It was close and there were even real doubts it would actually happen, but at the end of what felt like an eternal 15 minutes for the final vote, the House passed HR 2454 yesterday; its infamous energy cap & tax …errrr… trade legislation. Despite being called out for the use of not only erroneous but governmentally-driven deliberately-skewed science, and despite there being not even one valid reason to throw the U.S. economy into a depression by taxing Americans for…everything, Nancy Pelosi achieved her goal of being able to pack her bag for Copenhagen, where she desperately wanted to be able to boast that the House is willing to step up to the delusion of global warming.
This was another case where very few (if any) had read the entire 1,200-odd page bill (including Henry Waxman, its primary sponsor), and a 300 page amendment was tossed onto the stinking, steaming pile at 2:30 a.m. Friday morning. I suspect only John Boehner (R-OH) had given the amendment more than a glance; he actually led the House through a review of it before the final vote and it was heartwarming to hear him point out its insanity, point by point.
But insanity seems to be the norm these days and even spelling out the appalling consequences in plain English couldn’t trump it.
The vote was close: 219 – 212 with 3 not voting. In the end, passage of this tyrannical legislation swung on 8 Republicans who voted to tax their constituents and the country into oblivion. Here is the list of traitors; whether or not they are your own unrepresenting representative they need to understand America’s anger with the damage they’ve done so now is the time to (again) flex those 1st Amendment muscles and pick up the phone. Let them know they have disgraced themselves by selling out all Americans to lies and special interests and they will receive no further support unless they make this right. They have until July 2nd to change their vote so CALL THEM:
- Mary Bono Mack (CA) – (760) 320-1076 or (951) 658-2312
- Mike Castle (DE) – (302) 428-1902 or (302) 736-1666 or (302) 856-3334
- Steven Kirk (IL) – (847) 940-0202
- Leonard Lance (NJ) – (908) 518-7733 or (908) 788-6900
- Frank LoBiondo (NJ) – (609) 625-5008
- Chris Smith (NJ) – (609) 585-7878 or (732) 350-2300
- John McHugh (NY) – (315) 782-3150 or (518) 563-1406 or (518) 661-6486 or (315) 697-2063
- Dave Reichert (WA) – (206) 275-3438
While it was fascinating to watch the day’s events play out, I find this whole matter extremely maddening. Despite rumors this will never make it through the Senate, it’s more important than ever that those particular pantywaisted waffles understand – in no uncertain terms – that their job is to squash this like the poisonous bug it is.
UPDATE: It was revealed today that this bill voted on by the House doesn’t even exist. That’s right. IT DOESN’T EVEN EXIST. Apparently Friday’s late-night 300-page amendment has not yet been integrated into the final version of the bill. The two big piles of paper are sitting side-by-side on a clerk’s desk waiting to be pieced together.
So not only did no one actually read the whole bill before voting on it, they couldn’t have read it even if they’d wanted to read it.
This, my friends, is YOUR hard-earned tax dollars at work.