GT Voted yes to non-budget cuts

[Thomas Brown]

Well our friend GT came through and disappointed us again.  He not only voted a few months ago to re-enact the Patriot Act but he voted on Wed. to pass the wimp-assed version of the budget cuts that cuts millions according to the CBO out of Trillion Dollar Deficit.  Well I am glad he stopped the spending on a packet of gum that should stop the house from going into foreclosure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Below is a link of the breakdown of who voted yes or no.

 

http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/1/268

[Wendy Brown]

Thanks Tom.  I figured that would be the case.

I keep hearing and reading from those who voted for this that it was strategic because a lot of Democrats voted for it (therefore a sea change shift) and also that it is behind us so that they can now focus the bigger issue (implication that it was rather unimportant and necessary to get out of the way).

That was my general assessment of GT's talking points at our meeting.  So I understood then that this was the direction and the bullet items that would projected forward.  Although, I do believe he heard us loud and clear and did take that back to leadership.

Bottom line, he is not a ranking Republican and it is now clear to me that he will do what his leadership tells him to do - at all times.  (that implies that he is in this for the long haul - he wants to get re-elected over and over) He is a guy who was raised under the American Dream, with solid families and communities, but saw that slipping away at an ever increasing pace and wanted to do something about that in addition to being politically ambitious by definition.  It is my understanding that he grew up surrounded by traditional Democrats.  Pretty typical.  That party shift tells us that he has had a revalation or two and recognised the party shift, or like another notable Pennsylvanian, joined the other camp for other reasons.

In any case, he now represents vast areas of poverty ridden, gutted PA where the only source of income is joining the military, limited farming, selling firewood or mulch, and issuing tickets on the main highways to pay for the local policeman.  I think his first order of priority is developing shale in the hope that will bring jobs.  He works hard at that.  My instinct tells me that much will be sacrificed to serve that goal.  The military is also very important to him, being a traditional guy, and it touches the lives of many in his district.  Again, it is clear to me that as vast areas of the nation have become gutted, the military has become an employer of choice for many employable youths with no employment.

He also worked in business with a pyramidal structure.  Those of us who have, understand the concept of boss, orders, getting along, and working within the structure.  So based on my experience and knowing his background, I see him as a man who sees himself as a manager within the pyrimidal structure of the Congress.  Deviating from that structure and understood directions from the higher ups is not likely in his DNA.

So understanding who he is and where he is coming from, I have low expectations with respect to his ever doing anything outside the party leadership position.  I just don't see that happening.  But I do believe, however, that we can get our message, as a part of his constituency, up to the leadership through him.