Blog for Democracy

Marshall & Barrow vote with the Republicans

icon_shame.jpgIs anyone really surprised? Yeah, no I thought not.

By a vote of 223-201, the Democratic-controlled House approved the legislation in the hope it will pressure the Senate to attach a similar mandatory troop withdrawal timetable to a military policy bill it is debating.

The head of the House Armed Services Committee Thursday renewed his call to cut the levels of U.S. troop deployments in Iraq.The bill dejour was Ike Skelton’s D-Mo.

They vote against this bill despite mounting evidence that this is one really lost cause.

Super, just super you guys.

Here is the Roll Call…check out who all their “friends” are. Heck even Bishop didn’t hang with these two.

10 Dems that Voted No:

John Barrow, Dan Boren, Christopher Carney, Brad Ellsworth, Tim Holden, Dennis Kucinich, Jim Marshall, Jim Matheson, Vic Snyder, Gene Taylor

* this better not be a April Fool’s joke when the time comes.

* now what kind of platform will Cindy Sheehan run on? Or will she not run against Nancy “will kick everyone’s butt” Pelosi?

** combined the 2 posts – should have hit refresh before I submitted my original post – Bernita

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Juliana

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42 responses to “Marshall & Barrow vote with the Republicans”

  1. PaulaG Avatar
    PaulaG

    ire and chris, please email me your shipping addresses. chris, you’ll get a copy to borrow with a return envelope. ire, you’ll get your very own copy from powells.com, which is even better than BandN.

  2. chris Avatar
    chris

    I would love to read it. No need to buy it though, I can read a borrowed copy and send it back.

  3. indie_rock_elitist Avatar
    indie_rock_elitist

    sure as long as its not bought on amazon (amazon=republican, bandn=democrat)

    ive thought this ghuy is just over intellectualizing stuff but ill hold off judgement till after reading

  4. PaulaG Avatar
    PaulaG

    Special time-limited offer to chris and indie_rock:

    If you each promise to read it with a serious and open mind, and report back to the group with your sincere thoughts about it, I will buy each of you a copy of The Political Brain. http://tinyurl.com/2m4cuk

    Let me know if you are interested.

  5. indie_rock_elitist Avatar
    indie_rock_elitist

    non-political people=more than likely don’t vote no matter what=unimportant.

    as i said before, we can do plenty to be proactive to build our party and help ourselves, but no matter waht, when gop hurts, we benefit.

    fewer poeple vote? we still benefit. easier to guide smaller numbers of voters.

  6. Trackboy1 Avatar
    Trackboy1

    Great post, Jules. Well done.

  7. RuralDem Avatar
    RuralDem

    Chris,

    80% might be low, but I am surprised that some of the Blue Dogs are so high.

    Now, imagine if some of our Democrats were ranked as low as Gilchrest. There’s no telling me much crap he gets for his lack of loyalty. That percentage is crazy!

  8. Smitty Avatar
    Smitty

    I totally missed ol Gene Taylor (D-MS). yup, he’s at 80%. Thanks RD.

  9. chris Avatar
    chris

    80% is low. A lot of this stuff is procedural where no member really has any reason to vote against his leadership, and a lot is also resolution type stuff where 400 members voted yes so the majority position of each party was the same.

    Catherine, on the one hand you say voters are sick and tired of politics as usual, on the other hand you seem to endorse pressuring our members of Congress to vote straight party line. Isn’t that politics as usual?

  10. RuralDem Avatar
    RuralDem

    Thanks for the information Smitty. I’ve never seen the party unity thing on there before.

    Marshall – #17 in lowest percent of voting along party lines. There are only 16 other House members that have a lower percentage than Marshall in voting along party lines. and they are all Republican.

    Barrow – #19 in lowest percent of voting along party lines. There are only 19 other House members that have a lower percentage than Barrow in voting along party lines.

    ”

    Correct me if I am wrong but Gene Taylor has a lower percentage than Marshall. Taylor has 80% while Marshall has 81.5%.

    Like some of the other posters have said, I am surprised at how high some of these people are. I am a huge fan of Gene Taylor but that 80% seems a little high. Also, on the Republican side, Walter Jones and Wayne Gilchrest seem like they would be closer together voting wise, because usually they are always the only two Republicans who vote against the party.

    What’s that saying that some on here have used before in this situation “I’d rather have someone in there who votes with me 80% of the time than someone who votes against me 80% of the time”

    I won’t start with the entire “a Liberal will never win in Marshall’s district” argument again 😛

  11. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    Besides, it’s just another excuse to not do the work to build a party of strong values, principles and activities. No big surprise, that.

  12. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    IRE, we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. I talk to a lot of non-political people and they get fed up with “all of them” whether D or R. Your sample must be different…

  13. Smitty Avatar
    Smitty

    Seen on Barrow’s website:

    March 23, 2007

    “A month ago I voted against the President’s proposed troop surge because I believed it was the wrong plan at the wrong time. I have similar concerns about the proposal to require a mandatory timeline to withdraw U.S. troops over the next 17 months.

