On The Road Again-- Blue America Truck Is Visiting Devin Nunes' And Jim Costa's Constituents In The Central Valley

That tweet up top with a picture of the truck was sent by Rory Appleton, a political reporter for the Fresno Bee, the most read newspaper in both Nunes' and Costa's districts, respectively CA-22 and CA-16. Both members are extremely conservative, though Nunes is a Republican and Costa is a Blue Dog Democrat. Blue America's specific reason for the mobile billboard-- written by Digby, designed by Bill Mahaney-- was to draw attention to the two of them voting to continue U.S.-supported bombing in Yemen.

I wrote about the vote back in December at which time I noted that "although 18 Republicans crossed the aisle to vote with the Democrats against continuing the bombing, it was 5 conservative Democrats crossing in the other direction that ensured more children in Yemen would die. One was Costa and I also noted that if he is defeated in a primary, his D+9 district will certainly stay in Democratic hands. Appleton recommended his twitter followers read a very hard-hitting and provocative piece about Costa by his colleague, Kate Irby, written just a few days after my own: Why has California’s Jim Costa voted twice against limiting US involvement in Yemen?

She pointed out that Costa is one of only two House Dems, both Blue Dogs, naturally, "to vote with Republicans twice in recent weeks to block efforts to cut military assistance to Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. [Costa] said his votes, one last month and one last week, were cast for procedural reasons."

Critics saw a motive behind Costa’s votes-- his benefactors in the oil and gas industry. 
Oil and gas companies represent Costa’s second biggest industry supporters, behind only crop processing and production. Costa flatly denied that had anything to do with his vote.


“Absolutely not,” he said.

Costa noted his votes were to limit debate on the initiatives, and apply only to legislation effective this year. The House can take up cutting Saudi Arabia aid again next year.

And Costa said the U.S. policy does need to change in Yemen to address the humanitarian crisis, though he did not specify his views on military aid.

“When we’re in control of the House next year, we can control the debate,” Costa said.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), the sponsor of the measure to cut U.S. military involvement in Yemen, plans to reintroduce legislation next month to cut aid to Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, according to spokeswoman Heather Purcell. Republicans now control the House, but Democrats will have the majority starting Jan. 3.

Costa received $100,000 from oil and gas companies in the last campaign cycle and $500,000 from the industry over his congressional career, which began in 2003.

Two other Democrats currently in the House have gotten more donations from oil and gas than Costa over the years-- Reps. Gene Green (D-TX) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX). Neither voted with Republicans to end debate on pulling out of Yemen.

Rauf Mammadov, a scholar on energy policy at the nonpartisan Middle East Institute, said U.S. oil and gas companies are closely watching relations with Saudi Arabia.

While those companies, all dependent on Saudi oil, are constantly worried about a “last straw scenario,” when relations between the countries completely deteriorate, Mammadov said there’s little reason to think withdrawing U.S. aid in the war in Yemen would provoke that scenario.

“Saudi Arabia is likely fear mongering these companies now, and it is the largest exporter and largest producer (of oil),” Mammadov said. “But I would not equate pulling out of Yemen with ending Saudi relations.”

Cyril Widdershoven, a Middle East defense energy analyst, mostly agreed with that assessment, but added that oil companies have become more worried as tensions have built between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia for a long time now.

“How deep a hole can you dig before you fall in?” Widdershoven said.

While the Senate passed a measure cutting U.S. aid to Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen last week, the House no longer has to consider it for the rest of the year thanks to the provision attached to a farm policy bill that Costa approved.

When that maneuver came up for a vote, five Democrats sided with cutting off debate, joining 201 Republicans to insert the provision. Eighteen Republicans and 185 Democrats voted no.

Costa, a moderate [Note: someone needs to explain to Kate what "moderate" means and how it differs from "conservative."] Democrat who represents an agricultural district near Fresno, says he voted the way he did because it was attached to the farm bill, which is vital in his district.

“I was worried it wouldn’t happen if I didn’t vote for it,” Costa said. “I walked on the floor and was told 15 members of the (conservative) Freedom Caucus wanted to kill the farm bill, and they said we might need your vote to save it.”

But he couldn’t explain why he voted for a measure that did the exact same thing regarding Yemen last month, when the measure was attached to the Manage Our Wolves Act, meant to remove Grey Wolves from the endangered species list.

The truck has been on the road this week and will continue into February, covering Fresno and some of the smaller cities in the two districts-- Madera, Chowchilla, Los Banos, Merced, Atwater, Livingston, Clovis, Dinuba, Visalia and Tulare-- and the roads in between them. Today there's a Black History Month celebration at the Energy Education Center on South Laspina Street in Tulare-- and we'll be there. Tonight the Visalia Fox Theatre is hosting the Felipe Esparza Comedy Show-- and we'll be there. Tomorrow will be a busy day for our driver:

• The Jimmy Run – Run for Families in Recovery in Woodward Park, Fresno
• Kennel Club of Fresno All-Breed Dog Show at the Madera District Fair on West Cleveland Ave in Madera
• And in the evening, Fresno State's basketball team plays New Mexico on Campus.

On Tuesday there's a Kiss concert at the Save Mart Center at the Fresno State campus and we'll definitely be there too. I hope Fresno Kiss fans are also peace fans. What about prize fight fans? On Sunday the 10th we're planning on being at the 1pm Jose Ramirez world title match against Jose Zepeda, also on the Fresno State campus. Hmmm... or maybe we should just spend more time at the Nifty Thrifty Flea Market in Clovis that afternoon instead. What do you think? And, by the way, if you'd like to chip in for gas or for keeping our truck with the mobile billboard on the road for another week or so, the Blue America 2020 thermometer on the right is how you do it; just click on the image and contribute what you feel comfortable giving. We are trying to encourage strong progressive Democrats to run against Nunes and against Costa next year. This is our first round of action. Believe me, the Central Valley, Congress, California and America will be way better off without the two of them. Not to mention the women and children in Yemen. Now... isn't that bipartisan!