and provided consistent and principled leadership in the fight for liberty and limited government,” said Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).
“He will be missed. I’m confident he will continue to play an important role in the ongoing public debate about the future of this country, and I wish him the best in his new position.”
Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said there’s “no better choice than Jim DeMint” to lead Heritage.
“It is disappointing to lose his strong voice in the Senate, but I look forward to his continued conservative leadership at the helm of The Heritage Foundation,” Jordan said. “The folks at Heritage are an indispensable ideas factory for conservatives in Congress. South Carolina’s loss is the country’s gain.”
Ed Feulner, the current president of The Heritage Foundation, served as the first executive director of the Republican Study Committee, the conservative caucus in the House, in 1973.
“Congratulations to the Heritage Foundation and to Jim DeMint on his selection,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). “I’ll miss Jim in the Senate, but he should be a strong and effective leader for Heritage.”
In a lengthy statement, DeMint said he’s leaving the Senate after eight years, but “not leaving the fight.”
He called establishment of his Senate Conservatives Fund PAC before 2010 elections one of the “most rewarding things I’ve done in the Senate.” The PAC endorsed Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Toomey. It also raised money for failed Senate candidates Sharron Angle in Nevada and Joe Miller in Alaska.
“Jim has been a source of inspiration for many of us who came to Washington to fight for our core conservative beliefs,” Lee said. “He has shown that getting things done doesn’t have to mean abandoning your principles. For too long, he was a movement unto himself in the Senate, keeping the torch lit for free-market principles and limited government. We are a better country for his service. Jim is a friend and mentor, and I plan to honor his time in the Senate by continuing the push for individual liberty and restoring constitutional government.”
Tim Scott – Low Hanging Fruit Solution for the quandary posed by Patrick Reddy.
This is a friendly interview. I’d like to see how he carries himself with a more hostile interviewer.
But I like what I see so far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P9u8LDJNejg
The GOP is proabably thrilled to be rid of him. He made it harder for them to imitate Democrats.
Exactly!
God bless Jim DeMint. How he could have worked all this time with the pansy, careerist good-old-boys of the Republicrats is a mystery. Now he has a chance to affect the undereducated, indoctrinated surfs that put so many bozos in power in the first place.
– isn’t a ship; he doesn’t have to go down with it.
This is terrible news! Jim Demint, my Senator, actually gave me hope, whist I was in Jim Clyburn’s district (for 20 years but recently redistricted to Tim Scott’s district).
I loathe Lindsey Graham…at least as much as Lindsey Graham loathes the base of the GOP, Conservatives and Tea Partiers.
I suppose that is the way to see this abrupt retirement — the Lindsey Graham types shoving DeMint out of the bus. Very bad sign –> Country club Republicans taking over. It’s like deciding to go back to the 70s with loserness of permanent minority status, Bob Michel bipartisanship.
Yeah, me too.
The entire GOP needs a reboot.
Starting with getting rid of ALL of the current RNC personnel and removing Boehner and Cantor.
I’m interested in your opinion of senators quitting before their term is up. To me, DeMint seems to be following the less than admirable example of some others: being in the minority is no fun so I’m quitting. He was elected just two years ago. Didn’t his running for an office that has a six-year term constitute a commitment to the people of SC? He’s not being asked to serve in the president’s cabinet and he’s not declining to seek reelection. He’s returning to the private sector before his term is up. He said something to the effect that if the GOP had the majority and was going to work with a President Romney then it would be different. In other words, being in the minority is no fun, so I’m walking out on my commitment to the people of SC. That’s not leadership. Why should I view him as anything other than a quitter?
oh man….you live in Clyburn’s district. That must be hard. I live in the upstate; jeff duncan’s district. Jeff’s not a stunner but at least he is not an embarrassment.
Americans Are The Most Spied On People In World History More Spying On Citizens than in Stasi East Germany Global Research, December 05, 2012
http://www.globalresearch.ca/americans-are-the-most-spied-on-people-in-world-history/5314330
DeMint knew that all of the gop rinos in congress will eventually cave in to anything o wants. Surely, he wanted no part of it. I would have done the same. The gop has become basically worthless.
The Republican Party’s problem is that it does not have a message to deliver. The best sales person in the world cannot sell a product that does not exist.
Maybe it is better for DeMint to be focusing on honing the message over at the Heritage Foundation rather than wasting time in the Senate.
That and his seat can be given to another, younger Conservative without an election, giving them time to gain momentum for when the seat is up for grabs again.
Jim Demint has many a fine message to deliver as a Conservative.
If you cant sell Freedom, you suck.
Rand Paul Warns Boehner, Cantor: Hope You’re Not Aspiring for Higher Office SchiffReport
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky4ftH1E4Cw
Boehner MUST GO as Speaker of the House.
Well, contact your Congressman. I’vve e-mailed mine-twice!
Rand Paul “I Will Work With Harry Reid To Let Him Pass His Big Old Tax Hike”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC3Cand6ySI
If there was ever an iota of belief that the Heritage Foundation was to be taken as a serious think tank rather than a radical hack movement, this move should but such nonsense to rest.
Memo to Demint: Check to make sure the door doesn’t hit you on the way out.
Mark Sanford would make a great appointment to the Senate.