Voting records of the representatives are a matter of public record. You can compare how your representative voted Monday, when the Wall Street Bailout failed in the House, with Friday, when the bailout passed. Besides all the Senate’s add-ons and earmarks, to the tune of $100 billion or more, nothing really changed. The basic bailout bill is pretty much the same.
I don’t tend to be part of the so-called conspiracy theorist gang, but the bailout gives pause for second thoughts. The House defeats the measure on Monday. On Wednesday, the Senate adds “sweeteners” to the bill, like mental health parity and the boost to $250k for FDIC insurance. In any case, most of the additions don’t benefit average Americans; like the arrow tax break. But, doesn’t it seem a little odd that the House defeated the bailout 228-205 on Monday and then passed the same plan, with earmarks, on Friday 293-171?
So who sold us out? I encourage you to check your representative and take that into consideration when you go to the polls on November 4th. Remember the turncoats that day and vote for change. That’s the only way we can reassert that representational democracy means representing the people, not big business and special interests!
Here’s the rundown for Michigan:
| District | Representative | Party | 09/29 Vote | 10/03 Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stupak | D | No | No |
| 2 | Hoekstra | R | No | Yes |
| 3 | Ehlers | R | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | Camp | R | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Kildee | D | Yes | Yes |
| 6 | Upton | R | Yes | Yes |
| 7 | Walberg | R | No | No |
| 8 | Rogers | R | No | No |
| 9 | Knollenberg | R | No | Yes |
| 10 | Miller | R | No | No |
| 11 | McCotter | R | No | No |
| 12 | Levin | D | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | Kilpatrick | D | No | Yes |
| 14 | Conyers | D | No | No |
| 15 | Dingell | D | Yes | Yes |
I’m not surprised with two of the changes in Michigan. Republicans Knollenburg and Hoekstra represent afluent Oakland County and Michigan’s central West Coast, respectively. But what about Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, mother of felonious and former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick? Do you think bailing out the banks is helping the people she represents—citizens of Detroit? Since when did Democrats, like Kilpatrick, favor banking, finance, and big business over the common man and labor? I hope her constituents are paying attention.
Cynical Synapse 