Posted on 02/26/2010 5:14:48 AM PST by Kaslin
After Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., voted in favor of a jobs bill endorsed by President Obama and the majority of Senate Democrats, I immediately heard from a number of Republican friends in and around Washington, D.C. who knew I am a conservative from Massachusetts.
The questions were rapid fire and the anger was surprising. “How dare he side with Obama?” “Is he just a Kennedy Republican?,” and “Where do I go to get my donation back?”
My response to all was, “You have got to be kidding me. This guy has not been in office a month, he’s only taken three votes, and you’re willing and anxious to label him a traitor to the GOP because he voted in the best interests of his constituents?”
The anger, name-calling, and profanity now being directed at Brown from a minority on the right is a perfect example of why I left the Republican party a few years ago. In columns and on the air, I now refer to myself as an “independent conservative.”
In the increasingly worrisome and dangerous Post-9/11 world we all inhabit, it’s more important than ever that we have adult and independent leadership in Washington.
As one who has worked in and around national politics for the last 20 years, I have become disgusted and horrified at the sight of politicians from both sides of the aisle who purposely put self and party before the welfare of our nation.
Again, in a pre-9/11 environment, while not acceptable, such behavior was not fatal. Today, terrorists literally plan night and day to attack our nation in the most lethal way possible.
In his victory night remarks, Brown made it clear that he recognized the pending and growing threat of terrorism. While most in Washington still choose to bury their heads in the sand on the subject, Brown would be wise to seek out former senators Bob Graham and Jim Talent, who now head up the bipartisan and congressionally mandated Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.
If he does, they will tell him quite candidly that they cited a recent study from the intelligence community, which projected that a one-to-two kilogram release of anthrax spores from a crop duster plane could kill over 400,000 Americans. They would further tell him that these anthrax spores are by far, the easiest WMD available to terrorists.
From all that I have seen and read about Brown, he is an honest and independent voice in Washington. A voice which needs to be welcomed for reasons of national security, independent thought, and civility. Not vilified immediately because he failed to vote in partisan lockstep with the Republican leadership.
With Brown’s somewhat surprising victory, the entrenched political machines of both the left and the right got a timely wake-up call. Not only were the voters of Massachusetts tired of the destructive politics-as-usual coming out of Washington, but the American people are beyond sick of it. So much so, that the majority of voters in our nation now rightfully label themselves independent.
For the moment, the Democrat party finds itself the target of that independent anger and worry. Soon, those same disappointed independents will turn their weary eyes toward the GOP. And when they do, they won’t like what they see. To paraphrase talk show host Glenn Beck, for the Republican Party to say “we suck less than the other guys” is not only not the answer, it’s an insult.
If independent-thinking Brown keeps voting his conscience, he, the Bay State, and our nation, will be the better for his convictions. He just needs to keep fighting that machine and its special interests.
Sorry, I am giving Scott Brown a raspberry on the “jobs” bill vote. At the very least, those of us who contributed to his campaign expected him to be a fiscal conservative. This vote shows that he isn’t even that.
It's all here:
Scott Brown explains Jobs Bill vote to Howie Carr, Boston radio (17 min audio)
Why should he be given a break, if people don’t like his votes, they should complain...not sit quietly.
After all, it’s the peoples seat...not Scott Brown’s seat.
I think the problem is that conservatives thought in Brown there was someone who actually understood that this kind of legislation is not good for anyone's constituents.
In order for the government to "create jobs" it must first steal the money from someone else.
Liberals don't seem to understand that or don't care about it - in Scott Brown we hoped for something different.
I'd say he is living up to the promise. Just because it is a Dimwit horse he decided to ride is not a reason to tar-and-feather him.
I also say give him a break.
Remember, this is a modest, scaled-back jobs bill, made up almost entirely of tax cuts, which Republicans claim to support, in the midst of an employment crisis. Nearly half of the Republicans in the Senate voted for the legislation - but with huge reservations saying they will turn around and vote against the final bill if items the Democrats are pushing in the House are added to it. Scott Brown was one of those who said he will watch carefully what the House does.
Kind of knew he wasn’t a hard conservative when he won. Just a shame he quickly fizzled so easily. Just a few weeks on the job and he made a bad vote.
Still if he is all that he said when running, and he’d better be for his sake, then he is better than a democrat and he will vote against health care.
But I am still saddened by his vote.
So one vote shows that he is not a fiscal conservative by you?
BTW I also contributed to his campaign
“Why should he be given a break, if people don’t like his votes, they should complain...not sit quietly.”
Right. Should hold everyone accountable. This is no time to be voting with the left on anything.
Disappointed yes, surprised no; he’s a NE Republican that voted for Romney’s HC bill. There are two bills that matter coming up and if he votes no on them HC and Cap/Tax he is an improvement.
Pray for America’s Freedom
First, the bill does NOT give tax cuts. It gives tax CREDITS, so long as the business jumps through a maze of hoops in order to qualify. And the amount of the bill that gives those credits is around 19%. The bulk of the money will go to Union only construction firms paying Davis Bacon wages, which recently gave themselves an increase in pay, benefits and new expensive equipment.
This “Jobs” bill is a complete joke. To begin with, the so called incentive to hire new workers will not work. Under the countless stipulations to qualify, very few employers will even attempt to take advantage of it. It is lipstick on a pig and the benefits designed to help Democrats have lower, temporary unemployment numbers before the 2010 elections. Then they end in Jan. 2011. Which we all know will contribute to more layoffs.
Brown deserves our rage. His response that the angry calls he is getting is because of “Special Interest” manipulation, merely indicates what we can expect in the future from this slick Romney-classed RINO nude posing gigolo!
“then he is better than a democrat and he will vote against health care.”
yeah but that’s what the Plan B plan is for: Vote against the first bill and show you are ‘productive’ by voting on the 2nd.
people didn’t donate all that money just for another RINO tease. Well, he’ll learn the hard way when he asks for more $ in 2 years.
I’ll give Scott a break and Scott can give me a refund.
You left the Republican party; for those of us Republican conservative members that want to bring the Republican party back to conservative philosophy, why should we listen to you?
Didn’t the bill include tax cuts? Half a loaf is sometimes better than none...
I dunno.
That is exactly what happened, but the whiners in here are ignoring that. If you remember he also said that he will not always vote with the republicans
Scott Brown might have had his reasons for his vote. Perhaps he liked that it included tax cuts. Perhaps he’s just a RINO, I dunno.
However, this article seems to forget that there ought to actually be an ideological change, not just a “can’t we all do what’s best blah blah” attitude.
Sometimes, doing what’s best means saying NO.
One break, cooommmiinng up....
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