Greg Walden: Key Player in the GOP Leadership
Kari Chisholm
Back here at home, Congressman Greg Walden has an aw-shucks demeanor when he's pretending to be a nice easy-going moderate.
But let's make no mistake: The guy is a top member of the Republican leadership in the House, and is beholden to the same right-wing ideology that enraptures the rest of 'em.
The O's Charlie Pope writes about Greg Walden's role and power in DC:
In fact, the 54-year-old Republican representative from Hood River ripples with power. Today, with Republicans enjoying their biggest majority since the 1940s, Walden is one of Speaker John Boehner's closest confidants, performing the difficult and unseen jobs that are crucial to the day-to-day operations of Congress and the future of the party in power.
Walden starts with seniority and knowledge of the inside game. He has close friendships with people in the right positions, especially Boehner. ...
Boehner called Walden "my go-to guy" last year when he named him to lead the transition committee after Republicans won back the majority in the House. That opinion hasn't changed.
And on the issues?
While Walden operates largely operates under the radar, he's careful to touch all the bases required for Republicans: He signed the no tax pledge from the group Americans for Tax Reform. And he voices the party complaints about big government and the "job killing" regulations and the need to repeal the health care reform law.
In March 2010, as the Democratic-majority in the House was passing the health care bill, Walden stepped out of the shadows. From the Capitol balcony, he and other Republicans held hand-drawn letters that spelled out "K-I-L-L T-H-E B-I-L-L" to a frothing crowd.
Progressive Punch, the comprehensive scorecard site, gives Walden an overall lifetime progressive score of 9.34%. On "crucial" votes (those where the vote was close), he's got a lifetime progressive score of 4.21%.
So yeah, Greg Walden's no moderate. Even if he is, gee whiz, a nice guy. And as a critical member of the leadership and one of Speaker Boehner's confidantes, he gets to own all the craziness that comes out of the House of Representatives right now.
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8:31 a.m.
Dec 14, '11
I was actually going to write about this piece, but Kari beat me to it. This piece by Pope is a big, fat, wet kiss for Walden on it's face. But it really underscored for me how much Walden is in the bag for the obstructionist mess that the US House has become.
11:00 p.m.
Dec 14, '11
My favorite ad- I guess I should use air quotes around "favorite"- during the 2010 season was the one with Walden sitting at a picnic table as the numbers of the deficit were spinning behind him. Walden looked straight into the office and said something along the liens of "The out-of-control spending in Washington needs to stop." You know, all that out-of-control spending that occurred all those many terms he has served as a Congressional incumbent.
Luckily, he was re-elected. Maybe NOW he can stop all this spending. Just when we need it the least.