Thaddeus McCotter, Mike Rogers, Candace Miller, Dave Camp and Fred Upton voted no yesterday on H.R. 4247, a bill titled "Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools." The bill is straight forward.
Sec. 5. Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to establish minimum standards that: (1) prohibit elementary and secondary school personnel from managing any student by using any mechanical or chemical restraint, physical restraint or escort that restricts breathing, or aversive behavioral intervention that compromises student health and safety; (2) prohibit such personnel from using physical restraint or seclusion, unless such measures are required to eliminate an imminent danger of physical injury to the student or others and certain precautions are taken; (3) require states to ensure that a sufficient number of school personnel receive state-approved crisis intervention training and certification in first aid and certain safe and effective student management techniques; (4) prohibit physical restraint or seclusion from being written into a student's education plan, individual safety plan, behavioral plan, or individual education program as a planned intervention; and (5) require schools to establish procedures to notify parents in a timely manner if physical restraint or seclusion is imposed on their child.
These Members of Congress are determined to say NO to everything Democrats introduce. SO determined that they can't even vote for the physical and mental safety of our children and grandchildren.
Everyone should be outraged.
Stupak
D-1
Yes
Hoekstra
R-2
Didn't Vote
Ehlers
R-3
Yes
Camp
R-4
No
Kildee
D-5
Yes
Upton
R-6
No
Schauer
D-7
Yes
Rogers
R-8
No
Peters
D-9
Yes
Miller
R-10
No
McCotter
R-11
No
Levin
D-12
Yes
Kilpatrick
D-13
Yes
Conyers
D-14
Yes
Dingell
D-15
Yes
It doesn't matter what constituents want, or need. The party of NO continues to thumb their noses at us figuring we can't do anything to unseat them. Go give their opponents a few bucks, or volunteer a few hours of your time. Let's make their arrogance an issue.
And Mr. McCotter, we haven't forgotten your outlandish comments about kids on the floor of the House during the S-CHIP debate. It wasn't cute then, and it isn't cute now.
When the House of Representatives passed a resolution of disapproval against Rep. Joe Wilson for his outburst during President Obama's address last week, some Republicans were quick to label it a time-wasting distraction from more important issues.
"At least Republicans weren't wasting time demanding meaningless apologies," Stewart noted with seeming approval.
Stewart then played a clip from last July of Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) introducing a resolution "calling on President Obama to retract and apologize for his remarks regarding the conduct of Cambridge, Massachusetts police sergeant James M. Crowley, Jr."
Labor Day has come and gone, Congress is back in session, and McCotter --- who as head of the Republican House Policy Committee has the fourth highest leadership position in the GOP House minority --- held a grand total of zero town halls over the summer. This is par for the course for Thin-Skinned Thad, who seems to be allergic to unscripted events and unscreened audiences.
On the other hand, McCotter has done a lot of talking to people who aren't his constituents. His official website contains the following podcasts for July and August:
July 2: On the Dennis Miller Show discussing foreign affairs.
July 10: With Inga Barks Kern on the future of the "new GM."
July 13: On RTT News discussing the "new GM" and Michigan's economy.
July 13: With Steve Gill, WLAC on CIA, the economy, and taxes.
July 13: On Dateline Washington discussing the "new GM" and the possibility of 20-percent unemployment in Michigan.
July 15: With the House Republican leadership on "Proposed Health Care Bureaucratic Mess."
July 16: On WWJ Newsradio 950 explaining his "yes" vote on the auto dealer "Reset" amendment.
July 16: WDET on the "Stimulus That Has Not Worked" and Michigan's economy.
July 20: On Frank Beckmann,. WJR, discussing health care and jobs.
July 24: On the Steve Gill Show criticizing the current health care plan and its end-of-life provisions.
July 27: With Howie Carr WRKO, Boston, discussing his resolution demanding that President Obama apologize to Cambridge police officer James Crowley.
July 27: With Mitch Albom, WJR, telling his own story of "police officers doing their job."
July 27: With Dick Purtan, WOMC, about the Crowley resolution.
July 27: On Washington Times America's Morning News discussing the Crowley resolution.
