Heroes & Traitors: The Debt Ceiling Votes

Below is the list of the heroes in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate who had the courage to stand up to their leadership and vote against the debt ceiling raise deal. It proved, once again, that politics makes for strange bedfellows. For example, it is rare that Florida's conservative Rep. Cliff Stearns and liberal Rep. Corrine Brown vote alike.

U.S. Senate, August 2, 2011: The legislation passed with a final total of 74 yeses and 26 noes. The heroes who voted NO (against raising the debt ceiling):

• Ayotte, Kelly NH-R
• Chambliss, Clarence GA-R
• Coats, Daniel IN-R
• Coburn, Thomas OK-R
• DeMint, James SC-D
• Gillibrand, Kirsten NY-D
• Graham, Lindsey SC-R
• Grassley, Charles IA-R
• Harkin, Thomas IA-D
• Hatch, Orrin UT-R
• Heller, Dean NV-R
• Inhofe, James OK-R
• Johnson, Ron WI-R
• Lautenberg, Frank NJ-D
• Lee, Mike UT-R
• Menéndez, Robert NJ-D
• Merkley, Jeff OR-D
• Moran, Jerry KS-R
• Nelson, Earl NE-D
• Paul, Rand KY-R
• Rubio, Marco FL-R
• Sanders, Bernard VT-I
• Sessions, Jefferson AL-R
• Shelby, Richard AL-R
• Toomey, Patrick PA-R
• Vitter, David LA-R

Senate traitors who were endorsed by the Tea Party and cowardly voted FOR Harry Reid's debt ceiling bill:

• Boozman, John AR-R
• Burr, Richard NC-R
• Crapo, Michael ID-R
• Hoeven, John ND-R
• Portman, Robert OH-R
• Thune, John SD-R

The House of Representatives voted on August 1, 2011 with 269 yeas, 161 nays, and 3 not voting. The House heroes who voted AGAINST raising the debt ceiling are:

