There is a crisis of confidence in this country.  The lack of confidence is not in the free market.  It is a lack of confidence in the Obama administration...is it any wonder?  The Obama administration has quickly proven they have no idea why we are in this mess, refuse to admit any mistakes, and clearly aren’t sure what to do about it.  Their lack of understanding was especially noticeable when I watched the Sunday shows. 
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This is my column that first ran in Roll Call last week...subscription required, but full text below.

The word agenda has two related but distinct political definitions. The first meaning is superficial, as in, “The agenda for this week will be ...” That is, what a political leader or constituency wants to do. The second is deeper, as in, “What’s their agenda?” That means, what does a political leader or constituency really want to do?
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As you may have seen over the last couple of weeks, CCM Chairman Ken Blackwell has been all over Fox News attacking ACORN for their voter fraud practices in key swing states.  Taking on ACORN is a major battle, and I appreciate all the groups out there who are hammering away.   The bad news it, there are plenty of other fights to pick with these groups, some of which seemingly take their fundraising cues from the Question Mark Guy.  
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If some folks out there are going to compare Pelosi’s incompetent tactics to my previous leadership in the House, let’s get a few facts straight:

1.    If I were a rank and file member, I would have voted against it.
2.    If I were in leadership, that would not have been the bill.
3.    And we would have won.

UPDATE: Thanks, Rich!

Finally, someone is making some sense when it comes to the bailout.  The problem is, will House Democrats lend an ear to what conservatives are saying, or simply do what they do best - spend, and waste, taxpayer dollars? 
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Today is Constitution Day.  Celebrate...by actually reading it.
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Think the Democrats are the party of honest, open, ethical government? Wrong. I’ve worked with these guys (actually, against them) for longer than I care to admit, and let me tell you: nothing has changed but their talking points. The Republican Leader office has compiled a great resource, titled “The Swamp List” highlighting their dirty tricks, and they’re actually in print. But it’s not enough to simply call them out on their hypocrisy and wrong doing – we need to take a page from their playbook and make sure their leadership is weeding out these members. Call on Nancy Pelosi to fire Charlie Rangel!

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Breaking the Congressional Deadlock
 
(This is an op-ed that ran in the Washington Times on Sunday, up against my friend Steny Hoyer's opinion piece.)

In coming weeks, President Bush, John McCain, Barack Obama and the Democrats running Congress will all try to blame the other guys for the deadlock in Congress. "We just can't get anything done," they will lament, as only political candidates can. The ideal scenario expressed in the speeches of all of the above will be a gauzy time in the middle distance when we can finally set aside our petty differences, come together and solve our problems in a bipartisan manner. The enemy of this rhetorical era of good feeling is said to be partisanship.
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Sweetheart Mortgage Loan Deals: Senators Only?

House Republicans, led by Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, sent this letter to Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) requesting a hearing on Countrywide Financial’s VIP treatment on mortgage loans to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (read this letter!) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad.  And as the Politico has reported, all of the 100 members of the Senate were contacted about the terms of their mortgages, and it looks like they’re not talking.  Now I’ve had to fill out these financial disclosure forms before, and trust me, they leave no stone uncovered.  If you’re looking for financial privacy, public office is the last place you’ll find it.  So it looks like these Senators have figured out the loophole to keep their mortgage rates under wraps, but Senators Cornyn and Boxer have offered an amendment to the (stalled) housing bill that will require these details to be shared.   

Now the Action Points...

Contact (meaning call, don’t email) Chairman Barney Frank and tell him you’ve read this letter and you’d like to see an immediate hearing on the sweetheart loan deals that Senators are receiving while their constituents are supposedly drowning in mortgage debt. 

Also make sure to check in with your Senator and make sure they are providing that information.  If not, you may have reason to be suspicious. 

Rep. Hensarling’s letter after the jump...

 
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It's just like Democrats to think they can tax their way into a housing recovery.  Now they want the 95 percent of homeowners who are paying their mortgage on time to pony up taxdollars to pay for their neighbor's mortgage, too.  On top of that, Democrats are funneling a 35 MILLION dollar slush fund to their best friends, the trial lawyers! 

Here is conservative Congressman Tom Feeney's take on it from the House floor...well said.