Today, as I was eating dinner, my wife handed me a postcard from my friendly Congressman, Jim Kolbe. It appears he finally got around to scheduling Town Hall meetings in Cochise County. The post card announced three Town Hall meetings in August however the post card said it was paid for by Kolbe 2004. I found that fact particularly interesting because Town Hall meetings provide a forum in which the public can interact with their representative. They are visits of official business, so, it begs the question: Are these Town Hall meetings or campaign stops?
Some food for thought.
Anyway, as I was reading the post card, I spied a short statement on the front of the card underneath a picture of Kolbe, which read, “Experience. Integrity. Leadership for Arizona Families.” The next thing I knew my wife was performing the Heimlich maneuver on me because I had choked on a forkful of enchiladas.
Leadership for Arizona Families? Kolbe can not be serious.
Unfortunately his is very serious, but the facts show that Kolbe’s record in regards to safeguarding the family is among the most disgraceful among any active Republican politician. His record even makes some Democrats look good. He has continually undermined attempts to protect traditional marriage, embrace traditional lifestyles, and protect the innocent unborn.
First and foremost is the simple fact that Kolbe shamelessly embraces a homosexual lifestyle. I am continually amazed at how voters, especially Republican and conservative voters can turn a blind eye to this most egregious fact. How can we expect someone with such twisted personal affinities to be one-hundred percent committed to protect sacred family values? Kolbe said that being gay is “as irrelevant as the fact that I am blue-eyed, right-handed, and balding." Kolbe also said, “That I am a gay person has never affected the way that I legislate”
But, reality tells us something much different. The fact that Kolbe is gay has everything to do with his voting record on social issues. Even gay publications admit that Kolbe “became more supportive of gay and lesbian rights issues than [he] had been while closeted.” The point here is that we, as voters, are tolerating someone who embraces a deviant way of life to represent us in congress. We are allowing him to vote his conscience on our behalf. We are putting our voice, our values, and our children’s future in the hands of someone who lives a lifestyle so very different from yours and mine.
Secondly, Kolbe has shamefully and consistently voted to support the repulsive practice of abortion, including the heinous procedure of partial birth abortion. He supports abortion on the one hand, while claiming to safeguard family values on the other. Kolbe wants his cake and he wants to eat it, too. Sadly, not an opportunity has passed Kolbe by where he has not sought to support the murder of unborn children. Consider the following regarding Kolbe’s votes on abortion and the unborn:
- He voted against making it a crime to kill a fetus while committing another crime.
- He voted against banning partial birth abortion, a particularly abhorrent procedure that includes the puncture of the fully-developed fetus’ skull and subsequently suctioning out the brains, thereby killing the viable living fetus.
- He voted against prohibiting human cloning.
- He voted in favor of barring adults from transporting minors to abortion clinics.
This record on abortion clearly shows Kolbe’s blatant disregard for the conservative values that prevail in Cochise County. We are permitting a man to represent us who does not even respect the sanctity of life in its most innocent form. If Kolbe can permit such injustice to continue, what other kinds of vice is he willing to embrace?
Lastly, Kolbe is an enemy to traditional marriage. This past week saw the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly pass legislation barring federal courts from ordering states to recognize same-sex marriages that may be sanctioned in other states. He has voiced his opposition to an amendment to the Constitution which would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Interestingly enough, before Kolbe admitted to his homosexual lifestyle, he did vote for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA); however he recently showed his contempt for that legislation with his vote of last week.
Marriage has been the foundation of society for thousands of years. It was designed by God as the basis upon which children could be brought into this world. Its purpose is to provide a foundation of love and support in which to raise the future of our country in correct principles of love, responsibility, and service to our country and our fellow man. But Kolbe has proven, through his voting record, that he holds in contempt this most sacred institution and will not stand up to defend it.
I have to ask the question. Why would Kolbe vote this way if his chosen lifestyle did not impact his voting? It clearly does, and the more time we give this man to represent us, the less representing he will actually do.
Kolbe says that he is providing leadership for Arizona families. I guess he is right. He is leading our families right into the ash heap of history. He is deliberately misleading voters with his campaign post cards in order to swindle them out of a vote come September. Many local voters are surprised to learn of these most important truths. His record is there. Go and research it. Find out how different Kolbe’s values are to yours.
Gratefully we have a candidate which offers us a ray of hope. Randy Graf is challenging Jim Kolbe this year for his seat in congress. Randy Graf truly would provide the kind of leadership that Kolbe only feigns to impart. Randy Graf has proven his support of marriage, life, and traditional values.
As for me, I’ve recovered from choking on the enchiladas, but not from distaste of having to endure Jim Kolbe’s indifference toward the important things of life. As conservatives, let’s work together to ensure we do not suffer another term of Kolbe misrepresenting us in Congress.
Paul Rollins is second vice president of the South East Arizona Republican Club and regular contributor to www.searclub.com. Paul can be contacted at paulrollins@mstar2.net
Well I have misspoken on Kolbe. I wasn't aware of his full record. He is more RINO than I had thought.
I guess you have already had a primary so what is the alternative in the upcoming election for replacing him?