We Know Where You Guys Stand Now

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) stated last week that he would oppose ObamaCare.  Yet, this afternoon he voted to allow his Democrat pals to block a Republican attempt to force an up or down vote.  So did Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA).

Which Democrats are standing firm – for now?

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD)

Rep. Glenn Nye (D-VA)

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

Keep it up guys.  There may be hope for some of you yet.  Here’s a link to the Roll Call.

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Kratovil Admits Dems Lied About ObamaCare

Embattled Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) admitted that both the House version of ObamaCare is not budget neutral and that his own party misrepresented the fiscal effects of the bill.  Appearing this morning on WICO-AM during the Delmarva Talks show with Bill Reddish, Kratovil agreed with Reddish’s assertion that the bill couldn’t possibly be “budget neutral” given that taxes would be levied for the first ten years, but benefits wouldn’t start until after year 4.

Kratovil then admitted that this was only one problem.  He then noted that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) based their fiscal impact model on something that the Democrats clearly weren’t willing to do.  Kratovil noted that one of the CBO’s assumptions (provided by the House Democrats) was that physician reimbursements from the government would decline by 20% over the next ten years.  Kratovil stated that this wasn’t true; proven by the fact that the House passed the so-called “doctor fix” around the same time it passed its version of ObamaCare.

Kudos to Kratovil for honesty.  It’s amazing what a tough re-election battle brings to the fore.  If only he were so honest about his votes on PORKULUS and Cap & Tax.  Perhaps next time Kratovil appears on Reddish’s show, Bill will quiz him on why unemployment isn’t down as Kratovil’s crew promised.

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Will Pipkin Run?

Some First District Republicans are wondering (and many First District liberals are hoping) that Maryland Sen. E. J. Pipkin (R-36) will enter the race to challenge Maryland Sen. Andy Harris (R-7) for the GOP nomination to oust wounded Democrat incumbent Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD).  Fueling the fires of speculation is the Baltimore Sun’s Maryland Politics blog.

Personally, I think Pipkin is too smart to get into this fray.  Pipkin is a good guy.  He’s built a moderately conservative voting record.  He’s shown himself to be a proven vote getter in a moderate – moderate / conservative legislative district.  However, short of running the table, there is only a downside of entering this race.

• Pipkin must give up his Senate seat to run.  Two years ago, Pipkin was able to run and not have to give up his seat in the legislature.  That’s not the case now.
• Pipkin’s a pretty smart politician.  Nomination politics are a world apart from general election politics.  Given Harris’s conservative base, Pipkin knows that driving turnout in a primary is going to be tough.
• If Pipkin enters the primary, loses AND Harris loses the general, Pipkin has to bear some (or even a lion’s share) of the blame.  I’m not arguing that this would be warranted OR fair.  I’m simply stating what would happen.  Pipkin has shown that he’s ambitious.  IF he jumps in, there are many conservative activists (the people who knock doors and make phone calls in the GOP) that would never support him in a future run.

EJ Pipkin has a unique opportunity before him this year.  By staying out of the First District house race, and campaigning for Andy Harris, Pipkin can win the gratitude and support of conservatives throughout the district for a future run.  Jumping in is “make or break”.  Pipkin has proven himself to be relatively prudent as a legislator (although I don’t always agree with him).  I expect that he will be prudent in making his plans for 2010.  Making those plans public sooner, rather than later, will be best for Pipkin, and the GOP.

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Media Monday – 20100104

While Maryland Sen. Andy Harris prepares to formally announce his candidacy to unseat freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD), the Daily Times has decided to get an early start in promoting Kratovil’s re-election.

Starting off with a front page puff piece by Greg Latshaw in Sunday’s edition, the Daily Times makes their strategy for 2010 clear.  Kratovil and his Gannett allies are having a tough time defending his voting record, so the decision has been made to promote Kratovil as “independent” and lowering expectations for Kratovil.  This was a dominant theme of his 2008 campaign and Kratovil and the media are hoping that it might work again.

At least Latshaw’s piece was factual, if a tad fawning.  Sunday’s inside piece by Nicole Guadiano simply re-wrote Kratovil’s voting record.  The three biggest votes that Kratovil has cast to date are on the Obama PORKULUS bill, Cap & Tax, and ObamaCare.  Guadiano claims that Kratovil voted against PORUKLUS.  This simply isn’t true.  Kratovil did vote against the original House version but VOTED FOR the bill that was actually adopted.  (I wonder if DT Managing Editor Erick Sahler will print a correction on that one?)  Kratovil’s vote on Cap & Tax was neatly buried in the middle of the article.  As for voting against ObamaCare, we’ll give Kratovil SOME credit for that vote.  However, voters know that it was their dedication (exhibited by attending town hall meetings and calling Kratovil’s office) which yielded that vote.  Besides, Kratovil still has an opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama when the reconciliation bill is voted on.

Read more

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Andy Harris to Announce TOMORROW!

2009 has shown a lot to the voters of Maryland’s First District.  After narrowly electing Frank Kratovil to the US House, we have seen the man who CLAIMS to represent Eastern Shore values vote for the Obama PORKULUS bill, support the Barack Obama / Nancy Pelosi / Harry Reid appropriation bills, vote FOR ACORN before he voted AGAINST them, waiver on ObamaCare despite thousands of citizens turning out at town hall meetings and telling Kratovil NO, and kow-tow to radical environmental groups who have vowed destroy the poultry industry (collectively, Delmarva’s largest private employer).

Tomorrow, we have a chance to begin rectifying the mistake of sending Frank Kratovil to Congress.  Maryland Sen. Andy Harris (R-7) will announce his candidacy to replace Kratovil and give Maryland’s First District a Congressman that actually reflects our values.