July 27: On Paul W. Smith show discussing the Crowley resolution.
July 27: On Alan Colmes radio criticizing "presidential overstepping" with respect to Officer Crowley.
July 28: With Bob Dutko, WMUZ, disccussing the Crowley resolution.
July 28: Discussing the Crowley resolution on American Family Radio.
July 28: With Mancow WLS, Chicago, on the Crowley resolution.
July 29: With Inga Barks Kern discussing the Crowley resolution and commenting on health care.
July 30: On Finneran's Forum, WRKO, demanding a presidential apology to Crowley and commenting on the health care debate.
August 4: With Greg Corombos discussing clunkers and tax hikes.
August 5: With Dennis Miller on Michigan economy and health care.
August 5: With Greg Corombos discussing "clunkers" and tax hikes.
August 5: With Dennis Miller on the Michigan economy and health care.
August 12: Discussing health care with Fred Thompson.
August 15: Discussing health care on FOX with Brian Wilson.
August 23: On Fox News with Eric Shawn Discussing unsolicited e-mails by the White House.
August 24: On Americas Newsroom with Megyn Kelly, discussing White House "spam e-mail."
Right-Wing Media Outlets 29
Constituents 0
To sum up, McCotter can make time to spout right-wing talking points on television and radio (mainly on right-wing media outlets) and can do the Full Ginsberg on a meaningless-and hypocritical-resolution involving the president's remarks about a police officer in another state but can't find the time to meet with constituents back home.
his spokesperson, Anne Tyrrell, said McCotter has conducted "town hall meetings by phone" on three occasions. Telephone calls go to constituents and, if they choose to do so, the recipient can respond. McCotter received input from 30,000 constituents through these calls, Tyrrell said. Town hall meetings draw about 200-300 people, she said.
I'm cynical. I believe those "telephone hall meetings by phone" never happened, or if they did, the participants and their questions were screened for McCotter-esque sympathy, and philosophy.
So how about it Thad? Prove me wrong. Release those "telephone town halls." And yes, Thaddeus, you will have to provide evidence that they really occurred during this summer's Congressional recess.
Just a reminder, this is the guy who has the unmitigated chutzpah to close his letters to constituents with "I work for you." It's time to help him find a new line of work.
Please. Tell them you support health care form and it must include a public option. And tell them you expect the legislation to be passed this year.
When a Member of Congress advocates that you call him and his colleagues, you have to think it'll make a difference. This morning that's exactly what Russ Feingold, Senator from Wisconsin communicated in an email.
Greetings,
Last night President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to health care reform saying: "I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last." He isn't going to give up on real reform. Neither am I. And I know from you emails and online comments that you aren't either. This is our opportunity to pass meaningful health care reform, including a strong public option, and we can't let it slip through our fingers.
I don't usually do this, but now more than ever, my colleagues and I need to hear from you. Please take a moment to call their offices today.
Call the White House: 202-456-1111
Call Your Representative in Congress: 202-224-3121
Call Your Senators: 202-224-3121
Right now the best thing you can do is keep the pressure on your elected officials, no matter what their stance is. My colleagues and President Obama - need to keep hearing form supporters of real reform. Thanks for all you do.
Sincerely,
Russ Feingold, United States Senator
What's the matter? Oh. You live in McCotter's district and know he'll blow you off. Call his office anyway. If nothing else it'll annoy him.
Thaddeus McCotter's Campaign Committee disbursed $4000 to the Joe Wilson for Congress Committee in October 2008. Thin-skinned Thad gave the guy who so rudely interrupted President Obama twice during his address to Congress last night by yelling "you lie."
And since we're looking, who else did McCotter give money to in 2008? Here's a pared down list.
Michele Bachmann
MN-6
$4000
Lincoln Diaz-Balart
FL-25
$4000
Virgil H. Goode, Jr.
VA-5
$4000
Duncan Hunter
CA-52
$4000
Lynn Jenkins
KS-2
$2000
Daniel Lungren
CA-3
$4000
Marilyn Musgrave
CO-4
$4000
Bill Posey
FL-15
$2000
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
FL-18
$4000
Jeannette Schmidt
OH-2
$2000
Tim Walberg
MI-7
$6000
It reads like a list of the birther caucus, eh?
