GRAND RAPIDS Mich. -- Rep.-elect Bill Huizenga is a freshman Republican congressman who will assume the seat held for 18 years by Rep. Peter Hoekstra. Their Western Michigan district is mostly Republican white and Protestant.
In an interview I asked Huizenga what he thinks of Speaker Nancy Pelosis intention to run for minority leader. I guess we can only hope she wins because its going to cement our majority he says with some delight.
Pelosis post-election comments indicate she is seeking vindication for health-care legislation stimulus spending and other bills she and her Democratic congressional colleagues pushed through at warp speed.
Pelosi and President Obama do not see the midterm election results as a referendum on their policies but rather as a communications failure. Predictably Huizenga sees it otherwise. I dont see how anybody can honestly interpret the election and say this was an affirmation of what theyve done and that they just didnt get their message out he says.
Huizenga speaks from experience. When he was a member of the Michigan legislature Republicans went from minority to majority and Democrats kept the person who had been speaker as minority leader. It did not help communication at all he says because it sent a lot of signals. The same personality conflicts were in place and probably were heightened. I understand how (Pelosi) can win this; I dont see how someone who is one of the most divisive political leaders in recent times is suddenly going to turn on a dime and lead a parade of bipartisanism.
Huizenga says what Republicans are proposing has elements of substance and symbolism but that we need to have both. He says We need to send a message to the American people that we get it; we understand what they are going through.
Reforming the health-care law is the top priority for incoming and established Republicans. Huizenga admits that lacking a Senate majority much less the 60-vote margin needed to pass anything in the Senate and a president who is unlikely to sign any bill that would dismantle his premiere issue; the law will probably not be quickly repealed. But he says It sets things up for the 2012 presidential election as well as congressional elections.
The 2010 election has been described as an audition or probation for Republican freshmen to prove they meant what they said during the campaign and to demonstrate they are different from the previous Republican majority Congress which resembled Democrat-lite.
What about social issues like abortion same-sex marriage and gays in the military? Polls show voters have less concern about these issues than the economy or even terrorism. Huizenga who is pro-life says the abortion issue will have to be attacked at the margins for now. He wants to add restrictions on abortion to the health insurance reform law and thinks the old coalition of fiscal and social conservatives that served Ronald Reagan well can be revived.
Having worked in Washington before Huizenga says hes aware of the disease called Potomac Fever. How does he intend to inoculate himself against it? By maintaining roots in Western Michigan he says and by keeping to a schedule of three days in Washington four days in his home state.
Has he figured out a way to respond to attacks by Democrats that Republicans only care for the rich? We have to live our lives in ways that demonstrate compassionate conservatism he says. Huizenga and his wife are involved in organizations that help the homeless and other things. My argument is that instead of expecting the federal or state governments to step in and have that as their role it has to start with me as an individual my church my community and Id better set the example.
Politicians have been setting an example. Unfortunately for too many the examples have been bad ones. Perhaps Bill Huizenga whose background is in small business will be different. It helps that while he will be a freshman member of Congress hes not a rookie.
Cal Thomas is co-author (with Bob Beckel) of the book Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America.
GRAND RAPIDS Mich. -- Rep.-elect Bill Huizenga is a freshman Republican congressman who will assume the seat held for 18 years by Rep. Peter Hoekstra. Their Western Michigan district is mostly Republican white and Protestant.
In an interview I asked Huizenga what he thinks of Speaker Nancy Pelosis intention to run for minority leader. I guess we can only hope she wins because its going to cement our majority he says with some delight.
Pelosis post-election comments indicate she is seeking vindication for health-care legislation stimulus spending and other bills she and her Democratic congressional colleagues pushed through at warp speed.
Pelosi and President Obama do not see the midterm election results as a referendum on their policies but rather as a communications failure. Predictably Huizenga sees it otherwise. I dont see how anybody can honestly interpret the election and say this was an affirmation of what theyve done and that they just didnt get their message out he says.
Huizenga speaks from experience. When he was a member of the Michigan legislature Republicans went from minority to majority and Democrats kept the person who had been speaker as minority leader. It did not help communication at all he says because it sent a lot of signals. The same personality conflicts were in place and probably were heightened. I understand how (Pelosi) can win this; I dont see how someone who is one of the most divisive political leaders in recent times is suddenly going to turn on a dime and lead a parade of bipartisanism.
Huizenga says what Republicans are proposing has elements of substance and symbolism but that we need to have both. He says We need to send a message to the American people that we get it; we understand what they are going through.
Reforming the health-care law is the top priority for incoming and established Republicans. Huizenga admits that lacking a Senate majority much less the 60-vote margin needed to pass anything in the Senate and a president who is unlikely to sign any bill that would dismantle his premiere issue; the law will probably not be quickly repealed. But he says It sets things up for the 2012 presidential election as well as congressional elections.
The 2010 election has been described as an audition or probation for Republican freshmen to prove they meant what they said during the campaign and to demonstrate they are different from the previous Republican majority Congress which resembled Democrat-lite.
What about social issues like abortion same-sex marriage and gays in the military? Polls show voters have less concern about these issues than the economy or even terrorism. Huizenga who is pro-life says the abortion issue will have to be attacked at the margins for now. He wants to add restrictions on abortion to the health insurance reform law and thinks the old coalition of fiscal and social conservatives that served Ronald Reagan well can be revived.
Having worked in Washington before Huizenga says hes aware of the disease called Potomac Fever. How does he intend to inoculate himself against it? By maintaining roots in Western Michigan he says and by keeping to a schedule of three days in Washington four days in his home state.
Has he figured out a way to respond to attacks by Democrats that Republicans only care for the rich? We have to live our lives in ways that demonstrate compassionate conservatism he says. Huizenga and his wife are involved in organizations that help the homeless and other things. My argument is that instead of expecting the federal or state governments to step in and have that as their role it has to start with me as an individual my church my community and Id better set the example.
Politicians have been setting an example. Unfortunately for too many the examples have been bad ones. Perhaps Bill Huizenga whose background is in small business will be different. It helps that while he will be a freshman member of Congress hes not a rookie.
Cal Thomas is co-author (with Bob Beckel) of the book Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America.
