| Congressman Can't Explain Votes Bailing Out Wall Street But Abandoning OUR Streets
The first shot has been fired in the 2010 race for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, and I say, "Hallelujah." While the 2nd CD gave its historic vote to President Barak Obama in the 2008 election, Republican Congressman Lee Terry was able to narrowly escape a second strong challenge by Democrat Jim Esch. This victory, however, was by the slimmest margin of Terry's political career and continued a four year downward slide with voters.
After years of serving as a low-level Republican yes-man in Washington D.C., Terry has shown no sign of changing that reactionary approach even though it positions him as nothing more than a roadblock to the change his constituents supported with their votes for Barack Obama. The chief demonstration of this so far in the new Congress is his joining his party in a reflexive vote against the House economic stimulus package.
Although he voted with fellow Nebraska Reps. Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith, this is much more of a liability for Terry - not just because of the make-up of his district but also because of his vote in support of last year's $750 billion bail-out of Wall Street and its banking behemoths. By voting to bail-out Wall Street while offering nothing but naysaying to economic recovery efforts targeted at the middle class, Terry couldn't have made it more clear who he truly represents - and, let's just say it isn't the average voter of Omaha and Sarpy County.
Recognizing the opportunity in Terry's political self-destruction, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is stepping into Nebraska's 2nd CD early to highlight the hypocrisy in Terry's position. Tomorrow, they're beginning an ad campaign on local radio that will take Terry to task for not putting families first.
The DCCC explains:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)...today announced the DCCC is launching a "Putting Families First" ad...campaign in 28 targeted Republican districts. The ads focus on the Republicans out of step priorities by putting bank bail outs and building schools in Iraq before the needs of..Americans in the struggling economy....
In addition to the strategic radio ads in 28 Republican districts, the DCCC will also begin a grassroots initiative which includes targeted e-mails to 3 million voters and nearly 100,000 person-to-person telephone calls.
House Republicans just don't get it. They celebrate being the party of "no" and [the] status quo, while more than 2.6 million Americans have lost their jobs, the stock market has plummeted wiping out nearly $7 trillion stock market wealth..., and one in 10 homeowners was delinquent on mortgage payments or in foreclosure this fall.
"These are serious times...Hard working families are worried about keeping their jobs, health care and homes - they want action, not House Republicans cheering about doing nothing," said Brian Wolff, Executive Director of the DCCC..."The Putting Families First campaign is only the first step. We will continue to go district by district to hold Republicans who continue to vote in lockstep with party leaders and against the folks in their districts accountable."
This is definitely an exciting sign that Nebraska and its Second Congressional District are already being targeted by the DCCC for the 2010 election. Hopefully, this will be the start of the push that finally sends Terry packing after a long but entirely undistinguished career in Washington D.C.
Of course, we might also hope this ad campaign reaches Terry and his 27 Republican colleagues, convincing them to choose a different and more constructive approach that will actually serve the people they represent. But, that's really expecting far too much after what we've seen over the last 11 years. |