    “What I could not support in the bill was the mandatory timeline for withdrawal. If this bill were to become law, it would require that our commanders in the field comply with a specific plan of battle 17 months from now – a plan of battle that was written in a law 17 months before. No one knows what will happen in Iraq 17 months from now. But if things were to turn out so that the President, a majority of the House, a majority of the Senate, and a majority of the American people all wanted to give our commanders the discretion to continue, this bill would literally take a new act of Congress to do so. And a new act of Congress could be blocked by a determined minority in the Senate. That’s no way to fight a war.

    “I’m concerned that money for critical domestic and national security programs are included in a war funding bill, even though those programs don’t relate to the ongoing war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill includes stopgap funding for Georgia’s PeachCare program, overdue disaster relief for farmers, money for aviation and port security, and better security at nuclear facilities. These are all important issues that the last Congress failed to address, issues I’ve fought for, and issues that ought to have passed on their own.

  14. BEZERKO Avatar
    BEZERKO

    Chris, eh:), if they’re voting what their conscious dictates, to stay the course (“right over a cliff”) in Iraq, then fine. I’m actually ok with that. I find it hard to believe, though, that they’re committed to the occupation which has cost us so much more than money, 650,000 Iraqi deaths (the last number I heard) 3,611 U.S. casualties. It just sounds like a calculated political decision. That’s not to mention asking those of us, the richest, to sacrifice for the effort by taking an estate tax cut. But anyway, maybe it is a mistake to focus attention on two of our Cong. reps who are voting against my core values instead of the 98% or whatever of Republicans who voted for this thing. I kind of see it as getting our house (core democratic values) in order before we go after theirs. I plead ignorance on most of what goes on under the Gold Dome, I haven’t had the time to keep up with it.

  15. Smitty Avatar
    Smitty

    Marshall – #17 in lowest percent of voting along party lines. There are only 16 other House members that have a lower percentage than Marshall in voting along party lines. and they are all Republican.

    Barrow – #19 in lowest percent of voting along party lines. There are only 19 other House members that have a lower percentage than Barrow in voting along party lines.

  16. indie_rock_elitist Avatar
    indie_rock_elitist

    no catherine it is that easy. i would say at most, absolute most, like, if every single thing possibly went wrong for the GOP, 2% of the people would then say they are all a bunch of pols.

    maybe half that would stay home. Most of the people who say theyre all a bunch of pols dont vote anyway so, really, they just dont matter.

    when the repubs screw up its a perfect chance to say hey look, we are going to fight corruption (like 06) and distance ourselves and make us look better.

    if the GOP hurts, we benefit. no other way around it.

  17. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    Wow. 80%? I would have thought it much lower.

  18. Smitty Avatar
    Smitty

    that’s what us bloggers do…help out the community…and procrastinate from cleaning our houses.

  19. jac1975 Avatar
    jac1975

    Thanks Smitty! Jules’ list does bother me greatly, but I feel better seeing that they are both in the around 81.5% in voting with the Democratic caucus. Much room for improvement, yes…but Democrats still.

  20. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    Dang, that was fast. Nice work, Smitty.

  21. Smitty Avatar
    Smitty

    These scores represent the percentage of votes on which a lawmaker agrees with the position taken by a majority of his or her party members.

    Johnson – 97.9% – 97.9 percent of 608 votes

    Lewis – 97.7% – 97.7 percent of 601 votes

    Bishop – 96% – 96.0 percent of 618 votes

    Scott – 95.8% – 95.8 percent of 620 votes

    Barrow – 81.7% – 81.7 percent of 628 votes.

    Marshall – 81.5% – 81.5 percent of 617 votes

    RETHUGS

    Tom Price – 92% – 92.2 percent of 627 votes.

    Nathan Deal – 91.3% – 91.3 percent of 596 votes.

    John Linder – 90.7% – 90.7 percent of 611 votes

    Phil Gingrey – 90.5% – 90.5 percent of 620 votes

    Lynn Westmoreland – 90.2% – 90.2 percent of 543 votes

    Jack Kingston – 90% – 90 percent of 611 votes.

    — source:

    Washington Post. The scores do not include missed votes.

  22. jac1975 Avatar
    jac1975

    What are Barrow and Marshall’s “Party Unity” score?

  23. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    No, IRE it IS NOT THAT EASY. When Republicans screw up it hurts Democrats too, because many non-engaged citizens are given further reason to believe that “they’re all a bunch of politicians”.

    As Democrats we must stake out our own values, principles and activities to prove to ordinary Americans that Democrats are decidedly different than Republicans and that we are looking out for them; their values and principles.

  24. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    Marshall:

    Stem cell-NO

    Choice-NO

    Port Security-NO

    Torture-YES

    Oil Companies-YES

    Electronic Surveillance-YES

    Extend Tax Cuts-YES

    These are things I care about, and lookie not all about the WAR

  25. indie_rock_elitist Avatar
    indie_rock_elitist

    Catherine, it is that easy. if the republicans mess up or do something bad, we benefit.

    but that being said, we can be proactive and stake out policies, actions etc that are good for us.

  26. chris Avatar
    chris

    Side note: big props to J. Jamieson for voting with the caucus at such a high rate in the Georgia House. At the same time out of 500 votes every year in the state legislature how many votes do you think the average voter is familiar with…1, 2 maybe?

