Sen. Jim DeMint has a great op-ed in the WSJ this morning, offering a five-part prescription for newly elected conservatives who want to stay true to the more freedom/less government mission they’ve been sent to Washington to carry out:
1. No earmarks — if you play the game, they own you.
2. Hire conservative staff — don’t get undermined from within.
3. Don’t be seduced by committee assignments — you have a public platform and, particularly in the Senate, you are not limited by committee assignment or seniority from legislating on any matter.
4. Don’t seek titles in the hierarchy — see no. 3, above.
5. Doing your job takes priority over being reelected to do your job.
I especially like his summation. After reminding his new colleagues that “voters back home want less government and more freedom,” Senator DeMint says, “Tea party Republicans were elected to go to Washington and save the country — not be co-opted by the club. So put on your boxing gloves. The fight begins today.”
Amen. Last night was the beginning, not the end.