The Anti-Sam Brownback Blog

In today’s New York Times Senator Brownback laid out his strategy for the upcoming Supreme Court nomination to fill moderate Sandra Day O’Connor’s vacancy:
Mr. Brownback said he would vote against a nominee who was not “solid and known” on cultural issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and religion in public life.

“If the president doesn’t nominate a solid nominee, that is going counter to what he campaigned on,” Mr. Brownback said. And if such a nominee “involves a contentious battle, then let it be.”

In addition, while campaigning for president in Michigan, Brownback said he was expecting a fight from the Democrats:

He added that he thought Roberts would win confirmation easily, but that Bush’s nominee to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will face stiff opposition from Democrats.

“The next one, who could be John Roberts’ twin, I believe will be filibustered,” Brownback said.

This sets up an interesting situation for the President and his supporters. Brownback has decided that running to the right will be his guiding principle in the 2008 Presidential election. Drawing the line on the next judicial nomination will provide positive publicity from the Christian Right as well as name recognition nationwide. In states like Iowa and South Carolina this will go over very well. Many conservative Christians are angry at President Bush’s refusal to push the anti-gay marriage amendment and are justifiably concerned that they are being used for their vote but not consulted on matters of policy.

What is comes down to is that the radical Christians want payment for delivering votes during the last two elections. They can be patient for only so long before they are marginalized. I strongly believe that in 2008 they will unite against a candidate that panders directly to them on all issues. Senator Sam Brownback is a strong contender for that position.

I may joyfully rip into Senator Brownback over many issues, but in one area he does have the right idea. He has been a strong voice for humanitarian aid overseas. Sometimes the reasons may be caught up in Christian missionary needs, but food is food. Brownback is now making news because he wishes to attach human rights conditions onto the aid that the US agreed to give North Korea in exchanged for a dismantling of its nuclear weapons program. The New York Sun reports:

In order to get new aid to North Korea, President Bush will have to ask for special appropriations from Congress. One of those appropriators, Senator Brownback, a Republican of Kansas who sits on the subcommittee that approves foreign aid spending in the Senate, yesterday told the Sun that he wanted to attach conditions on the aid to the sorts of human rights reforms Mr. Lefkowitz is seeking.

“This needs to include Helsinki type provisions in the overall work with the North Korea regime,” Mr. Brownback said referring to the accords American negotiators used in talks with the Soviet Union to press for the release of political prisoners. “We need to have a human rights track in dealing with the North Koreans. I am hoping we will have some opportunities in the appropriations process with energy and other needs to come forward.”

I am sure that freedom to worship will come at the forefront of the rights requested, and I have no problem with that as long as there are others rights as well. Obviously the devil is in the details and it will be hard to enforce any rights agreements. However, I do appreciate the attempt. This is an issue that will play well with both the left and the right with particular resonance with Christian conservatives. There are not many issues out there that can cross lines like this one. It is a smart play for Brownback, and one that again sets him apart from Mike Huckabee.

“To balance the budget we have to do two things,” Brownback said. “We have to have a growing economy and we have to restrain the growth in spending. The growing economy is stimulated by the proper tax cuts.”

Brownback simply does not get it. The federal government is already massively in debt. We have an immensely expensive (and unpopular) war in Iraq that shows no sign of abating while eating $200 billion a year. Now we have the effects of the horrible tragedy in the Gulf Coast. I would love to know exactly where Senator Brownback is willing to cut the $200 billion needed for Katrina recovery from other parts of the budget. Health care? Farm subsidies?

Or does he care about balancing the budget at all? Senator Brownback never seems to want to deal with problems now. I sure as hell don’t want to have to deal with them 30 years down the road. Tax cuts = more debt. Pure and simple. Who’s gonna pay for it?

Many folks have been talking up Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as a contender for the conservative vote now that Santorum has declined to run for president in 2008. I think it is an interesting possibility. They both were in Iowa this past weekend making the fund raising rounds and speech circuit. A Lawrence Journal World article described Brownback’s journey.

“All politics pass through here,” Brownback told reporters before his speech.

That means Brownback is passing through Iowa repeatedly. Saturday’s trip, he said, was his third or fourth to the state in recent months. And the trips are packed; he also attended a “meet-and-greet” and an ice cream social before attending the evening dinner.

“I’m trying to find out whether the things I’ve been pushing match what Iowans are interested in,” he said.

Unlike Brownback, Huckabee has not blatantly said he is interested in the presidency. The Associated Press put it this way:

Huckabee says he’ll make a decision in about a year. He says he wants to determine if he has something unique to bring to the discussion.

While both candidates are angling for the Christian Conservative voting bloc, they differ in several major ways. Primarily, Brownback has major foreign policy experience as a result of his time in the senate. As a governor, Mike Huckabee has been able to shout from the sidelines but has never actually participate in foreign policy decisions that effect the United States as a whole. I happen to think that is a good thing. Brownback has chaired hearings on Iranian freedom fighters, brought resolutions regarding Iraq, and has been an active voice for peace in Sudan. Even in the aftermath of a horrible natural disaster, Americans are likely still vulnerable to the terrorism card being played. Brownback is in a position to claim (however falsely) that he has the experience needed to keep Americans safe.

In addition to foreign policy Brownback also has a high profile position on the Senate judicial committee. With two supreme court vacancies, Senator Brownback will have plenty of opportunities for increasing his name recognition. This is a role, that if used properly, could cement his standing among the Christian right. Both Brownback and Huckabee have a name recognition handicap. Only Brownback seems to have a vehicle to lift him into nationwide familiarity.