Will Pelosi Pressure Matheson to Oppose Reasonable Cuts?
| FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Dan Boren (OK-02), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Chris Murphy (CT-05), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Mike Ross (AR-04), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), David Wu (OR-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03) Will Pelosi Pressure Matheson to Oppose Reasonable Cuts?
New Poll Shows Little Public Support for Democrat Efforts to Block Fiscal Reform Washington — Despite new polls showing strong public support for spending cuts in the short-term, in addition to the long-term, Utah Democrat Jim Matheson is already facing pressure from his House Democrat leaders to oppose the $4 billion in reasonable cuts proposed for Tuesday. Matheson voted in solidarity with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leadership in the House earlier this month against efforts to cut spending and reduce the job-destroying debt burden. Given his past opposition to fiscal reform, will Matheson again defer to Pelosi and ignore the calls to cut spending from his Utah constituents? “Jim Matheson has a strong record of voting with Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrat leadership to continue the big-spending policies which have placed the federal government on the brink of bankruptcy,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Although Matheson has a chance to change his mind and support some reasonable and necessary cuts on Tuesday, it seems that his party leaders will continue to pressure him to oppose fiscal reform as they have in the past. Matheson’s constituents in Utah will surely keep this in mind as they continue to see him oppose the serious efforts to reduce government spending that they demand.” A new poll demonstrated that voters side with Republican efforts to cut spending this week: “Twenty-nine percent of likely voters would blame Democrats for a government shutdown, compared to 23 percent who would hold Republicans responsible, according to a new poll conducted for The Hill.” “Republicans have a substantial edge among independents: Thirty-four percent would blame Democrats, while only 19 percent would blame the GOP.” (Erik Wasson, “THE HILL POLL: On shutdown, more voters would blame Dems,” The Hill, 2/28/11)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi released a statement signaling Democrat opposition to the reasonable cuts, clashing with her Senate Democrat colleagues:
“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is showing no enthusiasm for the new proposal from Republicans to avoid a government shutdown, putting her at odds with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
“Pelosi said in a statement that the GOP’s plan for a two-week spending bill cuts funding for critical programs.” “Pelosi’s comments came a day after [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid’s office released a statement cautiously applauding the latest continuing resolution proposal by House Republicans.” (Daniel Strauss, “Pelosi splits with Reid, dismisses GOP plan to avoid a shutdown,” The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, 2/28/11) Jim Matheson’s choice between Nancy Pelosi and his Utah constituents on Tuesday will be a tough one given his poor past record on fiscal responsibility. However, it will clearly not be the last as Democrat leaders such as Pelosi are continuing their best efforts to preserve the explosion in job-destroying government spending that they presided over.
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