House Squeeks Cap and Tax Through
The US House of Representatives ignored the American people today and voted 219 – 212 to pass THE largest tax increase in American history. Let’s not mince words. If enacted, this national energy bill will do nothing to spark job creation in the midst of the most punishing recession in more than a generation. On the contrary. It would install massive taxes on the middle class and the poor, put millions out of work, and shift those jobs over-seas where these punitive taxes aren’t imposed. It will do nothing to stem greenhouse gas emissions because these companies will out-source operations to nations which have no emission standards at all. In other words, the United States House of Representatives approved a bill which will shift the US economy (what’s left of it) to India and China.
In all, eight Republicans turned their backs on the American people and sided with the Democrat leadership. They are…
Reichert-Washington–8th District Bono-California–45th District Castle-Delaware– Kirk-Illinois–10th District Lance-New Jersey–7th District (who has a whole section on his website on how to reduce gas prices!!) LoBiondo-New Jersey–2nd District McHugh-New York–23rd District Smith-New Jersey–4th District
The good news is – and yes there is some (very little but some) good news – 43 Democrats voted against this bill including one of THE most liberal on the Hill. And they are…
Altmire-Pennsylvania Arcuri-New York Barrow-Georgia Berry-Arkansas Boren-Oklahoma Bright-Alabama Carney-Pennsylvania Childers-Mississippi Costa-California Costello-Illinois Dahlkemper-Pennsylvania Davis-Alabama Davis-Tennessee DeFazio-Oregon Donnelly-Indiana Edwards-Texas Ellsworth-Indiana Foster-Illinois Griffith-Alabama Herseth Sandlin-South Dakota Holden-Pennsylvania Kirkpatrick-Arizona Kissell-North Carolina Kucinich-Ohio Marshall-Georgia Massa-New York Matheson-Utah McIntyre-North Carolina Melancon-Louisiana Minnick-Idaho Mitchell-Arizona Mollohan-West Virginia Ortiz-Texas Pomeroy-North Dakota Rahall-West Virginia Rodriguez-Texas Ross-Arkansas Salazar-Colorado Stark-California Tanner-Tennessee Taylor-Mississippi Visclosky-Indiana Wilson-Ohio
The big surprise was Kucinich.
I didn’t think Denny had a brain cell still alive but he has surprised me with his sudden exhibition of lucidity. Way to go Denny.
Let’s face it folks, these 43 Democrats are all up for re-election next year and they don’t want this one bill to sink their chances for re-election. Most of these Dems are from heartland states. States where electricity is delivered via coal fired plans. To vote for this tax would be political suicide for these guys and they know it. What surprises me is that 219 members of Congress who voted for this bill are also up for re-election. And I hope that the people know what they’ve done. Especially those 8 so-called Republicans.
With out these 8 defectors, this bill would have been defeated 220 -211. Their constituents need to hold them accountable. If there is any justice in the world, these 8 will be defeated in next year’s primaries. I certainly hope that there are some prospective candidates in these districts waiting to defeat them – because they will.
Now Cap and Tax moves on to the US Senate where all it will take is enough defections to prevent cloture. Unless Obama and Reid conspire to bypass Senate rules. In which case, if enough Democrats defect as the above 43 have, a simple majority may not be possible.
Let the lobbying of the Senate begin.
/rant
Note: A special thanks goes out to Butch Porter of the American Conservative Party for the information on which Republican members voted for and which Democrats voted against.
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