Trent Lott Back In Leadership As Majority Whip

They're making all the right moves, aren't they?

Dick Morris, I think, suggested a week ago this would be a good idea. The reason is that the Senate minority has to use all the procedural checks it can to thwart the majority, and Lott knows all of them, and isn't above using them. He's been here before.

Against that, however, stand the following:

1) He's part of the disastrous old guard.

2) He's a dedicated earmarker/porkbarreller/spender, and elevating him to a high position gives him disproportionate influence in making cut-tax-and-spend Republicanism the default party position.

3) He has never been an effective spokesman for conservativism, partly because he doesn't seem to be a conviction conservative but rather just a politician who does what he needs to do to stay in power, and partly because he has all the charisma of head lice.

4) The Strom Thurmond incident. Perhaps this was overblown, perhaps it's time to forgive... but it's hardly helpful to have this guy back in a top slot.

The Republicans have learned nothing.

posted by Ace at 12:54 PM

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