I've suddenly become fascinated with C-SPAN. I really can't explain it, but I find myself watching it periodically during the day. This morning I was watching some of the two minute speeches from the House of Representatives. Some of the speeches were interesting while others were sort of ironic. I've included the unemployment rate for each state for December 2008 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here are my observations:
- Virginia Foxx (NC-5th-R): She talked about the out of control national debt and how the stimulus plan would only make it worse. If my memory serves me correctly, Foxx was a boot-licker for the Bush administration. She helped the Bush administration build that national debt. When Bush came into office, there was a surplus. Now, after the Bush wars and deregulation of the banking industry, our national debt is tremendous and our country is teetering on the brink of a depression, but Foxx would rather do nothing to help. Foxx is a twerp (I thought of other words but I did not want to put them here.). Unemployment Rate NC: 8.7%
- Lynn Jenkins (KS-2nd-R): She said her constituents are hurting, but repeated the Republican talking points she must have received from Foxx. Jenkins apparently doesn't care if her constituents are out of work because she won't do anything that would possibly bring jobs to Kansas. Unemployment Rate KS: 5.2%
- Gresham Barrett (SC-3rd-R): He spoke about against reproductive freedom, or pro-life. I wonder if he supports protecting the lives of children already born. Will he support SCHIP, the health plan for poor children? Unemployment Rate SC: 9.5%
- Albio Sires (NJ-13-D): Sires pushed for jobs and projects for job creation. Unemployment Rate: 7.1%
- Debbie Halvorson (IL-11th-D): Rep. Halverson spoke in support of the new SCHIP. Unemployment Rate: 7.6%
- Tom McClintock (CA-4th-R): He said the government should get off the backs of the private sector. Hmmmmm..... Does he mean he supports more deregulation????? Does he want more bank failures? Unemployment Rate: 9.3%
- Alan Grayson (FL-8th-D): He spoke of the need to protect and help our children by passing SCHIP. Unemployment Rate: 8.1%
- Michael Burgess (TX-26th-R) He also must have read the same talking points given to Virginia Foxx because his words against the stimulus package were similar. Unemployment Rate: 6.0%
- Pete Sessions (TX-32nd-R): (He looked a bit rumpled in his wrinkled suit.) Sessions is against SCHIP. He must not have any poor children in his district. Unemployment Rate: 6.0%
This is only a sampling but I'm sure you get a picture of the loser Republicans. They'd rather spend their time complaining, talking about tax cuts for millionaires, but do nothing to help their constituents get jobs and provide health care for poor children. With unemployment at an all time high because of the Bush recession and the Bush wars, the children of the unemployed have lost their health care. We must support SCHIP. At a time like this, we must at least provide a safety net for the kids.