Charlie Votes for Repeal of DADT

Last night, in a relatively narrow vote, the house approved an amendment that would repeal the miliatary's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."  Once again, Charlie Wilson voted along the party line, and against the values of his district or even the majority of Americans.  Wilson, while hailing from a district that has a great number of men and women who serve, voted to repeal the ban on DADT.  Why is this significant?  The majority of Americans (3-1!) believe that these decisions should be made by the miliary itself.  Furthermore, we must ask, how much were the troops on the ground, the men and women who really count and must live with these policies, considered in these decisions?  Check out the record of Wilson's vote here.

Wilson Loses Powerful Pro-Life Endorsement

It is one of the many reasons why Charlie Wilson will have a tough fight this November.  Ohio Right to Life has announced that it is endorsing Bill Johnson and NOT Charlie Wilson for Ohio's 6th Congressional District.  Because the 6th District is strongly pro-life, this endorsement is powerful. Here is the text of Johnson's statement:

JOHNSON STATEMENT ON OHIO RIGHT TO LIFE ENDORSEMENT

Group names their endorsed Pro-Life Candidates
Poland 5/26/10 – Republican Bill Johnson earned the endorsement of the Ohio Right to Life PAC for his strong support of pro-life issues. That’s in clear contrast to Congressman Charlie Wilson who, despite a purported pro-life record, caved to pressure from President Obama and voted for the government takeover of healthcare. That bill paves the way for federally funded abortions.

Johnson released the following statement about the endorsement:
“I’m honored by the Ohio Right to Life PAC endorsement. The group works tirelessly to defend the rights of unborn children, and I look forward to working with them in Washington. I’m proudly pro-life and was deeply disappointed that Charlie Wilson chose loyalty to his President – in voting for the health care bill – over protecting the unborn. “

You can learn more about Bill at his website:  http://www.billjohnsonleads.com/home.html

Wilson Will Have a Tough Race

Ohio's primaries are over and the results are in...and Wilson is probably quaking in his boots!  Wilson will face Bill Johnson in November.  After watching him in debate, I believe that Johson will be a formidable foe and if elected, a voice representing the values of the Ohio Valley in D.C.

Wilson's Ratings by Organization

I found this interesting piece in The Hill.  Some of the more interesting numbers I emphasized.  I also included some information about the less familiar or interesting groups.  Most importantly, he's impressed the most progressive organizations out there.

Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-Ohio, 6th)

The number ratings on each lawmaker's page are from zero to 100, which is the scale used by most advocacy organizations. Where a letter rating is used, the range is from A to F.

SOCIAL ISSUES RATINGS
Abortion NARAL Pro-Choice America:   25

National Right to Life Center: 60

Civil Rights ACLU: 64

*So I guess he really doesn't know where he stands on the issues and neither do the organizations rating him.  My guess is that after his health care vote, his numbers for both NARAL and the ACLU went up!  Since National Right to Life is not endorsing any candidate that voted for the health care bill, that number is most certainly lower.

Human Rights Campaign: 55

Ideology American Conservative Union: 13

*Americans for Democratic Action: 80

Who are they?  From their website:  "Americans for Democratic Action is the nation's most experienced organization committed to liberal politics, liberal policies, and a liberal future...recent presidents such as Barney Frank, John Lewis, Jim McDermott, or Charles Range...Based in our Washington headquarters, senior ADA staff lobby, monitor, and contribute support (financial and volunteer labor) to scores of progressive Congressional candidates each election cycle. (That network is important: it meant we were among the very first groups to support Barack Obama's Senate race in 2004.) Using its Congressional Vote Ranking - the first-ever such ranking, and still the gold standard in rating progressive candidates - ADA leverages influence and support in strategic coalitions with other progressive groups and donors."  Please follow the link above for more distrubing information about this group.  Currently, their home page advocates a banning of all off-shore oil drilling.  Does this group really reflect the value of the Ohio Valley?  They obviously believe that Charlie Wilson reflects their's!!  Disturbing.

*Drum Major Institute: B
Who are they?  "The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit think tank generating the ideas that fuel the progressive movement"

Family Research Council: 52

Children's Defense Fund: 100

League of Conservation Voters: 86
Who are they?  "The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is turning environmental values into national priorities. To secure the environmental future of our planet, LCV’s mission is to advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt and implement such policies."