• Ackerman, Gary NY-D
• Akin, William MO-R
• Amash, Justin MI-R
• Bachmann, Michele MN-R
• Baldwin, Tammy WI-D
• Becerra, Xavier CA-D
• Bishop, Robert UT-R
• Blumenauer, Earl OR-D
• Boswell, Leonard IA-D
• Braley, Bruce IA-D
• Brooks, Mo AL-R
• Broun, Paul GA-R
• Brown, Corrine FL-D
• Buerkle, Ann Marie NY-R
• Burton, Danny IN-R
• Butterfield, George NC-D
• Capuano, Michael MA-D
• Cardoza, Dennis CA-D
• Carson, Andre IN-D
• Chaffetz, Jason UT-R
• Chu, Judy CA-D
• Clarke, Hansen MI-D
• Clarke, Yvette NY-D
• Cleaver, Emanuel MO-D
• Cohen, Stephen TN-D
• Conyers, John MI-D
• Cravaack, Chip MN-R
• Crowley, Joseph NY-D
• Cummings, Elijah MD-D
• Davis, Geoffrey KY-R
• DeFazio, Peter OR-D
• DeGette, Diana CO-D
• DeLauro, Rosa CT-D
• DesJarlais, Scott TN-R
• Doyle, Michael PA-D
• Duncan, Jeff SC-R
• Edwards, Donna MD-D
• Ellison, Keith MN-D
• Engel, Eliot NY-D
• Farr, Samuel CA-D
• Filner, Robert CA-D
• Flake, Jeffrey AZ-R
• Fleischmann, Chuck TN-R
• Fleming, John LA-R
• Forbes, James VA-R
• Frank, Barnett MA-D
• Franks, Trent AZ-R
• Fudge, Marcia OH-D
• Garrett, Ernest NJ-R
• Gingrey, John GA-R
• Gohmert, Louis TX-R
• Gonzalez, Charles TX-D
• Gowdy, Trey SC-R
• Graves, Tom GA-R
• Green, Alexander TX-D
• Griffith, Morgan VA-R
• Grijalva, Raul AZ-D
• Hahn, Janice CA-D
• Hall, Ralph TX-R
• Harris, Andy MD-R
• Hartzler, Vicky MO-R
• Hastings, Alcee FL-D
• Holt, Rush NJ-D
• Honda, Mike CA-D
• Huelskamp, Tim KS-R
• Hultgren, Randy IL-R
• Hunter, Duncan CA-R
• Jackson, Jesse IL-D
• Johnson, Timothy IL-R
• Jones, Walter NC-R
• Jordan, Jim OH-R
• Kaptur, Marcia OH-D
• King, Steve IA-R
• Kingston, Jack GA-R
• Kissell, Larry NC-D
• Kucinich, Dennis OH-D
• Labrador, Raul ID-R
• Lamborn, Doug CO-R
• Landry, Jeff LA-R
• Larson, John CT-D
• Latham, Thomas IA-R
• Lee, Barbara CA-D
• Lewis, John GA-D
• Loebsack, David IA-D
• Lofgren, Zoe CA-D
• Lujan, Ben NM-D
• Mack, Connie FL-R
• Maloney, Carolyn NY-D
• Markey, Edward MA-D
• Matsui, Doris CA-D
• McClintock, Tom CA-R
• McCollum, Betty MN-D
• McDermott, James WA-D
• McGovern, James MA-D
• McIntyre, Mike NC-D
• McNerney, Jerry CA-D
• Miller, Brad NC-D
• Miller, George CA-D
• Moran, James VA-D
• Mulvaney, Mick SC-R
• Murphy, Christopher CT-D
• Nadler, Jerrold NY-D
• Napolitano, Grace CA-D
• Neal, Richard MA-D
• Neugebauer, Randy TX-R
• Nunes, Devin CA-R
• Olver, John MA-D
• Pallone, Frank NJ-D
• Pastor, Edward AZ-D
• Paul, Ronald TX-R
• Payne, Donald NJ-D
• Pearce, Stevan NM-R
• Peters, Gary MI-D
• Pingree, Chellie ME-D
• Poe, Ted TX-R
• Posey, Bill FL-R
• Price, David NC-D
• Quayle, Ben AZ-R
• Rangel, Charles NY-D
• Rehberg, Dennis MT-R
• Reyes, Silvestre TX-D
• Richardson, Laura CA-D
• Roby, Martha AL-R
• Rokita, Todd IN-R
• Ross, Dennis FL-R
• Roybal-Allard, Lucille CA-D
• Ryan, Timothy OH-D
• Sanchez, Linda CA-D
• Sarbanes, John MD-D
• Scalise, Steve LA-R
• Schakowsky, Janice IL-D
• IL R Schweikert, David AZ-R
• Scott, Austin GA-R
• Scott, Robert VA-D
• Scott, Tim SC-R
• Serrano, Jose NY-D
• Slaughter, Louise NY-D
• Smith, Adam WA-D
• Southerland, Steve FL-R
• Stark, Fortney CA-D
• Stearns, Clifford FL-R
• Stutzman, Marlin IN-R
• Sutton, Betty OH-D
• Thompson, Bennie MS-D
• Tierney, John MA-D
• Tipton, Scott CO-R
• Tonko, Paul NY-D
• Towns, Edolphus NY-D
• Turner, Michael OH-R
• Velázquez, Nydia NY-D
• Visclosky, Peter IN-D
• Walsh, Joe IL-R
• Waters, Maxine CA-D
• Watt, Melvin NC-D
• Waxman, Henry CA-D
• Welch, Peter VT-D
• Westmoreland, Lynn GA-R
• Wilson, Addison SC-R
• Woolsey, Lynn CA-D
• Yarmuth, John KY-D
• Yoder, Kevin KS-R

House traitors who cowardly voted FOR the debt ceiling raise despite Tea Party endorsements are:

