The media is finally realizing that there is a growing wave of conservative grassroots support to throw out the failed Republican leaders who currently waste conservative seats in Washington.  The latest flaccid Republican who is gaining a lot of attention is Senator Lamar Alexander.

Earlier today, Senator Alexander wrote a letter in the Tennessean to his constituents stating, “I stay true to my conservative ideals.”  First, I’d like to give him credit for actually engaging in a dialogue with his constituents.  Unlike Mitch McConnell to his north, who is not man enough to defend his record, opting instead to engage his constituents through embarrassing smear ads, Lamar is attempting to make the case for another six years.  Unfortunately, he fails to move beyond platitudes and distractions. 

One good way to do that is to send to Washington a conservative, problem-solving former Tennessee governor with a record of getting results: Auto jobs. Better schools. Better roads. Balanced budgets. Low taxes. Low debt.

Hmm..I’m not sure what he means by auto jobs – perhaps, he is referring to his support for continuing the auto bailouts for Government Motors into 2009 [Roll Call #148, 4/2/2009]?  Or perhaps, he means the Cash for Clunkers boondoggle he supported [ Roll Call #270, 8/6/2009]?

As for schools, how can we have better schools when Senator Alexander supports officious federal control over the education system?

Better roads?  Lamar voted against ending the failed federal highway policy and devolving transportation authority to where it belongs – the states [Roll Call #36, 3/13/2012].

Lower taxes? Lamar voted to pave the road for an online sales tax run by a cartel of states [Roll Call #62, 3/22/2013].  He also voted for the “Fiscal Cliff” tax hikes – the largest tax increases in American history, coupled with $332 billion in stimulus spending [Roll Call #251, 1/1/2013]

Balanced budgets? Lamar voted for the massive $1 trillion food stamp/farm bill [Roll Call #141, 6/6/2013]

Low debt? Lamar voted for the massive $2.4 trillion debt limit increase – the largest in history – giving Obama a free credit card to get passed the 2012 elections[Roll Call #123, 8/2/2011].

I stood up to President Obama at the White House health-care summit.

Actually, you co-sponsored the individual mandate in Wyden-Bennett before Obama ever conjured up Obamacare.  And you refuse to stand up to him now and defund the law.

I helped block the president’s unconstitutional labor board nominees.

Yes, but you voted for his replacement nominees who are just as anti-worker’s choice as the previous nominees [RC# 191, 7/30/13: RC#194, 7/30/13].  You helped cut the deal to let through all of Obama’s executive nominees, including Todd Jones for ATF Director, the man at the scene of the crime during the Fast and Furious scandal.

Last month, I helped to enact a market-based plan that reduced interest rates on loans for 200,000 Tennessee students going to college this fall.

There is nothing market-based about continuing to indiscriminately subsidize all bachelor’s degrees and randomly peg the rates to the 10-year Treasury note.

He goes on to use the old “Freedom to Fish” legislation as a distraction from the more important issues where he has joined with Chuck Schumer to undermine conservatives.  There is no mention of his support for the reckless open borders/amnesty proposal [Roll Call #127, 5/17/2006: Roll Call #168, 6/27/2013], his support for Cap and Trade style regulations [Roll Call #201, 11/10/2011:[Roll Call #139,6/20/2012], cloture on gun control [Roll Call #95, 4/11/2013], his vote for Tom Perez has Secretary of Labor [RC#177, 7/17/13],  his vote to confirm Chuck Hagel and Samantha Power to important foreign policy positions, or his vote to confirm Andrew Hurwitz to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of Obama’s most radical judicial nominees [Roll Call #118, 6/11/2012].

Taken as a whole, Lamar Alexander is weak on all three legs of the conservative stool.  He is a progressive and his record stands for itself.

Indeed, every six years we are entreated to an array of distractions from the establishment Republicans who seek support from the conservative base.  They ignore us for six years; it’s time we return the favor.

Lamar Alexander has spent his life in politics growing government on every level.  It’s time for new leadership with private sector experience who actually understands conservative ideals.

Cross-posted from The Madison Project