Immigration Numbers USA: C+

U.S. Border Control: NR

American Public Health Association: 78

Senior Citizens Alliance for Retired Americans: 100


FISCAL ISSUES RATINGS
AFL-CIO:  97

National Education Association: A

AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees): 100

BIPAC (Business Industry Political Action Commitee): 20

Chamber of Commerce: 67

Club for Growth: 0

National Federation of Independent Business: 67

Taxes & Spending Americans for Tax Reform: 10

Citizens Against Government Waste: 3

National Taxpayers Union: 7

*Hmm.  Let's see. Big Labor unions love him and business and tax organizations don't.  I wonder what that could mean?
SECURITY ISSUES RATINGS
Council for a Livable World: 50

Center for Security Policy: 25
Who are they?  "The Center for Security Policy is a non-profit, non-partisan national security organization that specializes in identifying policies, actions, and resource needs that are vital to American security and then ensures that such issues are the subject of both focused, principled examination and effective action by recognized policy experts, appropriate officials, opinion leaders, and the general public."

Friends Committee on National Legislation :50

Peace Action: 8

Gunowners of America: C

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: 0

Wilson Brags About Tax Hikes and Expanding Welfare

Under the inocuous title,  "Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act of 2010" (aka H.R.4849), the U.S. House just voted to continue the failed Stimulus strategy.  However, Wilson, a happy "aye" vote, says:

“This legislation is the latest in a series of Congressional efforts to get our economy back on track,” Wilson said. “We started with the Recovery Act and helped pull the economy back from the brink of depression. Now we need to get every Ohioan and every American who’s looking for a job, back to work."

Let's look at the facts:

over the next ten years the bill provides $2.5 billion in welfare spending, $3.58 billion in small business tax incentives, $13.16 billion in state and local infrastructure subsidies, and raises taxes by approximately $19 billion.

Hmmm.  Let's see, 3.58 Billion to small business and $13.16 to government (more than 80%!).  Sounds like a government bailout not a small business hand up, don't you think?! 

Here are few more uncomfortable numbers that the Democrats, including Charlie Wilson, like to hide:
The stimulus bill (H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), according to the CBO's re-estimate, is actually costing us $1.1 trillion.  It was supposed to create 3-4 million new jobs and unemployment would not go above 8%.  The national unemployment rate has just passed 9.7%. 

And this statement from the Republican Cloakroom:

The legislation includes a highly controversial tax increase on companies located in the United States and employing American workers. Specifically, the tax increase targets “insourcing” companies, American subsidiaries of companies headquartered abroad that create and sustain good jobs in the United States. Taxing these employers and these jobs would be dangerous for our already struggling economy, could encourage these companies to move American jobs overseas or to curtail future job-creating investments in America, and could invite retaliation by other countries.

Furthermore:

As Ranking Member Camp (R-MI) and 14 other Republican Members wrote in their dissenting views, "taxing these employers and these jobs would be dangerous for our already struggling economy, could encourage these companies to move U.S. jobs overseas or to curtail future job-creating investments in America, and could invite retaliation by other countries." (emphasis mine)

So much for job creation.

Pelosi's "Recess Packet" and Our Own Congressman's Lock Step

According to The Hill's Pelosi to Democrats leaving for recess: It’s time to go on offense, Pelosi has issued a "recess packet" to her Democrat members.

“With the passage of health insurance reform, this District Work Period is a critical time to go on offense,” the memo states.
Members should “convey the immediate benefits of health reform to your constituents (such as better prescription drug benefits for seniors, tax credits for small businesses and prohibiting insurance companies from canceling your policy if you get sick),” the memo said.

Shockingly, (I'm being sarcastic here) I just recieved a letter from my Congressman, Charlie Wilson, in which he listed the supposed specific benefits to our district and then had this to say:

They include tax credits for small business owners who purchase health insurance for their employees, the removal of lifetime limits on insurance policies, and allowing young people to stay on their parents' insurance policy until their 26th birthday. It will also allow for a new independent appeals process for those who feel they have been unfairly denied a claim, it will ban insurance companies dropping your coverage when you get sick and denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. Finally, this legislation will provide seniors who find themselves in the prescription drug donut hole with $250 to help pay for prescriptions this year. (emphasis mine)

Maybe its just me, but I think Charlie read the memo!

Listen to Charlie Say We're Just Too Stupid to Understand

I hope Pelosi was making him a pretty sweet deal, because he's going to need it!  The arrogance of this guy is truly infuriating.  Listen to him here talk to WWVA radio the Day After the vote.

When pressed if he voted with the majority of his constituents, Wilson demured and basically said that we are all too stupid or slow to understand this bill and that when we all know, we'll be happy for our "medicine" provided by our all wise, all knowing State.

This guy has got to go!