• Adams, Sandra FL-R
• Bass, Charles NH-R
• Benishek, Dan MI-R
• Berg, Rick ND-R
• Bilbray, Brian CA-R
• Black, Diane TN-R
• Bucshon, Larry IN-R
• Calvert, Kenneth CA-R
• Camp, David MI-R
• Campbell, John CA-R
• Canseco, Quico TX-R
• Chabot, Steven OH-R
• Coffman, Michael CO-R
• Cole, Thomas OK-R
• Crawford, Rick AR-R
• Denham, Jeff CA-R
• Dold, Robert IL-R
• Duffy, Sean WI-R
• Ellmers, Renee NC-R
• Fincher, Stephen TN-R
• Fitzpatrick, Michael PA-R
• Flores, Bill TX-R
• Fortenberry, Jeffrey NE-R
• Gallegly, Elton CA-R
• Gardner, Cory CO-R
• Gibbs, Bob OH-R
• Gosar, Paul AZ-R
• Griffin, Tim AR-R
• Grimm, Mike NY-R
• Guinta, Frank NH-R
• Hanna, Richard NY-R
• Heck, Joe NV-R
• Herger, Walter CA-R
• Herrera, Jaime WA-R
• Huizenga, Bill MI-R
• Jenkins, Lynn KS-R
• Johnson, Bill OH-R
• Kelly, Mike PA-R
• Kinzinger, Adam IL-R
• Lankford, James OK-R
• Lewis, Charles CA-R
• Long, Billy MO-R
• Lucas, Frank OK-R
• Lummis, Cynthia WY-R
• Lungren, Daniel CA-R
• Marino, Thomas PA-R
• McCarthy, Kevin CA-R
• McCotter, Thaddeus MI-R
• McKeon, Howard CA-R
• McKinley, David WV-R
• McMorris Rodgers, Cathy WA-R
• Meehan, Patrick PA-R
• Miller, Candice MI-R
• Miller, Gary CA-R
• Nunnelee, Alan MS-R
• Paulsen, Erik MN-R
• Pompeo, Mike KS-R
• Renacci, Jim OH-R
• Ribble, Reid WI-R
• Rivera, David FL-R
• Rohrabacher, Dana CA-R
• Royce, Edward CA-R
• Runyan, Jon NJ-R
• Schilling, Bobby IL-R
• Simpson, Michael ID-R
• Smith, Adrian NE-R
• Stivers, Steve OH-R
• Sullivan, John OK-R
• Terry, Lee NE-R
• Upton, Frederick MI-R
• Walberg, Timothy MI-R
• Walden, Greg OR-R
• Webster, Daniel FL-R
• West, Allen FL-R
• Womack, Steve AR-R
• Young, Todd IN-R

Debt Ceiling: Letter to Florida's Senator Bill Nelson

Senator Bill Nelson (Dem.-FL) sent an email asking for his constituents input regarding the debt ceiling issue. Below is a copy of the letter I sent in response:

Dear Senator Nelson:


The cycle of constant expansion of the nation's debt has to stop. It is bankrupting us and our children. It is unsustainable. I support these principles:

1. Every dollar of debt ceiling increase must be matched by spending cuts. These cuts must be made BEFORE additional dollars may be borrowed. The old trick of raising the ceiling on the promise of future cuts that never seem to come must be avoided. For this reason, I do not like either the Boehner or Reid plans. We do not need yet another commission. Congress needs to do its job and cut the red ink.

2. There should be no income tax increases on anyone, especially corporations, during a recession. Even President Kennedy knew tax cuts, not increases, promoted job growth and economic expansion. I support a Fair Tax, but only if the 16th Amendment is repealed. It is wrong that the top 2% of taxpayers pay 80% of taxes and that over 50%, including myself, owe none.

3. No debt ceiling increase should be granted until the President submits a balanced budget. It is dereliction of duty for him not to have submitted a budget for the current fiscal year. He insists we do not need a balanced budget amendment. I say, "Prove it!"

4. The current Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs are not sustainable and must be reformed. I support increasing or even removing the cap on income subject to FICA withholdings. The current $250,000 maximum is too low to keep the system solvent.

5. If a default is unavoidable because Congress continues to fail to act and the President continues to refuse to lead, then payments of our debts need to go out in this order:

a. active duty military
b. retired military
c. Social Security recipients (retirees, disabled, & children)
d. government contractors
e. government civil service workers
f. U.S. bondholders
g. foreign aid recipients
h. all other obligations
i. elected officials and their staff

Sincerely,
Susan M. Lamb

Senate Bill S.679: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

Senator Chuck Schumer (Dem-NY) has introduced Senate Bill S.679. It has an appealing title:
"Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011." Now, we are all for efficiency in and streamlining government, right? Not so fast.
 
Article II, Section 2.2 of the U.S. Constitution states the President has the power "by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate" to appoint "Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States." This section also allows the Congress to allow certain "inferior Officers" to be appointed without the Senate's "Advice and Consent," which they have done.
 
However, S.679 is the most sweeping granting of absolute appointment power to the President in history. Examples are many Assistant Secretaries of the various departments, the Director of the Mint, DIRECTOR OF THE WOMEN’S BUREAU, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS, CHIEF SCIENTIST of the NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, etc. It affects every federal department as well as many government commissions and corporations (e.g., COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, National Council on Disability, etc.). I counted at least 83 separate appointees who would no longer require the Senate's approval. Not included in this total are an unknown number of members of boards, commissions, and officer corps for Public Health and N.O.A.A. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
 
Why would senators want to relieve themselves of their "advice and consent" responsibilities and turn these powers over to the exclusive use of the President? Are they too lazy to do their jobs? Or, is their intent more nefarious? Is this consolidation of power in the Executive Branch be an attempt to ramrod radical leftists into positions of power who would not be able to pass the smell test of the background investigation that is part of the "advice and consent" process?
 
