Slapping A Bad Blue Dog Across The Snout With A Rolled Up Newspaper-- Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
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On Sunday night Slinkerwink discussed at DailyKos how ordinary American citizens can take action to deter corrupt Blue Dog Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee from joining with the Republicans to wreck the public option in the House health care reform legislation. The culprits who have taken legalized bribes from the Insurance Industry and Medical-Industrial Complex in return for helping the GOP destroy health care reform are reactionaries Blue Dogs John Barrow (GA), Mike Ross (AR), Baron Hill (IN), Bart Gordon (TN), Jim Matheson (UT), Charlie Melancon (LA), and Zach Space (OH). Ironically, Blue America was helping state Senator Regina Thomas explain why Barrow is an unfit representative to Georgia Democrats in the Savannah area when Obama publicly endorsed him and tanked Regina's campaign. Since the new session of Congress, Barrow has been only one of two House Democrats representing strong blue districts-- the other being Jim Cooper-- who has opposed his own party's agenda enough to make him a de facto Republican.
Most of the really bad Democrats are more like Ann Kirkpatrick, the Arizona Blue Dog who has been the Democrat-- along with equally awful Harry Mitchell-- who has voted the most with the GOP in her state. Unlike Barrow's solidly Democratic district, Kirkpatrick's leans a bit towards the GOP. A few weeks ago we talked about how AZ-01 progressives have been frustrated to see Kirkpatrick consistently enable conservatives and their world view than helping constituents understand the issues and Democratic approaches to solving their problems. She's been a craven and cowardly waste of time who exists to take legalized bribes from Big Business interests and support their agenda instead of the agenda of working families. There's no compelling reason to support her over a Republican.
This week the Arizona White Mountain Democrats unanimously passed a resolution that could be devastating the Kirkpatrick's chances at re-election. It reflects the anger that she has apparently decided to appeal to Republicans for ger re-election rather than to Democrats. We'll see if they support her over a real Republican. The resolution:
Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 12:55 PM
Subject: Rep. Kirkpatrick's Voting Record
July 18, 2009
To: Distribution
The attached resolution asks for your help concerning Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick’s voting record.
Distribution:
Shawn Deschene
Apache County Democratic Chair
Via email: sdeschene@frontiernet.net
Kara Kelty
Coconino County Democratic Chair
Via email: karakelty@yahoo.com
Christine Tilley
Gila County Democratic Chair
Via email: tilleyc@hotmail.com
Hal Herbert
Graham County Democratic Chair
Via email: halherbert@hotmail.com
Susan Breen
Greenlee County Democratic Chair
Via email: suebreen53@hotmail.com
Barb Smith
Navajo County Democratic Chair
Via email: bdesrosiers4@hotmail.com
Joe Robison
Pinal County Democratic Chair
Via email: joenmnrob@aol.com
Ben Furlong
Yavapai County Democratic Chair
Via email: chair@yavdem.com
Cathy Duvall
Sierra Club Political Director
408 C St., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
Jonathan Parker
Emily’s List Political Director
1120 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Hon. Chris Van Hollen
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 200030D
Don Bivens
Arizona Democratic Party Chair
Via email: dbivens@azdem.org
Hon. James E. Clyburn
Majority Whip
H-329 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Phil Schiliro
White House Director of Legislative Affairs
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Whereas, Ann Kirkpatrick has one of the worst voting records among Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives;
Whereas, Rep. Kirkpatrick campaigned as an environmentalist and was supported by the Sierra Club, but is now currying the favor of utility spokesmen;
Whereas, Rep. Kirkpatrick has employed a staff that is unresponsive and tone deaf to the concerns of the District;
Whereas, grassroots Democratic workers throughout Arizona’s First Congressional District are dismayed;
Whereas, it is essential in the 2010 election to remove Republican misrule from Arizona state government;
Whereas the media inaccurately reported that environmental concerns are only important to party activists in Flagstaff;
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the White Mountain Democrats:
1. Call on the Democratic County chairs within CD1 to invite Rep. Kirkpatrick to a meeting to explain her voting record;
2. Call on the Sierra Club, Emily’s List, the Hon. Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; the Arizona Democratic Party and the party’s major donors, to withhold further funding of her campaign until it is determined that she supports Democratic principles.
3. Call on the Hon. James E. Clyburn, Majority Whip, and Phil Schiliro, director of legislative affairs for the White House, to explain to Rep. Kirkpatrick the importance of keeping faith with President Obama’s program and her constituents.
4. Call on other Democratic local and county organizations within CD1 to add their voices to this request.
Unanimously adopted this 14th Day of July, 2009, at Town Hall, Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona.
UPDATE: And Then There's Arkansas-- How Much Does Mike Huckabee Charge For An Endorsement? And What Does Mike Ross Charge To Destroy His Own Constituents' Health Care?
Not counting the $438 lunch-- and thousands of dollars in event expenses like audio and staging-- Huckabee charged far right lunatic Les Phillip $33,990, euphemistically termed a "speaking fee," for an endorsement of his candidacy against one of Congress' most reactionary Blue Dogs, Alabama winger Parker Griffith. Seems pretty cheap for an endorsement from a Fox on air personality and Republican presidential nominee wanna be. Unfortunately for Phillip, he spent $45,000 in all and only brought in around $20,000. Huckabee denied that his endorsements are for sale, but he's a congenital liar.
