It’s masochism on my part, I suppose, but I have gotten on the email lists of the two leading GOP contenders who are seeking the nomination to challenge Congressman Mark Schauer (MI-07) this November. The leading leading contender is an odious man named Tim Walberg who held the position for only one term before being sent packing in 2008. His latest email is symptomatic of the absurdities being thrown around by the Republicans right now in their desperate bid to be relevant.
I’ve written about Tim Walberg before. He is a former minister who voted twice to not fund SCHIP and voted twice to sustain George W. Bush’s veto of SCHIP. He once vote against continued funding for Headstart because because it didn’t contain provisions that would allow faith-based groups to refuse to hire a Muslim or “a Wiccan from a coven in Ann Arbor” (a move that put Walberg on Keith Olbermann’s sarcastically named “Best Person in the World” list — not to be confused with Olbermann’s “Worst Person in the World” but equally unflattering.) He’s even been quoted as saying “Right now everybody in the United State has some health care, maybe even the emergency room…everyone can walk in an emergency room and receive basic health care“. Classic.
His latest email has two elements that really define where the Republicans are right now. First, he derides the president’s recent policy change with regard to the United States of America’s use of nuclear weapons:
President Obama’s Unprecedented Nuclear Stance Weakens Our Security
The president announced a new doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons, which according to Reuters news service, “the United States for the first time is forswearing use of atomic weapons against non-nuclear countries.” The article added, “those countries would be spared a U.S. nuclear response only if they are in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”I believe it’s very dangerous for the United States to place limits on our response to an attack against our nation. As stated by Charles Krauthammer, if a country attacks us with biological or chemical weapons and “if it [has] kept up with the IAEA inspections, it gets immunity from the massive nuclear retaliation … this to me is either insane or ridiculous. I can’t decide.”
We live in a dangerous world and it makes no sense to alert our enemies that they have no need to fear the use of certain strategic weapons. America needs to stand firmly with our democratic allies like Israel and avoid showing any weakness to terrorist countries. President Reagan showed us that peace through strength is the only effective path to follow in a truly uncertain world.
First of all, when you’re reduced to quoting Krauthammer, BZZZZZZTTTT!!!, you’ve alreadylosthanksforplaying. But let’s revisit that last sentence for just a second:
President Reagan showed us that peace through strength is the only effective path to follow in a truly uncertain world.
Wait. You’re invoking President Ronald Reagan to support the continuing proliferation of nuclear weapons, Walberg? RONALD Reagan? The guy who once said this???:
“I know that there are a great many people who are pointing to the unimaginable horror of nuclear war…. [T]o those who protest against nuclear war, I can only say, ‘I’m with you’… [M]y dream is to see the day when nuclear weapons will be banished from the face of the Earth.”
Jebus, there’s even a book out called Ronald Reagan and His Quest to Abolish Nuclear Weapons !
What I don’t understand is whether this is just plain ignorance or if the Republicans simply think that American voters are just too stupid to see the blatant hypocrisy of their words and actions.
And then, later in the same email, Walberg goes on to twist reality a bit more. Congressman Schauer has been, like many other Democrats (including the president), traveling around his district and talking to his constituents about the recently enacted health insurance reform law. Thanks to people like Walberg, people who have spent inordinate amounts of time demonizing this new law and making people, particularly the elderly, terrified of it, Congressman Schauer has felt the real need to get out into these communities to let people know what the reality is. Let them know that, not only is it not a socialistbiggovernmenttakeoverofhealthcareTM, this is something that will help them and, remarkably, does so while reducing the deficit. He’s been meeting in particular with senior citizens at various senior centers around MI-07 and doing a really good job at EDUCATING his constituents.
But Tim Walberg doesn’t like that one bit. Here’s what he has to say in his email:
On April 1st, we sent out the following press release:This is Not An April Fools’ Day Prank:
Mark Schauer Holding Health Care Town Hall Meetings after the Health Care Vote, again
Tipton, MI- Congressman Mark Schauer is holding a town hall meeting in Battle Creek this afternoon to discuss his recent vote in favor of the Obama-Pelosi trillion dollar health care bill. Mark Schauer holding a health care town hall meeting after the health care vote sounds like an April Fools’ Day prank on his constituents, but meeting with constituents after he votes on critical legislation is a pattern for the Congressman.
Last year, as noted and criticized by the Jackson Citizen Patriot and Daily Telegram Editorial boards, Congressman Schauer refused to hold unscreened public town hall meetings prior to his vote on November 7, 2009 in favor of the Obama-Pelosi health care bill. This week, Congressman Schauer is repeating his pattern by holding town hall meetings after his March 21st vote in favor of the final Obama-Pelosi health care bill.
“Mark Schauer’s votes for trillion dollar deficits and a trillion dollar government takeover of health care are harming Michigan families. He should at least have the decency to listen to his constituents before he votes in favor of health care legislation that will cost trillions, raise taxes, and reduce access to care for seniors,” said Republican Congressional Candidate Tim Walberg.
“I held town hall meetings when I had the privilege to serve the citizens of south central Michigan and I will be holding more to discuss the need to repeal the Obama-Pelosi health care bill and replace with common-sense, patient-centered reforms. Ending lawsuit abuse, allowing the sale of health insurance across state lines, letting small businesses join together to purchase insurance for their employees and giving people the same tax benefits as corporations when purchasing health insurance are all steps I support to make health care more affordable,” added Walberg.
The lies in this bit of fiction are legion. Congressman Schauer did, in fact, meet with his constituents throughout the district in the days and months prior to the vote. I attended one of his townhalls myself and wrote about it HERE. He had countless other appearances throughout the district with individuals, business leaders, civic groups, newspapers and … on and on …
But that’s not the worst of it. For Walberg to characterize this educational tour that the Congressman is currently engaged in as soliciting his constituents’ input after he voted on the bill is ludicrous. Walberg himself is largely responsible for the fear these people feel and Congressman Schauer is doing his job as their Representative to get out there, alleviate some of that fear, and set the record straight.
Tim Walberg was in Congress for two years and spent exactly zero minutes doing anything whatsoever to fix the broken health insurance system in this country. Now that something is actually being done and real leadership is being demonstrated, he’s sitting on the sidelines throwing poo. This is classic Republican behavior these days and they ought to be ashamed. Sadly and predictably, they are not.
I’m just sayin’…
