Chad Dewey for Liberty

People keep talking about Pete Hoekstra and honestly I haven’t researched him much yet. However, now that I saw the outcome of the DISCLOSE Act and how he didn’t bother to vote on it, I’ll do the same as he did – not bother to vote…for Hoekstra. Not voting at all on something as unconstitutional as HR 5175 is inexcusable …and unforgivable. He also voted for the bank bailouts, for the USA PATRIOT Act and two renewals of the USA PATRIOT Act. As always, please be an informed voter and know your candidate’s voting record before taking the plunge.

A reply to this by a Facebook friend:

Sorry, but the USA PATRIOT Act expanded government with the Department of Homeland Security and all of the provisions that allow the government to be all the more intrusive on U.S. citizens. The bank bailouts would also hardly be considered a “conservative” vote either. His voting record can clearly be seen on http://thomas.loc.gov.

I’m not saying he isn’t a nice guy – I’m sure he probably is. I also like some of the bills he has created and put forth. Others I don’t like. Doing a quick 2 minute search for Hoekstra at thomas.loc.gov came up with these:

For example: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.J.RES.70: – this is very dangerous. It states that 3% of the total population in 10 states can start the process to add an amendment to the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION? I understand what he’s getting at, but he’s going about it the wrong way. Think about that for a moment – think of the 10 states with the lowest population. Do you think it’s fair for that small of an amount of the population to put forth an amendment to the U.S. Constitution? Scary stuff if you ask me. Up it to all 50 states and a much higher percentage of the total population, then you might have my interest.

Another example: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1717: – this allows further intervention of the Federal government (via the U.S. Dept. of Education) into our kid’s classrooms. Sorry, but I fully believe the U.S. Dept. of Education should be abolished – it serves no purpose other than to allow the Federal government to dabble in the affairs of our LOCAL schools that we already pay for through property taxes. Thanks, but no thanks.

…and another: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.2069: – Why should I have to subsidize somebody else’s purchase of a new car? This is just as bad as “cash for clunkers”. Not only that, it only requires the vehicle to be “assembled in the United States”. So not only are you asking me to subsidize somebody else’s purchase of a new car, you’re saying it can be manufactured somewhere else? How do you define “assembled”? Installing the drive train into an already built car? Installing a set of windshield wipers? I see this as another bailout.

Anyway, I just don’t agree with his past voting record. It doesn’t match his words. I’m sorry if you disagree.

The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. –Benjamin Franklin

This is a very insightful quote by one of our Founding Fathers. Before there were so many entitlement programs starting in the early 20th century, the only way to succeed was through your own hard work. Even then, there were still no guarantees that your hard work would pay off, but if you did not at least try to succeed, you had very little chance of any success.

My how times have changed.

Today, we seem to have entitlement programs for any situation where there is a chance someone, including corporate and foreign entities, could “fail”. All at the expense of the people who are trying to succeed by working hard to find their American dream.

As reported by Fox News, Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) has introduced legislation to bailout failed union pension funds. I’m sure you can guess who gets the burden of insuring these failed funds – American taxpayers. Obama states that he will not support any more bailouts, but if it gets past Congress and the Senate, I’m quite sure he’ll sign it.

Enough is enough!

It is not up to you or me to prop up any failed institution (that includes the government) with our hard-earned money. This is not how Capitalism and the Free Market work. Judging by the voting record list I compiled, it appears that Senator Bob Casey also voted in favor of the bank bailouts and the health care bill. I would say it is time for Senator Bob Casey to find another job when he is up for re-election in 2012.

I have compiled a list of current politicians in Congress and Senate, which includes their voting records on a few highly controversial bills that eventually turned into law. I am sharing the data via Facebook, Twitter, and this web site for those that are interested. The Congress voting records are as accurate as possible due to voting records being listed by last name only, which makes things difficult with a variety of people with the name “Smith”. Not all of the current Congress members were in office each term the bills became laws either, so please read the legend at the top of the page. The Senate voting records are all accurate. As I have said before – please become an informed voter and research the voting record of your chosen potential candidate as their actions will speak much louder than their words.

Congress voting records (PDF)

Senate voting records (PDF)

I was informed of an article today that has me absolutely shocked at what this Administration is now attempting. With the help of Timothy Geithner, it appears a proposal is being put together to seize 401(k)s for the purpose of bailing out failed pension plans. So you would be expected to give up your hard-earned and self-invested 401(k) plan in order to help those who are unable to make contractual commitments in the form of pensions. They’ve already failed with Social Security, so now they’re going to STEAL from people to help cover failed business practices. I would call that “yet another bailout” and it’s only fitting that Timothy Geithner would have a part in it.

Once again, this administration is redistributing wealth and will continue to force through anything they can until they lose the majority in November.