Oops, he did it again
My primary opponent in last year’s dismal "race" for the 1st District Congressional seat, Philadelphia Democratic Party Chairman and Congressman Bob Brady, just voted for the Bush energy bill. Again. He’s actually never voted against a Republican energy bill, no doubt the result of having received around $100,000 in lobbying loot from oil, gas, auto and related industries. Meanwhile, residents of his district live in the shadow of refineries and reap the ‘benefits’ thereof. Brady has received less than $100 in contributions from environmental groups lifetime, and continues to take large amounts of cash from polluters even though he runs in a gerrymandered district that makes it nearly impossible for him to lose.
It’s not only greedy party machine politicking, it’s completely unnecessary and unjustifiable at that.
He wasn’t alone; some 41 Democrats voted with Bush on the package, giving him a 249-183 victory with 3 representatives (1 Dem, 2 Reps) sitting it out. Had the 42 Donkey Party misrepresentatives grown spines and/or not been on the take, the Bush bill would have been easily defeated, 224-210 (or 223-208 if the same 3 who missed the vote still sat it out).
The picture of the House Democrats is worse than it looks at first glance, considering that one of the 183 was in fact the sole independent in the House, Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Even more embarrassing, some 22 Republicans had the gonads to vote against Bush and their own party, not a single one of them bowing to massive campaign contributions from the many-tentacled environmental lobby. They were listening to their constituents and considering the long-term impact of their decisions.
No environmental group endorses Brady, but this doesn’t stop every local affiliate of the national groups from inciting their members to vote straight Democratic ticket. Most instructive in this capacity is my fellow Philadelphian Ms. Susan Gobreski, who, in what appears to me to be a serious violation of the spirit if not letter of the law as regards non-profit tax status, functions as both an employee of the League of Conservation Voters and as a poster girl for House Democrats.
Ms. Gobreski gets out the vote for Bob Brady. The LCV won’t endorse Bob Brady, and Ms. Gobreski refused to talk with my campaign about the possibility of endorsement. "Non-partisan" my ass!
This is just one small example of how ‘liberal’ lobbying groups nationwide and the Democrats themselves work in concert to keep change from happening.
