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

2010 Census Burning Taxpayers’ Money

My experience this week with the 2010 Census made me livid. Let me go back a few weeks, first.

So far, I have received one letter and two postcards informing me that the census form was coming and to please fill it out promptly. One of the postcards came AFTER I received and returned the completed census form. I have seen and continue to see numerous television and newspaper ads urging cooperation with the census. I have read about the cross-country tour of 2010 Census promoters; Jacksonville was visited this week.

So, when my census form arrived approximately three weeks ago, I filled it out the evening I received it and mailed it back the next day. Although it asks for more information than required by the Constitution, I was relieved to see it was far simpler and less intrusive that the last several I have filled out.

This Wednesday, April 7th, there was an announcement here where I live that a Census worker was in the building to help residents fill out their forms and to please let her in if she knocks. Okay, no problem. She did not stop by my apartment since I had mailed my form back, or so I thought.

We have lunch weekdays in our dining room downstairs at noon, and I went down a few minutes before. As soon as I wheeled into the dining room, this census woman, who it turned out is from Columbia and speaks barely passable English, accosted me. She told me she needed to fill out a census form for me. When I told her I had already done so and mailed it back, she informed me, “Oh, that doesn’t matter.” I gave her my birth date when she asked, and then wheeled around, announcing, “I need a drink.”

Returning to my seat with my lemonade, she told me she had filled out the form and had all the information she needed on me. I asked her pointedly, “Does this mean I will be counted twice?” She told me, “Oh, don’t worry about it.”

Excuse me, but I am going to worry about it. The Census is constitutionally mandated for one reason and one reason only: to determine how many U.S. representatives each State should have. Numbers matter. Duplications in the Census would result in a state having more representatives than it should.

All through lunch, I scolded about the utter waste of taxpayers’ money this Census is costing us. This woman was here most of the day. The job ads for Census workers here state the wages are $11.25 - $16.50/hour. At an average hourly rate of $13.87, her visit cost around $100.

Late that night, I was reading the news online. One of the articles from The Associated Press on yahoo! news was about the Census: “Census Bureau concerned about head count problems” http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100408/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_census_debacle_scenarios . The Census Bureau, according to it, has a number of concerns regarding their efforts, including “mass identity theft.” It reported that census field workers would not be going out until May. They would wait until the mailed-in forms could be tabulated and lists created of those who had not returned them. Makes sense to me to do it that way.

That article really raised my suspicions. Who was this woman? Was she really from the Census Bureau? She had an I.D. badge hanging around her neck, but I did not look at it closely enough to verify it was a Census Bureau tag. I will ask Representative Ander Crenshaw, and Senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux to investigate.

This whole Census boondoggle has given me yet another reason to participate in the Tea Party on Thursday, April 15th at the Jacksonville Landing. I want to tell the federal government to just stop it: stop wasting our money.

We American citizens are not stupid. Just send the census form and the vast majority will fill it out as requested. Then, go out and find those who do not or cannot do it by themselves. And, while you are at it, if you find illegals, do not count them. Call I.C.E. to round them up and have them deported. But that is a rant for another day.

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

Below is the letter I sent this morning to Rep. Ander Crenshaw, my congressman, regarding the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. I am happy to report that the measure went down to defeat 228 to 205 with 1 not voting, as of the latest information on C-Span.

If you watched the vote in real time, it was exciting. For the first 8-9 minutes, the measure was passing. Then, for awhile, it flipped back and forth -- up by 1 or 2, then down by 1 or 2. Finally, in the last 5-6 minutes, the "nays" stayed ahead.

All readers are encouraged to continue to hold their congressmen and senators' feet to the fire. Keep your letters and calls flowing to their offices to let them know you do not want this bailout.

After reading the draft text of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, I can say, with great confidence, it will not work. It is a sausage of divergent courses of action. Worse, it does nothing to guarantee that the banks, once bailed out, cannot or will not repeat the practices that brought us to the precipice of financial collapse.

This act would be better entitled the Economic Destabilization Act of 2008. It is little more than a debt consolidation loan for Wall St. It clears the banks books of risky debt, allowing them to restart or continue their lending.

Consumer lenders like myself know that debt consolidation loans are dangerous and rarely solve consumer’s debt problems. The only way they help is if the consumer cuts up their credit cards, stops borrowing, and curtails their spending. Then, and only then, does a debt consolidation loan work.

Unfortunately, what usually happens when consumers take out debt consolidation loans is their best intentions of better managing their spending habits gets lost. In almost every case, these consumers continue using their credit cards or borrowing on their home equity credit lines. They only end up in deeper debt that they find impossible to pay. If they are unable to get more credit, they end up in severe economic distress and often are forced into bankruptcy.

The only way I could support this message before the House today and due to come to the Senate on Wednesday is if it had the regulatory teeth to stop the banks from their risky lending practices. Oh, I am sure the banking lobbyists are promising to mend their ways. The Treasury Secretary, SEC Chairman, and Federal Reserve Chairman are trying to assure legislators that the banks have learned their lessons.

Unless regulatory control is in the legislation, I do not hesitate to tell you to vote “Nay” on it. A group of 400 economists, including three Nobel Laureate prizewinners, have signed a resolution to the Congress that this measure will only make the problem worse in the longer term. The only thing this Act would assure is the inevitable collapse of the entire world’s economy, according to these economists.

Yesterday, I heard one economist on CNN state, we can either allow an 18-month recession by not passing this measure or we can have a “decades-long depression.” I encourage you to vote “No” on this Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

For further information on the root causes of this crisis, please go to my blog at http://yankeereb.blogspot.com . There, you will find several essays posted in recent days on this subject.

Sincerely,
(signed)