In the U.S. Congress, there are 461 “support a cause” caucuses for members to join, ranging from the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Caucus to the Zoo and Aquarium Caucus.
Most are so little known; one would be challenged to name five without a search on Google.
One that is well known is the House Republican Freedom Caucus, based on their historical adversarial relationship with the House Republican Caucus, aka the Republican Conference.
The Freedom Caucus is deeply committed to a conservative approach on public policy issues.
It is a force to be reckoned with within the House Republican Conference based on the fact that the conference has a thin majority requiring almost unanimous party unity to pass bills.
Since late last year, the House Freedom Caucus chair has been Congressman Andy Harris.
Harris replaced former Republican Congressman Bob Good, who narrowly lost a bid for re-election in a primary election to a challenger endorsed by President Trump.
Good had a well-deserved reputation as a dogmatic “my way or the highway” legislator.
Like Good, Harris has a strong commitment to the House Freedom Caucus principles.
Unlike Good, Harris has demonstrated a leadership style reminiscent of former Republican U.S. Senator Everett Dirksen.
Dirksen was a 36-year member of Congress who served for 10 years as Senate Minority Leader.
Like Harris is now, Dirksen then was a strong advocate for conservative fiscal principles, especially on federal government spending and the national debt.
Dirksen was also a pragmatic legislator who understood success in the legislative arena requires practicing the art of the possible, in other words, pursuing accomplishments that may be achieved, rather than pursuing accomplishments that can never be achieved.
Dirksen summed it up perfectly when he said, “I am a man of principles, and one of them is flexibility.”
To date, Harris has used the Dirksen philosophy in his leadership of the Freedom Caucus.
Following his election as caucus chair, Harris said, “The best way to advance the conservative agenda is to not be constantly viewed as an obstacle.”
After a relatively orderly election of Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House, Harris said, “That was an example of how I think we should operate, which is to actually come to an agreement — because, you know, we are reasonable people. Come to an agreement. They’re not going to be perfect for everybody, but they’re going to move us in the right direction.”
That approach has not gone unnoticed by Congressman Dustin Johnson, chair of the House Republicans Main Street Caucus, a caucus whose members have more moderate views than members of the Freedom Caucus.
Congressman Johnson has observed that he “loves working with Andy Harris.”
He also has observed that Harris’s predecessor (former Congressman Good), was “a more difficult personality to get to ‘yes.’”
A recent example of Andy’s leadership philosophy was in full flight was his role in securing support from the Freedom Caucus members in the House for H.R. 1, a top legislative priority of the Trump administration and described by Trump as a “big, beautiful bill.”
After a great deal of contentious debate within the Republican Conference, H.B.1 was approved in the full House by a one-vote margin (215 yes votes and 214 no votes).
Every Republican House member who voted on H.R. 1 voted yes with only two exceptions and every Democratic House member who voted on H.R. 1 voted no.
Neither of the two Republicans who voted no are members of the Freedom Caucus.
In a move that was somewhat surprising, Harris voted present.
In a social media post after the vote, he wrote that he did so “to move the bill along in the process.”
With regard to moving the bill along, there is no certainty when or even if H.R 1 will make its way to President Trump for signature into law.
There are already indications members of the Republican majority in the Senate may pursue significant revisions to H.R. 1, and there are rumblings from the Republican majority in the House that anything less than minor Senate changes will result in pushback from the House.
One thing that is certain so far is that as House Freedom Caucus chair, Harris has had measurable success to date with the following leadership strategies:
“The best way to advance the conservative agenda is to not be constantly viewed as an obstacle.”
“Come to agreements. They’re not going to be perfect for everybody, but they’re going to move us in the right direction.”
Those strategies should guide future dialogue, deliberation, and decisions by the Republican leadership in the House and the Senate.
David Reel is a public affairs and public relations consultant who lives in Easton.
Michael Pullen says
David Reel is a Republican operative who makes a living developing effective media strategies to elect Republican candidates, including stories like this extolling the virtues of Republicans no matter how extreme or destructive their policies. It’s notable the author completely ignores the content and effect of the “big beautiful bill” the House just passed by a single vote, 215-214. If Harris voted “Nay” the bill would have failed. Because he didn’t, he bears full responsibility for the consequences of his vote. These are some of those consequences as reported by the Congressional Budget Office:
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the bill cuts at least $715 billion in healthcare spending, mostly from Medicaid, and $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, causing more than 2.7 million American households to lose benefits.
Because the massive debt increase in the measure triggers a 2010 law requiring offsets, it will cut Medicare, as well, by an estimated $500 billion.
Economist Robert Reich points out that Americans making between about $17,000 and $51,000 will lose about $700 a year. On average, Americans with incomes of less than $17,000 will lose more than $1,000 a year. But if you are among the top 0.1% of earners, you’re in luck: you’ll gain nearly $390,000 a year.
The measure roughly doubles the current annual budgets of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in what Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council notes is “the single biggest increase in funding to immigration enforcement in the history of the United States.” It increases ICE’s detention budget from $3.4 billion a year to $45 billion through September 2029, a staggering 365% increase on an annual basis that would permit ICE to detain at least 100,000 people at a time.
Taking health care away from Americans doesn’t make America great.
