Pat says he's now free to vote his conscience?

Why now? Because he's in the minority

I kid you not. He calls the burden of being in the majority an anchor!

From Anglico at BlueNC:

I missed this story last week, an interesting analysis of how Republicans in the US House of Representatives are feeling "freedom" to vote their consciences now that they're no longer in the majority. Isn't that something? Grown men and women flat out admitting that they haven't been voting with personal integrity for the past six years because they're afraid of @$$holes like Tom Delay and Karl Rove. Disgustible.

Anyway, what does this have to do with North Carolina? Well, not surprisingly, one of the hypocritical Republicans the reporter interviewed is our own little Pat McHenry, who had this choice comment [in the Washington Post]:

"As a junior member, there is a certain amount of liberation in the minority. You have a greater freedom of action, not just in private but in public," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., another floor warrior. "When you are in the majority, you have a line to toe, and that can be a heavy burden. It's more like an anchor than a line."