GOP's Haley Barbour: America Agrees With Us

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011.

/ AP

WASHINGTON - Mississippi governor and potential 2012 GOP presidential contender Haley Barbour argued at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday that the conservative agenda "is America's agenda," telling an audience of conservative activists, "the average American agrees with us."

Barbour called the 2010 midterm election the "greatest repudiation of the policies of a president and a party in American history," suggesting that the Democratic governing philosophy is "profoundly at odds with America's founding principles." He said the Obama administration has been catering to "the pent-up demands of every frustrated liberal at the expense of the public good."

Barbour, the former Republican National Committee chairman and the chair of the Republican Governor's Association, also sought to lower expectations for what the GOP majority in the House can achieve. He said Republicans control just one half of one third of the federal government.

He said that while Republicans "can stop the worst excesses of exhausted liberalism" at the moment, "we can't today do what needs to be done for our country." That's why, Barbour said, the roughly 11,000 activists gathered in Washington for the conference must focus on getting a Republican president elected in 2012 as well as winning back the Senate.

Barbour, a lobbyist and Washington power broker, mocked the notion that the Tea Party is out of the mainstream. He said Americans "want responsible government, one that respects the limits of government enshrined in our Constitution." Barbour added that if Republicans fail to deliver on their promises of a government committed to respecting personal responsibility and other conservative principles, the party will be "defeated as quickly as the Democrats, and we'll deserve to be."

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Barbour's speech, like many at the conference, focused largely on the deficit. He argued that "wreckless" Obama administration policies have brought America "to a crossroads." While he acknowledged that both Republican and Democratic administrations have been responsible for raising the national debt, he said "it's gotten a whole lot worse in the last two years."

"Friends, our problem is not that we tax to little, it's that we spend too much," Barbour said. He argued that the private sector must create jobs, stating that it's important to "never forget a bigger government means a smaller economy."

The Mississippi governor added that "in the liberal ideology every dollar earned belongs to the government. They believe reducing taxes is some kind of government giveaway to the taxpayers."

"The federal government can't spend itself rich," he told the crowd.

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Barbour also targeted the Obama administration energy policy, which he said is actually an environmental policy in disguise.

"The Obama energy policy is driving up costs and it is not by accident," Barbour said, suggesting that the administration's goal is "to increase the price of energy to make Americans use less of it."

Barbour touched briefly on social issues, stressing his efforts in opposition to abortion rights. He also spent a portion of his speech pointing to how costs can be contained through responsible governance, suggesting, for example, that Medicare fraud can be reduced by making recipients re-register every year.

Barbour is one of several Republicans considering a presidential run to speak at CPAC, and he got a warm reception. The conference will close Saturday afternoon with the release of the results of the presidential straw poll of attendees and a speech by Tea Party-backed Congressman Allen West.

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[noloyalisti]

I really do think that all the inbreds of American got together and formed the Republican Party. I mean they all had to something, huh? How else would you explain their complete failure on every single level on every single issue.

The only reason anyone listens to any of the inbred leaders like Barbour is that they have all the Corporate money and media propaganda behind them. They were even able to create a corporate funded group of puppet inbreds called the Republican Corporation Tea Bag Clan.

[billstrowder]

There are two types of person: The first accepts the supremacy of God (or at least that idea that we did not create ourselves), accepts the equality of men (and women) and commits to the lifelong pursuit of harmony with God and God's creation through truth and justice. The second wants to stand in place of God and lord over his/her fellow man observing whatever ethics suit that ends.
The latter must reject the principles of the Declaration of Independence and, subsequently, the Constitution because equality is in conflict with his/her supremacy. He will engage any lies, any hypocrisy to achieve supremacy. If at this point you don't see some obvious correlations between social and political faction and understand the causes of the American Civil War, your are probably one of the latter.

[sbethtaylor]

It wasn't used to mean "slow down". It's a word that people with retardation and their families have consistent said is hurtful. There are lots of better words. Why use it? If the list is a short list, I would put this word on it.

[stn_sage]

Wrong! If Haley Barbour were to get nominated for president (he won't), that would surely fragment the GOP into irrelevancy! Because HIS views of America are NOT reflected in even a simple majority of Americans, little enough the vast majority!

[obboy2037]

I am a registered Republican and Barbour and his gnarly band of fake conservatives (small government, when the people are in need, HUGE government when the corporations are in greed) -- do not represent me.

I do not agree with the conservative agenda espoused by the ultra right wing, social/religious sect of the GOP.

Asa matter of fact, I quit giving money a couple of years ago, next step is to just quit the party. The party I once respected -- the one that did care about fiscal conservatism and not the huge government ruled by the oligarchs and the religious bigots, like Barbour and all the gang at CPAC (except maybe Ron Paul, in some of his ideas).

[san850]

I applaud you for recognizing how dangerous this ultra right wing religious sect of the GOP can be. Most of what I hear coming from them are half-truths or total lies. They have "dumbed down" so many of their followers that they will accept everything they say as "truths". All one has to do is fact-check to prove their lies. Bachmann, Palin, Barbour, Gingrich, etc. It's a scary thought that any of them could even possibly become president.

[billstrowder]

Troutfishman2-
While I also disagree with Barbour's politics VEHEMENTLY, your characterization of his appearance is uncalled for. You can make a good argument that he and his philosophy are dangerous and malicious to the rest of the world, in opposing him we must not embrace his malicious tactics.
I believe that Barbour and his ilk support slavery and oppression. If we are to be different, we must promote equality and liberation in our words, deeds and spirit.

[tonyatq]

Which American are you speaking for because I'm not one.

[tmn]

I'll second that. If the "average American" REALLY knew and understood whose interests Republicans always have first, they would NEVER AGAIN vote for one!

[obboy2037]

Amen.

I'm not one of the Americans this guy claims on his team either. Are we going to be called out for not being "real Americans" now?

The creeps that have gotten the GOP in a strangle hold with a rock tossed into the ultra right wing cesspool are going to show their a**, you can bet on that.

Real Americans will take notice. Real Americans will kick that same sorry a** all the way to obscurity -- if America wants to survive as a free country governed by the people and not the corporations and religious bigots, anyway.

[MissMeYetAbdullah]

WOW! Mississippi is tied with New Mexico as the biggest recipient of Federal welfare in the United States. Mississippi gets back TWICE what it pays in taxes to the Federal Government. Mississippi could not function without the billions of dollars it gets that were paid by California, New York, Massachusetts, and the rest of the hard-working liberals (these states get back about seventy-five cents per dollar of Federal taxes paid).

http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/266.html

So, yeah, let's cut out the worst excesses of liberalism. Not just the country, BUT INDIVIDUAL STATES, should live within their budgets.

Ghod I hate this hypocritical slimeball.

[txlakeside]

Yawn .... the dumb as dirt, knuckle dragger's are boring!

[sbethtaylor]

http://www.jennaglatzer.com/pledge_to_stop_the_word_retard.htm

Here is a good place to read to learn more about why the "retard" is such a bad word to use. Please stop using this word. Even when a person is so offensive, it's not really an insult actually to use this word like this and it hurts people. Thanks for considering.

[pestomystic]

The word retard is a verb meaning to slow down. If we keep adding to the list of words that can no longer be used for political correctness reasons, we will be left with only the words yes and no. That would be very retarded (slowed down).

[royalstar05]

Haley your a retard for your statements. Just retire already you old dried up coot.You do NOT speak for americans at all. You are a loser and i have 0 respect for you.