If you believe making those with less struggle harder to get by, and taking away food from those who need it are justified so that the wealthiest among us get $390,000 more, each, Harris deserves all the praises Mr. Reel gives him
Harris’s policies turn America’s vision of equal opportunity and working together for a better future for everyone on its head. Harris deserves no praise, only disgust for his shameful slap in the face to 27.7% of the children in this Congressional District who receive Medicaid/CHIP benefits.
https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2024/12/11/medicaid-chip-coverage-in-maryland-congressional-districts-2023/
Harming children so the rich can get more, and increasing the debt to boot, doesn’t deserve the praise Mr. Reel dutifully provides.
Anne C Stalfort says
Thank you for setting the record straight.
Eleanor Wells says
Well said, Mr. Pullen. Thank you.
Barbara Lee Jefferson says
Michael, you wrote beautifully and powerfully what I was thinking. Thank you! Harris should definitely not be given praise for his role in politics. He is a slimy, sneaky, lying coward.
Thank you Michael!
Michael Davis says
The point of this essay seems to be that Harris is more flexible than his predecessor as head of the Freedom Caucus. He’s a good guy, like Everett Dirksen. I can’t think of anything further from the truth. Notice in the quote below from Wikipedia that Dirksen worked with Democrats to get things done. He even cooperated with progressives to block the attack on the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“He developed a good working relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and supported President Lyndon B. Johnson’s handling of the Vietnam War. He helped break the Southern filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill is evil. It throws hundreds of thousands of needy people and children under the bus to give tax breaks to Donald Trump. You know it’s evil because Speaker Johnson tried to claim it was “moral” to deprive people of health care. Moral? Maybe moral by the standards of Afghanistan.
Is Andy demonstrating one second of reasonable behavior that characterized Dirksen? Heck no. Harris is as eager to crush needy people as is Johnson and Trump. Not an ounce of compassion or willingness to compromise.
Mr. Reel, you really ought to read more about someone you want make a positive comparison to with Andy Harris. Our Congressman Harris cannot hold a candle to Dirksen. I tried to ask Dirksen about the comparison but he was too busy spinning in his grave.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk MD says
I would hardly characterize Congressman Harris as an effective leader. In his long time in office he has sponsored two bills, only one of which, the renaming of a post office in Salisbury, was enacted into law. He also scores poorly in bipartisan sponsorship of bills. He didn’t vote in favor of the “BBB” because he knew it would pass without his vote, unless, of course, he had had the courage to vote against it. But speaking truth to power is not in his repertoire.
Bob Parker says
While Rep. Harris extols a philosophy of “reaching agreement” that may possibly played a role in getting HR1 passed, his failures to personally be accountable for a “Yay” or “Nay” vote on the bill fits with his rating as one of the least effective Hiuse members when it comes to proposing and getting bills passed. His (non) vote of “present” allows his to avoid responsibility for the consequences of an actual vote while at the same time allowing him to take credit for passage – slick trick but not one that highlights a stong character or principles. I anticipate that he will point to his “present” votes as allowing passage while at the same time indicating that he did not agree with the bill increasing the national debt by 2 or 3 trillion dollars. If he didn’t agree with it, he should have voted his principles (whatever they are) and voted “no”. Serving on Congress is a serious responsibility and takes courage. Rep. Harris just flunked the courage test.
Jim wilkins says
It’s interesting that Mr Reel compares Andy Harris to Everett Dirksen. A quick read of Everett Dirksen’s bio reads nothing in common with that of congressman Harris. Early in his congressional career Dirksen (a republican)supported the New Deal. In the 60’s he worked with the democratic majority leader Mike Mansfield to pass President Johnson’s Great Society and in fact cast votes that broke the Southern filibuster of the Civil Rights act of 1964. The latter initiatives among other achievements of that time created Medicare and attempted to right some of the wrongs of the Jim Crow era. The latter societal improvements are ones that the MAGA crowd including Mr Harris would like to eviscerate, bringing us back to the 50’s. As I’ve opined in this online discussion before, Mr Harris needs to go. For the good of our district and the country.
Charles Barranco says
Mr. Pullen,
Unfortunately, you couldn’t be more on point. You have written an excellent response.
What is happening to Medicaid and Medicare is a disgrace and disgusting. What the Republican Party is doing to children who need these programs is unconscionable and none of them care!
How can the Republican Congress or should I say the spineless goose stepping morons like Andy Harris continue to be voted into office?
The people in the 1st District still vote for him even though they’ve heard him say, “ I don’t vote for my constituents, I only vote for the party”!
Let’s hope the farmers get it when they can no longer sell their soybean crops to China and have to look for new markets.
Let’s hope in the next election Andy Harris is voted out of office along with Congressmen and Congresswomen who kiss the ring!
Kathy Carroll says
What a perfect way for Andy Harris to escape any responsibility for the bill. If it turns into what many predict as a disaster, he can say, “Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for it.” But he won’t upset Republicans because he can say he let the bill go forward. Seems like a perfectly cowardly action.
Michael Estrella says
Why does Andy Harris continually refuse to hold in person town hall meetings? What is he afraid of? He seems more than willing to support his “FREEDOM CAUCUS” but much less than willing to face the people in his district “IN PERSON”. We deserve better representation than this guy, it’s well past time for action change!