Something about Arkansas politicians these days... In fact, Blue Dog operative and anti-health care reform fanatic Mike Ross, represents-- or misrepresents-- many of the same unfortunate citizens as Senator Blanche Lincoln. And, like her, he's a major recipient of legalized bribes from the Medical-Industrial Complex and Big Insurance and has promised to help them and their Republican Party shills sabotage the public option. Ross, however, is having a problem: his constituents.
Blue America is just finishing up 2 weeks of television ads targeting Lincoln and many Arkansas voters have been writing to us and asking us to run similar spots about Ross. Yesterday Eric Pianin and Ann Carrns did a story featuring Ross for Kaiser Health News, talking about his conundrum-- having to chose between his constituents and the CEOs and lobbyists who have showered him with wealth.
Rep. Mike Ross, who grew up in this tiny town [Prescott] of 3,600, represents residents like 62-year-old Sandy Barham, a restaurant owner with a heart ailment who can’t afford health insurance for herself or her employees.
"I can’t tell you the stress of living on the edge, just wondering, ‘Am I going to get sick?'" she said in an interview at the Broadway Railroad Café, where fried catfish with hush puppies is a popular feature. "I feel embarrassed, almost, when I go to the doctors and tell them I don’t have insurance." Many people in and around this economically depressed town can’t afford insurance, even as the battered economy has made it harder for employers to provide coverage for workers. They're looking to Washington for help, and Ross, a conservative Democrat with a strong voice in the debate over health care legislation, says he’s on their side. Yet Ross stands ready to try to block passage of a House bill that, its supporters say, would provide exactly what Arkansas needs: guaranteed insurance and a wider choice of coverage at competitive prices.
Ross’ position reflects the conundrum confronting many lawmakers, including many he helps lead as head of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition's health task force. Even if large numbers of constituents might benefit, many of the Blue Dogs generally oppose the $1 trillion bill because they say it’s too costly and doesn’t solve other health care problems in the their mostly rural districts.
Crooks like Ross and his fellow bribe-taking Blue Dogs never mention the huge sums of money they're taking to sabotage the legislation. Ross has gotten $851,670 from the Industrial Medical Complex and another $145,562 from Big Insurance, almost a million dollars in all, for an inexpensive congressional district.
Labels: Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona, Barrow, Blue Dogs, reactionary Democrats
posted by DownWithTyranny @ 10:00 AM
9 comments
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9 Comments:
I thought the Democrats were supposed to have a big tent with many various points of view. I guess that is true unless you go against the socialist progressives.
Oh, Jan, there you go again with your "socialist progressive" parroting of Faux News! You really should try something else, like thinking for yourself. It works! For example, if you'd bothered to actually read the piece you've commented upon, you would see that Ann Kirkpatrick isn't voting with her district's views on a range of issues. That's the problem. She's not representative, see?
Easy to do when you read something, figure it out on your own, and don't open your mouth to make Republican mating calls. Go ahead: try it, now! :)
Balakirev, you say she is not representing her district, but they elected her.
You are the one not thinking for yourself.
I am libertarian. I don't espouse hate like that on this blog. I just point out the contradictions.
We have been in constant entanglements with foreign countries ever since the "progressive" error began with Republican Teddy Roosevelt. And in my view, this country has gone down the drain ever since. Both parties are progressive socialists. The Democrats just want to get to tyranny faster with a different group in charge.
"Balakirev, you say she is not representing her district, but they elected her."
They elected her to represent them. She made ads and speeches indicating her positions. She's reversed nearly every one of them. She's not representing those who elected her. She's representing instead those who are providing her with plenty of soft money. So there's no reason to use that silly catchphrase "progressive socialists" (which may mean something in another universe, for all I know, but nothing here) about those who want her to actually do what she was elected for. It's not called socialism. It's called representing those who voted you in. And if necessary, voting (or recalling) you out of office if you don't.
Which, the last time I checked, was pretty much the way democracies were supposed to work.
Then they can throw her out of the big tent and elect someone else next time.
"Then they can throw her out of the big tent and elect someone else next time."
Or they can do what they're doing, now: attempt to remind her of who elected her to public office, and what she was elected to do. Really, I don't see how you can object to that. I mean, it's not as though someone was suggesting Harry Reid vote like a progressive. He wasn't elected to be one. But when you're elected as a progressive, as Kirkpatrick was, then your constituents have every right to expect you to dodge dirty money and represent them.
Hey Jan: You like the fascist regressive s better? Four corners of the earth? Go to the edge and fall off? The time of Malthus and Dickens were the good old days. Everyone in their place. Why tell the truth when a lie will do as well like your favorite news channel fox.
Ann Kirkpatrick - corporate shill.
Hey Anonymous. you too afraid to use your name to make a personal attack?
Why don't you look fascism up?
So your saying that the Democrats claim to be a big tent is just a lie?
BTW, fascism, socalism, progressivism, gets you to the same place, i.e. government control over its people, i.e. loss of individual freedom.
Why are you a progressive?
once again, the ugly face of distraction shows up! Look, we all have to work together, the country's falling apart an the time for bickering an stupendous sideline arguement's should be over. We need to rally, we need to work together. Other than name calling and tagging people for an online exhibition of "your it" we need to roll up our sleeves, we need to stop letting the lobbyist shape the country an go back to "We The People"! The last decade I've pondered the question,"What happened to America?" my answer (which was a daily double!) astonished me, corporation's an their paid lobbying interest are what control America, nothing else!
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