Target Dems to Voters: Get Over Yourselves
August 10, 2010
FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following incumbent and challenger districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Jason Altmire (PA-04); Michael Arcuri (NY-24); Sanford Bishop (GA-02); Tim Bishop (NY-01); John Boccieri (OH-16); Leonard Boswell (IA-03); Rick Boucher (VA-09); Dennis Cardoza (CA-18); Russ Carnahan (MO-03); Ben Chandler (KY-06); Travis Childers (MS-01); Gerry Connolly (VA-11); Jim Costa (CA-20); Mark Critz (PA-12); Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03); Steve Driehaus (OH-01); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Bob Etheridge (NC-02); Bill Foster (IL-14); Gabby Giffords (AZ-08); Alan Grayson (FL-08); John Hall (NY-19); Debbie Halvorson (IL-11); Martin Heinrich (NM-01); Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL); Baron Hill (IN-09); Jim Himes (CT-04); Tim Holden (PA-17); Rush Holt (NJ-12); Steve Kagen (WI-08); Paul Kanjorski (PA-11); Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15); Ron Kind (WI-03); Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01); Larry Kissell (NC-08); Ron Klein (FL-22); Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24); Frank Kratovil (MD-01); Rick Larsen (WA-02); Dan Maffei (NY-25); Betsy Markey (CO-04); Jim Marshall (GA-08); Jim Matheson (UT-02); Jerry McNerney (CA-11); Harry Mitchell (AZ-05); Chris Murphy (CT-05); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Patrick Murphy (PA-08); Bill Owens (NY-23); Ed Perlmutter (CO-07); Tom Perriello (VA-05); Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL); Nick Rahall (WV-03); Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23); Loretta Sanchez (CA-47); Mark Schauer (MI-07); Kurt Schrader (OR-05); Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01); Heath Shuler (NC-11); Ike Skelton (MO-04); Zack Space (OH-18); John Spratt (SC-05); Betty Sutton (OH-13); Gene Taylor (MS-04); Harry Teague (NM-02); Niki Tsongas (MA-05); Tim Walz (MN-01); David Wu (OR-01); and John Yarmuth KY-03).
Baron Hill to Voters: Get Over Yourselves
Hill Votes to Allow Democrats to Push Radical Agenda During Lame-Duck Session
Washington- Running out of time to push his unpopular and reckless agenda through Congress, Baron Hill voted today to permit a lame-duck legislative session that could allow for a whole new round of job-killing legislation (House Roll Call 515). Since the lame-duck session wouldn’t take place until after November’s elections, Speaker Pelosi would be able to count on ‘yes’ votes from departing and defeated Democrats, who would be free to support the Democrats’ radical agenda with no accountability to voters.
“Baron Hill’s vote to allow Democrats to push unpopular legislation during a lame-duck Congress is the surest sign yet that he simply doesn’t care what Hoosiers think,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “The Democrats’ agenda has been rejected time and again by the American people, but Hill continues to embrace a ‘Washington-knows-best’ attitude that has put his re-election bid on the ropes. Hill just sent a loud and clear signal that he’ll force his party’s agenda onto Hoosier families whether they like it or not.”
Democrat Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has already indicated that Congress could delay action on scheduled tax hikes until a lame-duck session:
“House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said it was his preference to address expiring tax cuts before the election, but acknowledged that it could slip until after the elections…Hoyer noted, though, that ‘it’s also possible that we won’t reach agreement on how to proceed’ on the tax cuts, leaving the possibly politically bruising debate until the lame-duck Congress between the elections and when a new Congress is sworn in next January.” (Michael O’Brien, “Hoyer: Tax Debate Could Slip Until Lame-Duck Congress,” The Hill, 8/3/10)
President Obama’s Energy and Climate Change director said on Sunday’s Meet the Press that Democrats might use the lame-duck session to force through their unpopular National Energy Tax:
“[Office of Energy and Climate Change Director] Carol Browner said on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ that the administration is still holding out hope for a legislative victory on climate and energy, despite the political challenges of passing a controversial bill through the Senate after the chamber returns from its August recess…Browner said the bill could ‘potentially’ be approved during a lame-duck session after the November election.” (Robin Bravender, “White House Adviser Still Hopes Congress Passes Climate Bill This Year,” New York Times, 8/9/10)
Labor leader Richard Trumka recently said he expects Card Check legislation, which proved to be politically unviable in Congress last year, to pass by the end of the year – possibly in a lame-duck session:
“Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, was on the CSPAN “Newsmakers” show this morning. Asked whether the Employee Free Choice Act will be considered in Congress this year, Trumka said: ‘I think you’ll see the Employee Free Choice Act come up again. I think you’ll see it probably before the end of the year.’ Before the elections or in a lameduck session? Trumka: ‘Either one.'” (Carter Wood, “Card Check: AFL-CIO’s Trumka Says Employee Free Choice Act Will Come Up,” National Association of Manufacturer’s Shopfloor, 8/8/10)
Despite the fact that the American people have repeatedly rejected the Democrats’ reckless agenda, Baron Hill just gave his party leaders the green light to force through a litany of job-killing legislation. With that kind of brazen arrogance, it’s no wonder Hill’s re-election hopes are quickly fading.
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