House Republican Study Committee reining in Leadership

"President Bush and Republican leaders in Congress would like to avoid confrontations with the Republican Study Committee, but that does not seem to be an option anymore. Budget conservatives are asserting themselves in ways that were unimaginable just a few months ago, and with about 110 members—the exact roll is confidential—the RSC is leading the charge.

"They are rapt about the cause of smaller government, finicky about whom they let in and a little sensitive about outsiders learning too much about how they operate. Membership is by invitation only.

"They are quite literally the card-carrying conservatives who have hijacked the debate this fall over how the government spends its money. Prospective RSC members are reviewed by a 15-person board, which scours their voting records and public statements for evidence of their philosophy. The privilege of joining comes with a wallet-size card inscribed with the organization’s six core principles, and members are encouraged to use it to assess legislation." ...