Election Day 2010 is only three months away now, and for most people I talk to, it can’t come soon enough. This year’s election will give the American people an opportunity to express their support or opposition to the direction the Obama Administration and the Pelosi/Reid Congress are taking this nation.
And of course locally, among a number of other important races which will be on the ballot, the voters in the First Congressional District will make a choice between Steve Driehaus and myself. This week I’ll compare our records on eight important issues.
FIRST, JOBS AND THE ECONOMY: During my time in Congress, I consistently supported policies to revitalize the economy and create jobs. Mr. Driehaus, on the other hand, voted for the job-killing Cap and Trade bill, voted to raise taxes time and time again, and voted for the failed Stimulus bill which grew government, but not jobs in the private sector.
SECOND, TAXES: I was named a “Taxpayer Superhero” by Citizens Against Government Waste and consistently received an “A” rating by the non-partisan National Taxpayer’s Union. Mr. Driehaus received an “F” rating by the National Taxpayer’s Union.
THIRD, SPENDING: Citizens Against Government Waste rated me as having one of the best records in the entire Congress for fighting against wasteful spending. Driehaus on the other hand was called a “Big Spender” by the National Taxpayer’s Union and voted for Pelosi’s big-spending budget that added $1.2 trillion in new debt.
FOURTH, HEALTH CARE: I opposed Obamacare, and while in Congress I sponsored legislation which would have allowed families to fully deduct all their health care premiums from their taxes. Mr. Driehaus voted for Obamacare, after leading us to believe he would vote against it.
FIFTH, ENERGY: I supported a comprehensive, environmentally-friendly energy plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I also strongly oppose Cap and Trade. Mr. Driehaus voted for the huge new tax on energy called Cap and Trade, that’s been estimated to cost the average American family an additional $1,770 a year in higher energy costs.
SIXTH, GOVERNMENT BAILOUTS: I voted against the bank bailout and the auto bailout. Driehaus said he would have voted for the bank bailout, and he voted to allow AIG executives to receive huge bonuses – courtesy of the American taxpayer.
SEVENTH, PRO-LIFE: I’ve been endorsed by National Right to Life, Ohio Right to Life PAC, and Cincinnati Right to Life PAC in this race. I was the principle sponsor of the Ban on Partial Birth Abortion, which was upheld by a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision, and is now the law of the land. Pro-life leaders have said that Driehaus betrayed his supposedly pro-life views by voting for a bill they called the “greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v Wade.” Driehaus has voted with National Right to Life a miserable 33% of the time since he’s been in Congress.
EIGHTH, INDEPENDENCE: National Journal in recognizing my independence from party leadership said that I was, “willing to split from his [my] party and willing to take political risks for principle.” Driehaus, on the other hand, has done what he’s been told by Nancy Pelosi, voting with her 94.8% of the time. Politico called Driehaus a “reliable backer of party leadership.”
So there you have it, a pretty clear choice between an independent-minded, tax-cutting, true fiscal conservative, versus a big-spending, tax-raising, Pelosi-following liberal.
I feel confident that the people of the First Congressional District will make the right choice. Remember in November.
