Tom Humphrey reports today (and he was first on it yesterday, too) that our Republican leaders in the House are all about promoting unity.

NASHVILLE – In their only contested race for a top House leadership position, Republicans on Monday chose the candidate who stressed party unity over one who stressed conservative credentials.

Party unity? My arse.

Unity behind what?  Policy?  Principle? Or Jason Mumpower living out a Tennessee edition of Machiavelli?

The “no deal” deal that was worked out and hammered home by Mumpower and Glen Casada no doubt ensured Mumpower was the official Speaker nominee.  These leaders twisted arms and pressured Republicans to stick with the self-serving McDaniels over State Representative Frank Nicely.

Nicely offered himself as a candidate for the Speaker Pro-Tempore position and bless him for doing so.  

McDaniel symbolizes all that went wrong with Republicans at the national level.  Pro tax increases–you name ‘em, he was for ‘em.  Sales tax, gas tax, cigarette tax, income tax?  He was for raising them all.

Right around this time in 1998 I remember getting together with some of our local elected officials, Chip Saltsman, and Steve McDaniel.  We all met for breakfast to talk politics and roads here in Anderson County. As we were heading in to the restaurant, I begged Representative McDaniel not to go forward with plans for a state income tax.  Sundquist had quickly gone back on his word and talk of the tax had already spread across the state before session had even begun.

Very, very pregnant with my third son, I looked like a tick.  I begged, “please, please don’t push an income tax.”  I lobbied that it was the wrong policy.  It would kill our party.  And more.

McDaniel put his arm around me as we walked in and said something to the effect of,  ”Sweetheart, we’ve just got to.  We’ve got an economic crisis and there’s really no other way.”

And so with Steve McDaniel as the bearer and believer of failing ideas and a horrible and checkered history of supporting Democrats, our GOP leader to be Rep. Mumpower rewards such incompetence and character with the 2nd most powerful position.

Of course, all that depends on officially holding together the votes come the big voting day. 

Now, your naive GOP reps will tell you, “we had to vote for McDaniel to keep the squishies from bailing on us.”

Well allow me to correct them.  Tennessee Chairman Robin Smith made it very clear that if you are Republican and you abandon the party on crucial votes such as leadership votes, then adios amigo.  The Party Structure stands ready and willing to do the heavy lifting.  The enforcing.  (Example:  like the Democrat Party with Kurita!)

Jason Mumpower believes no one cares if the 2nd in command actually sponsored the income tax legislation.  But we do care, Rep. Mumpower.  We do.

But Jason Mumpower wants to be Speaker NOW!!!  He won’t call McDaniel’s bluff and isn’t willing to wait for party action!!

Maybe it will all work out.  Maybe not.  But I’m a Winston Churchill kind of gal.  You stick with what you know is right even if it may not be popular or viewed as correct at the moment.

Shunning the leadership of someone like Frank Nicely who has consistently represented the values and policies of the grassroots Republican in favor of a big government, big taxing, wheeling-dealing Republican like McDaniel is definitely a step in our new Republican majority, but a step forward?  I can’t make that claim.

As a friend of mine said yesterday, “a prostitute only loves you for the hour for which you’ve paid.”  Ayep. If the fear that McDaniel would sell you out led you to twist arms and pressure votes for his role as Speaker Pro Temp, how on earth can you ever afford to keep him faithful?  

It’s going to be an interesting session.  

And who knows if someone will flip.  Jimmy Naifeh is still alive and kicking.  And he plays hardball.  He drinks the hard stuff, not O’Douls.

Republicans made a pledge that they would all vote for a Republican.  Is there one Republican who would run as Speaker and garner all the Democrat votes and maybe one fellow Republican?  I mean come on. John Wilder put together a coalition in the Senate.

Or is there a Republican willing to flip and vote for a Democrat Speaker for risk of his wife getting the infamous manilla envelope?

Oh politics on the Hill isn’t just as easy as getting there and arguing for your legislation.  It’s often nasty and brutish and unfortunately, our Republicans often bring knives to gunfights.

Here’s hoping for the best, for I’m really looking forward to seeing some actual CONSERVATIVE legislation finally get a fair hearing.

But the first steps have already begun from a position of weakness, that is, principles have already been compromised.