Hastert & Barton on Combating Autism Bill

[flamin lib]

Cross posted from Texas forum:


Yesterday I told you why Joe Barton opposes the Combating Autism Bill; because it might force his industry friends to clean up their mess. Today I’m writing about Dennis Hastert, the most powerful Republican in Congress and second in line to be President.

House rules allow any committee chairman to withhold a bill from consideration without reason or comment. This isn’t usually a problem because House Leadership has a really big hammer to force recalcitrant committee chairs to release popular bills. They simply ask the congressman if s/he would like to retain the position of chair and that usually does it.

What has the Republican leadership done? Nothing. A bill passes the Senate with unanimous consent and has 220 house co-sponsors yet one man holds it hostage and leadership does nothing. Compassionate conservatism indeed!

Speaker Dennis Hastert was in Richardson yesterday to raise money for Rep. Sam Johnson's re-election. A hundred or so parents of autistic children tried to meet the Speaker and ask him to pressure Joe Barton to release the bill. He refused to meet with them so they held a protest outside the Hotel where the fund raiser was scheduled. Like the coward he is Hastert sneaked in the rear entrance instead of facing the crowd of angry parents.

He couldn’t avoid the press though. When confronted and asked why he wouldn’t meet with the parents he said, “We will meet with them in Washington . . .”

The cheapest one week package on Expedia is $800. Throw in meals and taxi fare from the far reaches of DC to the capital and it’s $1100 or more. Dennis Hastert will meet with these people if they pony up $110,000 to come to DC but he can’t spare an hour away from money grubbing while here.

Joe Barton won’t meet with a parent, saying that he couldn’t afford a room big enough for an open town hall. Denny Hastert won’t meet with constituents because he can’t take the time from fund raising.

Must make the Republicans in North Texas feel proud of the fine representation we get.

VOTE DEMOCRAT! THROW THE REPUBLICAN BUMS OUT! THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU!