Sharp Reaction to G.O.P. Plan on Gas Rebate (ridicule from constituents)

[ProSense]

Sharp Reaction to G.O.P. Plan on Gas Rebate

Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the majority leader, announcing the Senate Republican leadership's energy proposal on Thursday. The plan includes $100 rebate checks for an estimated 100 million taxpayers.

By CARL HULSE and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: May 1, 2006

Snip...

Aides for several Republican senators reported a surge of calls and e-mail messages from constituents ridiculing the rebate as a paltry and transparent effort to pander to voters before the midterm elections in November.

"The conservatives think it is socialist bunk, and the liberals think it is conservative trickery," said Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, pointing out that the criticism was coming from across the ideological spectrum.

Angry constituents have asked, "Do you think we are prostitutes? Do you think you can buy us?" said another Republican senator's aide, who was granted anonymity to openly discuss the feedback because the senator had supported the plan.

Conservative talk radio hosts have been particularly vocal. "What kind of insult is this?" Rush Limbaugh asked on his radio program on Friday. "Instead of buying us off and treating us like we're a bunch of whores, just solve the problem." In commentary on Fox News Sunday, Brit Hume called the idea "silly."

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/01/us/01gas.html

[Atman]

1. This just proves...republicans are STUPID and OUT OF TOUCH

"Gosh...I tip my illegal maid $100 at Christmas and she never complains like this!"

[saltpoint]

2. I don't blame anybody for being furious with Frist, THE CAT BUTCHER,

or with other Republicans. That was a real cheap stunt, even for Frist, something along the line of his videotape evaluation of Terri Schiavo.

You got a party in control of all 3 branches of government and they're pulling cheap stunts out of the junk drawer to silence criticism.

Let's have that November 7th election this week.

[SpecialK]

3. Wait...I agree with Rush??

We must be fast approaching armegeddon.

[ProSense]

4. Sen. Burns caught on record.

One participant in the news conference, Sen. Conrad Burns, an endangered Republican from Montana, muttered within earshot of a Chronicle reporter: "There're some dumb ideas in this."

Aren't there always when anxious politicians try to cover their keisters — on questions of ethics or energy?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/hines/3828738.html