Libertarians Battle GOP Establishment Over Civil Liberties, Foreign Policy

Toss out the old guard

House GOP leaders are scrambling to quell a quiet libertarian rebellion threatening to block consideration of the Defense appropriations bill.

A small group of Republicans are holding the spending bill hostage until they get votes on several controversial amendments.

"We've conveyed to the whip team that we won't vote for the rule if they don't allow debate and votes," Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Friday. "We don't need all the amendments to be allowed. We need at least one substantial amendment on three things: Egypt, Syria and NSA."

Massie has two amendments before the Rules Committee: one that would defund military operations in Syria and one that would defund military operations in Egypt. Another leader in the Republican rebellion, Justin Amash of Michigan, has an amendment that would end funds for the National Security Agency's blanket collection of telephone call records in the wake of Edward Snowden's leaking of the program.

(H/T Charles WT)