House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who hails from Bakersfield, has a plethora of ideas revolving around remaking the GOP’s image in Congress, and he’s not shy about sharing them–at least not with Politico.
McCarthy, according to the exclusive profile by Politico’s Jake Sherman, has no interest in confrontation for confrontation’s sake; he eschews legislative cliffs and brinksmanship. He has visions of the GOP taking over the Senate, and then initiating a unified agenda between the House and Senate so that bitter public battles do not eventuate from private differences.
McCarthy told POLITICO, “My belief is you have one chance to make a first impression. From the very first day after the election, we should be laying out to the American public what the expectations are. Why make two different agendas?”
McCarthy wants to use the first few months of 2015 to pass a long-term government-funding bill, removing that issue from the front burner, as well as restoring some tax provisions for businesses and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Sherman notes that “…McCarthy seems willing to pass small-bore bills on issues ranging from energy to health care to taxes. He sees it as a way to draw constant contrasts with President Barack Obama and to split Democrats. “
On immigration reform, McCarthy–who resisted the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” bill in 2013–is considering some alterations in present law, but asserted that if Barack Obama “tried to do it by executive order, that’s the worst way,” and it would “stop everything.”
Asked about the 2016 presidential race, he said he favors governors, naming Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.