A look at Parker Griffith’s voting record
With the defections of Democrats to the Republican side possibly turning into a stampede, we have every right to be suspicious of the intentions of the new GOP members. Prudence demands a look at their voting records. Looks like Parker Griffith had it right on the big stuff. – SW
By Brian Lawson from the blog.al.com
December 22, 2009, 12:59PM
The Huntsville TimesU.S. Rep. Parker Griffith
HUNTSVILLE, AL — U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith’s voting record in his first year in Congress contains several interesting details.
Griffith’s record is already being debated. Was he a Pelosi loyalist or a Democrat in name only?
Griffith, who announced his party switch today, voted with the Democratic majority 84 percent of the time but also opposed President Obama’s first budget, the stimulus package, the climate bill and health care reform.
The Washington Post has a useful site on congressional voting records, including details about how often a member votes with their party and key votes.
Read all of our coverage of Parker Griffith’s party switch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Further comment: The fact that Griffith voted with the Dems 85% of the time has some thinking he is a baby RINO. But I beg to differ. Here’s an excerpt from John Perazzo’s essay on the tactics of Saul Alinsky:
New GOP member?
Alinsky stressed the need for organizers to convince their followers that the chasm between the enemy and the members of the People’s Organization was vast and unbridgeable. “Before men can act,” he said, “an issue must be polarized. Men will act when they are convinced their cause is 100 percent on the side of the angels, and that the opposition are 100 percent on the side of the devil.”[51] Alinsky advised this course of action even though he well understood that the organizer “knows that when the time comes for negotiations it is really only a 10 percent difference.”
What does this mean? When it comes to the number of workable solutions to any objective problem the vast chasm between the two sides is an illusion. Ideologically is where the difference is vast.
I repeat that I think Griffith’s rejection of Obama’s first budget, the stimulus package, the climate bill and health care reform – in the face of intense party pressure to get in lock step with the other drones – demonstrates not only intelligence but also a certain amount of courage.
Now make him prove himself, find out all you can about the inner workings of the other side …and set spies upon him. Oh, and run a conservative against him in the primary, too. - SW
Update: Griffith a scalawag?
