puttin' a whoopin' on Wamp

The WSJ editorialists having some fun with the inconsistent Mr. Wamp...

In governing so far to the left, President Obama has made U.S. politics even more polarized, though some of his opponents may be revealing a little too much id. Today's "teachable moment" is Tennessee Republican Zach Wamp, who claimed in a recent interview that ObamaCare is making secession an attractive option...

Elected with the Gingrich class of 1994, Mr. Wamp went on to become a member in good standing of the powerful Appropriations Committee and an epic spender and earmarker, especially for the Tennessee Valley Authority and other federal boondoggles.

On the National Taxpayers Union's annual fiscal responsibility scorecard, Mr. Wamp rated 54% in 2004, 62% in 2005 and 56% in 2006 during the dissolute late period of the Republican majority, down from 87% in 1995. He told NPR in 2006 amid backbench attempts to impose even modest spending discipline that "You know, I will defend until my death the ability of the Congress to direct the funding or to earmark projects."

Mr. Wamp is once again trying to appeal to the GOP's opposition to big government, but Tennessee voters will want to look at his priorities when he was in a position of actual power.

Unfortunately, this is just the sort of thing we see all too often from GOP politicians. Even if they achieve power in 2010 and 2012, will things be a lot better-- or just, not that much worse?