The answer can be found in Section 3 of S.679: WORKING GROUP ON STREAMLINING PAPERWORK FOR EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS. This group would consist of designated government bureaucrats to produce a report in 90 days for the President and Senate to find ways to simplify and speed up the required background checks for Presidential appointees. Among its provisions, it calls for this group to "assess the feasibility of using personnel other than Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel" to conduct these background checks. The group is also required to consider allowing varying standards for the extent of these investigations "depending on the nature of the position for which the individual is being considered."
 
This is the real crux and danger of S.679. President Obama has been frustrated by the Senate's rejection of a number of his appointees because they could not pass F.B.I. background checks, which is a requirement for White House and government officer positions. Senate Republicans have forced the withdrawal of or blocked the appointments of several radical leftists to crucial positions. The President, in many cases, has circumvented the "advice and consent" of the Senate by appointing more so-called "czars" than any other previous President.
 
Schumer and his Democratic colleagues who are sponsoring this Senate bill are deliberately consolidating power to the President to circumvent the historical separation of powers our founding fathers so wisely wrote into the Constitution. S.679 is a very dangerous piece of legislation that will undermine the balance of power that has been the foundation of our Republic.
 
This bill reminds me of what happened in ancient Rome. Caesar undermined and diminished the role of the Roman Senate until they became powerless and corrupt puppets. As a result, the Roman Republic evolved into an Empire headed by dictators with absolute power. The Democrats might like this to happen to our country. Is this what you want? If not, write your Senators today to oppose with vigor S.679.

A Republican Politician’s Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there was a young Republican politician. He was a well-educated lawyer with Ivy League credentials. After serving in his State Legislature, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. He was seen by all as a rising star, with great potential to lead his Party into the future.

This young Republican decided to run for President. Party elders were ecstatic. He was the darling of the media, normally hostile to all politicians, especially Republicans. His appeal was strongest among women and young voters. Campaign appearances seemed more like rock concerts than political rallies.

His presidential aspirations seemed unstoppable. He won more states and was well ahead of his opponents in the primaries. He was the man of the hour to just about everyone.

Then, disaster struck. The press became more curious about his background, perhaps spurred on by stories and rumors spread by his opponents. Their attention became focused on his church and its pastor.

This Republican superstar was a member of a mega-church in a mainstream Christian denomination. The church was located in a predominantly white lower working class neighborhood. Many parishioners had been hard hit by factory closures, off shoring of jobs, N.A.F.T.A., falling housing prices, layoffs, and unemployment. Crime, drug usage, school dropout rates, and broken marriages were on the rise.

The church’s motto, imprinted on a sign in the vestibule, was “Unashamedly White and Unapologetically Christian.” On its website, the Church proclaimed, “We are white Americans and remain true to our native land, Europe, the cradle of civilization.” Bible courses at the church emphasized the Aryan roots of Christianity and claimed whites were God’s chosen people. White America was the true Holy Land. Citing Scripture, the pastor preached that Moses was an Aryan prince and his wife, a peaches-and-cream blond. Jesus had blue eyes and white skin.

To join the church, members had to pledge their allegiance to The White Value System. This was a document written by a church committee. It addressed the economic needs and struggles of the church’s white members. “These white ethics must be taught and exemplified in homes, churches, nurseries and schools or wherever whites are gathered.”

Among the pledges required by this church’s White Value System were:
1. To make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the white community
2. To allocate regularly a portion of personal resources for strengthening and supporting white institutions, and
3. To pledge allegiance to all white leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System.
The worth and validity of all activity would be measured in terms of positive contributions to the general welfare of the white community and the advancement of white people towards economic freedom.

When news of his membership in this church was announced, there was an outpouring of outrage. Republicans and Democrats alike, along with the press, demanded the candidate abandon his presidential campaign. They called for his immediate resignation from his Senate seat. The Republican Senate leadership stripped him of all his committee appointments. Voters in his home state launched a recall effort if he did not resign. The American Bar Association vowed to disbar him.

It is a sad tale, but his membership in a Euro-centric church finished his political career. He became a social pariah. No law firm or major business would hire him, despite his Harvard credentials. His wife divorced him, his children denounced him, and his parents disinherited him. The last time anyone saw this former Republican rising star, he was pushing a grocery cart with all his earthly goods to his campsite where he lived.