Someone from Cong. Skelton’s office sure didn’t take too kindly to us criticizing the long serving politician’s affirmative vote on “Cap and Tax Trade” last week:

“It’s a shame you right wing nuts have the audacity to suggest that Skelton is loosing (sic) touch with his constituents. I firmly believe that if he shows the prudence to vote for an overhaul of our present greed drivin, (sic) insurnace (sic)/drug/corporate controlled health insurance industry, then he is doing exactly what he was re-elected to do.”

Interesting. Looks like the Buffalo Reflex agrees with us: (excerpt)

Ike Skelton, Missouri’s 4th District U.S. congressman for the past 32 years, is a great politician. What we need right now, though, is a great statesman, a man who can stand up and say “No” to nonsensical legislation.

Skelton voted on Friday in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, otherwise known as “Cap and Trade.” This is the Democrats’ latest 1,200-page monstrosity that nobody has read. More than 300 pages of amendments were added just in the last 24 hours before passage.

Even Warren Buffet, the Democrats’ favorite businessman and investor and strong Obama supporter, calls the legislation a “regressive tax” that will cost taxpayers millions or even trillions.

Skelton has always been known as a conservative-to-moderate Democrat, which has helped him get re-elected countless times in a rural, conservative district. He has always been strong on national defense and currently is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He also has been a strong supporter and defender of the agriculture sector, but in this particular case the consensus seems to be that this will dramatically increase the farmers’ cost of operation.

Finally, let’s talk about something Skelton didn’t say. He was one of the so-called conservative Democrats that was wavering, and finally swung to the left to help give Nancy Pelosi a 219-212 victory on the vote. Many believe that the U.S. Senate will not pass a Cap and Trade bill, so it will die. This makes House Democrats look good in front of their radical green constituency while knowing the legislation won’t be enacted anyway.

Skelton has been able to get re-elected handily for ages, but votes like this may make people take a second look. I would much rather have seen a strong “No” vote. He has performed some fancy footwork on this issue, and only time will tell whether it will hurt him in 2010. Read more…

Related:

NRCC Video: Skelton’s National Energy Tax

Rasmussen: 56% Don’t Want To Pay More To Fight Global Warming

Gateway Pundit: Local Bakery Revolts Against Congressional Cap-&-Taxer Russ Carnahan

Competitive Enterprise Institute: CEI Files EPA’s Own Suppressed Report, Demands EPA Global Warming Proceeding Be Reopened

Comments

comments