Eight Turncoats

Here are the names of those Republicans (in name only) who voted yea on HR 2454, the deceptively titled "American Clean Energy and Security Act."

Mary Bono Mack (CA-45)
Michael Castle (DE-1)
Mark Steven Kirk (IL-10)
Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)
John McHuge (NY-23)
Dave Reichert (WA-8)
Chris Smith (NJ-4)

Two Republican House Members failed to cast votes on the bill; one, Jeff Flake (AZ-6), states that he missed today's vote (though he was and is clearly on record as opposing the bill) due to a family obligation, the other, John Sullivan (OK-1) does not note (as of this writing) on his website the reason for his failure to vote.

Of the eight RINO Members, two - Congressman Lance and Congressman LeBiondo - get at least a nod of respect from me for having the guts to forthrightly note their action regarding this vote on the front pages of their respective official websites.

As a blast from the past and to further document what we're dealing with here, I point readers to an analysis done by done and published by the trusted Human Events organization. They rank Michael Castle as the #1 RINO presently serving in the House. Chris Smith came in at #2. John McHugh... he came in at #4. Mark Kirk... #8.

Enough. Or at least that's what I say. It seems to me that - at a bare minimum, just as an opening salvo - that the Republican Committee Members and rank and file Republicans of Delaware's First Congressional District, New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District, New York's Twenty-Third Congressional District, and Illinois' Tenth District should take the bull(shit) by the horns and refuse to renominate Castle, Smith, McHuge, and Kirk for re-election next year.

Listen. This can't keep happening. The GOP is trying to win back America's trust (and mine!) and in order to do this the Party can't continue to place RINOs in positions of power where their actions not only hurt the image and reputation of the Party, but more important, double cross and betray the American People who are desparate for honesty, integrity, and common sense from our elected officials.

Voting for HR 2454 was a vote against the interests of America and the American People and as a political action in the partisan sense of "political"... well... note that this post is titled "Eight Turncoats."

This isn't over. The "battle" was lost but the "war" isn't over. Republicans and responsible Democrats in the Senate can still halt this march towards economic suicide and my bet is that they will when push comes to shove. (We'll see.)

Finally... speaking of responsible Democrats...

Kudos to the 44 Democratic House Members who voted nay to this 1,200-plus page monstrosity of a bill.