    So few people pay attention to the state legislature that a lot of these guys from more conservative districts should be able to vote with the majority on procedural things since no one (except for your fellow colleagues and people who work at the capitol) is even paying attention.

    At the same time, Congress is a little bit different. Barrow and Marshall’s opponents staked a large part of their campaigns on their military positions compared to Barrow/Marshall, and Barrow/Marshall won in large part by assuring voters who were sympathetic to the Republican arguments that they would and wouldn’t do certain things. If any of you are surprised by these votes I have a hard time believing you were paying attention…what did you expect?

    Marshall and Barrow both voted correctly on the one vote that is more important than practically 99% of all the others, which is who to make speaker. They also have voted mostly with the Democrats on non war/military issues. Marshall’s stance in particular has been to be more involved in issues affecting veterans (such as concurrent receipt) while letting the executive branch set military policy. We may not agree personally with that stance but he has been consistent and I imagine he’d be consistent under a President Obama, Edwards or Clinton as well (letting them set the course).

    It’s disappointing but honestly the more time we spend beating them instead of focusing on the 98% of Republicans who are out of step with their districts the more favors we do for those same Republicans.

  27. chris Avatar
    chris

    So how exactly is a Democrat who wins a district carried by Bush, Saxby, Perdue, Isakson etc out of touch with his district because he “only” won by 800 votes? Sounds like he’s a lot more in touch than a bunch of other Democrats who’ve competed there.

    Also, I tend to agree with IRE, what is bad for the Republicans particularly in this environment is good for the Democrats. 96% of Democrats are voting to end the war, 98% of Republicans are voting to keep the status quo. When the country is so anti-war, I don’t think they particularly care whether 10 Democrats voted for or against something that passed overwhelmingly anyway.

  28. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    Barrow only won that district by 800 votes.. something tells me he isn’t all that in touch with them.. I’m just saying.

  29. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    So, the war is so popular in John Barrow’s district that he can’t help but vote to continue it? I find that difficult to believe.

  30. Rubyduby Avatar
    Rubyduby

    Um jac1975 – they do make a habit of voting with the R’s on all the major issues.

  31. Tim Avatar
    Tim

    Yeah, voting “their district” no longer an excuse.

    On Iraq, Marshall & Barrow are just wrong. Period. Does it mean we throw the baby out with the bathwater (someone give me a new one instead of this line please)? No, they’re just wrong.

    Voting their district? No excuse.

    Ask this lady – http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/house/bios/jamiesonJeanette/jamiesonJeanetteBio.htm

    See post here for info – http://www.georgiafordemocracy.org/blog/index.cfm?Fuseaction=ViewBlog&BlogTopicID=32

  32. jac1975 Avatar
    jac1975

    I’d rather have a “D” who votes my way 80% of the time than an “R” who will vote my way 0%. As Bernita pointed out, no one should be surprised by this vote. I understand it, although I may not like it. Now, if they made a habit of voting with the GOP on each and every major issue, THEN I’d guess they were DINOs, with very little to offer the party.

  33. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    No. It’s not that simple, IRE.

  34. indie_rock_elitist Avatar
    indie_rock_elitist

    whats bad for them is good for us.

  35. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    Eh, but you see, I’m much more interested in what is GOOD for Democrats than what is BAD for Republicans.

  36. chris Avatar
    chris

    Eh, if that’s how they feel about a particular issue then yes Bezerko. But if they aren’t for it, they shouldn’t vote for it just because most in the party do and they shouldn’t feel the need to educate the public about a position their party has that they don’t share.

    Politically speaking, it’s much worse for the Republicans that only 10 or so are joining with the Dems to vote against a massively unpopular war than it is that 10 Dems didn’t vote with the majority.

  37. BEZERKO Avatar
    BEZERKO

    Shouldn’t Marshall, Boren, Taylor persuade the electorate, or is it their job just to react to what they feel is what the electorate will accept from them? What is more important to you, The “D” next to their names, or the possibility that the “D” next to their names means something?

  38. RuralDem Avatar
    RuralDem

    It happens. There’s no politician that I agree with 100%. I do respect the fact that Marshall, Taylor, Boren, etc. are willing to vote how their constituents want them to vote, instead of doing like many and voting on blind party loyalty.

    If Democrats in Savannah do not turn out for Barrow, then I guess that’s fine Smitty, just please don’t come on here fussing about a Republican taking the seat.

  39. Smitty Avatar
    Smitty

    I wonder how many Augusta and Savannah Dems are going to hit the streets for Barrow in 2008?

  40. indie_rock_elitist Avatar
    indie_rock_elitist

    um…i think its known where i would stand on this.

  41. RJL Avatar
    RJL

    While I fully understand, as a former staffer, how Members in tight districts can be tipped that it is safe to vote against a measure, it is, nonetheless, sad to watch this on a recurring basis.

    I would rather be voted out of office than repeatedly abuse logic and morality to merely save a seat.

    Sooner or later you have to live with yourself.

  42. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    I emailed Tom Price earlier about his “disappointment” in the Democrats. He probably hit the delete button.

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