On Tuesday, Harris will be travelling throughout the district.  You can meet him at:

10:00 AM
Silver Spring Mining Company
705 Bel Air Road
Bel Air, MD  21014

1:00 PM
Maryland Republican Party HQ
15 West Street
Annapolis, MD  21401

3:00 PM
Holiday Inn Express
8561 Ocean Gateway (US 50)
Easton, MD  21601

5:00 PM
East Coast Iron, Inc.
300 Moss Hill Lane
Salisbury, MD  21804

Come out.  Say hello, Show your support!  This is just the first step, but unless we want to continue to be represented by someone who listens to Nancy Pelosi and Martin O’Malley more than he does the voters of the First District we need to rally around Andy and work to get him elected.

The 2008 elections showed what happens when good men and women fail to act!  Our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be PAYING THE COST!

[photo courtesy of SbyNEWS]

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Harris to Announce Candidacy on Tuesday

Maryland Senator Andy Harris (R-7) will travel throughout Maryland’s First Congressional District to formally announce his candidacy for the US House on Tuesday, January 5,2010.  Harris will be meeting with fellow citizens at:

 

 

 

 

10:00 AM
Silver Spring Mining Company
705 Bel Air Road
Bel Air, MD  21014

1:00 PM
Maryland Republican Party HQ
15 West Street
Annapolis, MD  21401

3:00 PM
Holiday Inn Express
8561 Ocean Gateway (US 50)
Easton, MD  21601

5:00 PM
East Coast Iron, Inc.
300 Moss Hill Lane
Salisbury, MD  21804

After defeating incumbent Wayne Gilchrest in the GOP primary, Harris narrowly lost to Frank Kratovil in 2008.  In a poll taken before Thanksgiving, Harris led the incumbent, Rep. Frank Kratovil by a margin of 52% – 39%.

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Kratovil Raising Majority of Cash from Special Interests

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) has built a sizable fundraising lead over his most likely opponent, Maryland Sen. Andy Harris.  Over 50% of donations received by Kratovil in the last quarter come from PAC’s.  According to the Baltimore Sun:

More than half of the Democratic incumbent’s donations – $119,600 – came from political action committees linked to some of the most heavily lobbied issues now before Congress. PACs representing health care companies, financial institutions, energy, defense and agriculture interests all contributed.

As a member of the Maryland legislature, Harris is prohibited from raising funds during the legislative session.  This, coupled with Kratovil’s incumbency, explain a portion of the fundraising gap.

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Maryland Teachers Endorse O’Malley, Kratovil

In the words of that great scholar Gomer Pyle, “SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!”.

The Maryland State Teachers Association (now traveling under the moniker “Maryland State Education Association”) has endorsed Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Rep. Frank Kratovil for re-election.

Why would this, or any other supposedly non-partisan group, endorse these candidates over one year before the election?  Money.

We need to remember that the MSEA is no more about education than the United Auto Workers.  They are a union, plain and simple.  Their purpose is to get more teachers hired and negotiate higher pay for those teachers.  Their job is make sure that teachers can’t be fired for poor performance and to ensure that teachers’ work as little as possible.  That said, they are no more concerned with providing quality education than the UAW is with making sure that GM, Ford, and Chrysler build quality cars.

To do so, they need to tie themselves to Democrats.  Wait!  I thought that the MSEA was supposed to be non-partisan?

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Frank Kratovil Votes to Bring Guantanamo Detainees to US

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) voted on Thursday to bring terrorists to the US to stand trail.  HR2898, an appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, allows for Guantanamo detainees to be brought to the US for trial.

Kratovil, who claims to be the “most independent Democrat in the House”, will undoubtedly claim that he voted against allowing detainees to come to the US.  Technically this is true.  In the spirit of John Kerry (“I voted against the war before I voted for it”) Kratovil voted in favor of recommitting the conference report with instructions.  In plain English that means that the motion to re-commit included language that would have blocked the Obama administration’s plans to bring terrorist detainees into the US.  However, Kratovil being the loyal Obamanista that he is, immediately turned around and VOTED FOR the bill, even though it included the provision to bring terrorists to our shores.

This should be expected from people like Kratovil and Obama.  Remember, Kratovil voted AGAINST the Obama PORKULUS bill BEFORE he voted FOR it.  This is the bill that was promised to stop unemployment at 8%.  Now our national unemployment rate is at 10% – AND RISING.  With a federal deficit of $1.42 TRILLION – AND ALSO RISING – Blue Dog Democrats like Frank Kratovil really must think that their constituents back home are dumber than the proverbial sack of hair.

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Frank Kratovil and the Taxachusetts Plan for Health Care

My Red Maryland colleague Brian Griffiths has an excellent post which discusses just some of the pitfalls of the Mitt Romney health care plan now reeking havoc on the poor citizens of Massachusetts.  Reading it I was reminded of some statements made by then candidate, now Congressman Frank Kratovil (D-MD).

At a Big Labor forum in September, 2008 Kratovil openly endorsed the Taxachusetts plan.  Blue Dog Frank was particularly in love with individual mandates.  As Griffith’s post notes, these mandates are nothing more than a tax on middle class citizens who choose to carry coverage that isn’t quite as robust as bureaucrats would like.

Should we be surprised?  No!  While Blue Dog Frank ran around Maryland’s First District telling middle class white folk that he would be “INDEPENDENT”, Kratovil was pitching himself to the African-American community as:

PART OF BARACK OBAMA’S TEAM FOR CHANGE

At least he didn’t lie to ALL of the District’s voters.  PORKULUS.  Cap and Tax.  We’re all waiting to see how he can explain a vote for ObamaCare.

The big question will be – if Kratovil votes against ObamaCare … to save his seat … will all of that left wing money dry up?

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