This entire Critz meltdown because of the Altmire television ad is interesting.
In the ad, Altmire says that Critz voted present on the Tea Party budget. This is accurate. Critz voted present. Altmire voted no. Fast forward to last week's vote on the same piece of legislation,
Altmire and Critz vote no.
First off, Critz appears to being playing politics with his vote. Voted present in 2011, voted no in 2012.
In Critz's press conference to defend his present vote, he stated: it was “A decision by our leaders.” That’s nice, but what about the people that elected you? His loyalty should be with the people of the 12th Congressional District, not with his leaders. I have never bought into the concept that our legislators should only vote the way leadership tells them to vote. I have always believed that our representative should vote the way their districts wants them too.
Additionally, Critz ran to Steny Hoyer for his defense. (who ran against and defeated his old boss and predecessor, Jack Murtha) Hoyer defends the present vote. Why? Hoyer says: “House Democrats stood together and voted ‘present’ on the extreme Republican budget in order to expose its radical policies. Doing this showed the American people just how extreme House Republicans are and how devastating their policies would be for our nation, like ending the Medicare guarantee. This was a vote to protect Medicare and derail the Republican Budget,” said democratic Whip Steny Hoyer who organized the efforts on behalf of House Democrats.”
If the goal was it would pass, cuts would happen, and then the American people would blame the Republicans? Really? Is that how it’s supposed to work? I don't understand how a present vote would help the Democrats prove this about the Republican budget. They should of stood together and voted NAY.
I’m not sure why political reporters and bloggers have taken the side of Critz and are taking his statements at face value. Quite simply, he made a bad vote. Just like he made a bad vote to defund Planned Parenthood, not to repeal don't ask don't tell, and against the wall street reform bill.
That is why Critz is running on healthcare, because he can't defend some of his bad votes and hopes that people forget this ad that he ran in 2010:
3 comments:
I thought Critz's big thing was that he supported health care reform?
The HC vote took place before Critz was in office. However, he has said repeatedly (including in his 2010 TV ads) that he would have voted against the HC Bill. Mr. Critz plays fast and loose with the truth when it suits him. He's a tool of the Big Labor Bosses. Altmire will crush him.
Critz is a really nice guy which may be his weakness in the general election. In my opinion, he came off as being a little whiny in what will be a pretty tame criticism compared to what he would face in the general election.
Altmire has already had to go through 3 bruising elections and will be better prepared for the assault in the fall which may be uglier than the first 3.
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