And since there is apparently no end to his generosity, he also made substantial contributions to his party.
Michigan Republican Party
$58,300
National Republican Congressional Committee
$356,000
It speaks volumes about McCotter. Simply put, he backs and bankrolls the most extreme right wing nut jobs.
Lucky me. Last week I got a robo-call inviting me to an "energy rally," held on Thursday evening at Burton Manor in Livonia. You might have heard about these rallies. They're a classic example of "astroturfing": phony grassroots activity funded by the special interests. In this case, they're funded by Big Oil.
What do you call it when a Congressman's Chief of Staff misleads a constituent by telling them it is illegal under Michigan law to record a telephone conversation when they're a participant?
Blackmail.
What do you call it when a Congressman's Chief of Staff tells a constituent that the office won't talk to him unless he removes YouTube videos from the web?
Blackmail.
Last month Eric Shelley, who was the 2008 Green Party candidate for Congress in MI-11, recorded several conversations with McCotters's office as he fruitlessly attempted to ask about town halls and set up a meeting with McCotter.
You guessed it.
There's a new video. In it, McCotter's Chief of Staff Andy Anuzis (yes, he's Saul's little brother) told Shelley that recording conversations was illegal and also said McCotter's staff would not talk to him again unless he removed the earlier videos from YouTube.com.
If you assume a value to Shelly's videos - if they have no value, why is the Congressman's office so interested in them - and since Anuzis is the agent of a public official who is using his influence to talk about "a crime" and is withholding access to McCotter until those videos are removed, this starts to smell like extortion.
750.539c Eavesdropping upon private conversation.
Sec. 539c.
Any person who is present or who is not present during a private conversation and who wilfully uses any device to eavesdrop upon the conversation without the consent of all parties thereto, or who knowingly aids, employs or procures another person to do the same in violation of this section, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for not more than 2 years or by a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.
History: Add. 1966, Act 319, Eff. Mar. 10, 1967
In Michigan it's not illegal to record a conversation in which you are a participant. Mr. Anuzis should read Sullivan v. Gray, 342 N.W. 2d 58, 60-61 (Mich. Ct. App. 1982). The court ruled that a participant in a private conversation may record it without violating the statute because the statutory term "eavesdrop" refers only to overhearing or recording the private conversations of others.
You don't get to make stuff up in order to intimidate constituents Andy.
And about that "requirement" that the YouTube videos be removed in order to be able to talk to a Congressman's office, maybe you ought to think about why they were made in the first place. Thaddeus McCotter refuses to meet with people who whose positions differ from his. And it's painfully obvious that McCotter has no intention of meeting with Shelley even if he removes the videos.
Is a prosecutor going to argue blackmail in front of a grand jury about this? No. However Congressman McCotter, it really is time for you to go. You've crossed another red line here.
The PGA season is winding down, but it appears that we're in the midst of sectional qualifying for the 2009 Wingnut Open.
One of the star qualifiers is Michael S. Rulle, Jr., who wrote an article comparing Thaddeus McCotter to Walt Kowalski, the Polish American Detroiter played by Clint Eastwood in the film Gran Torino. I kid you not.
If the Pro Wingnuttery Tour keeps statistics, Rulle is in line for a trophy for Most Right-Wing Talking Points in What Passes for Film Criticism.
My Congressman is Thaddeus McCotter. He's made it quite clear that he doesn't want to hear from constituents. So, I'm happy to see his opponent, Natalie Mosher, step up and talk to people in the 11th Congressional District.
Ms. Mosher recently visited some local establishments and struck up a few conversations on the subject of health care. Please watch.
McCotter has been out right lying and fear mongering about the topic. Affordable heath care for all is something we can't back down on. I'm glad to see Natalie thinks so too.
You've got to hand it to Thaddeus McCotter. Not only is he a member of the House GOP leadership--head of the Policy Committee, to be exact--but he's firmly established himself as the Walter Mitty of that body.
Last year at this time, you might remember the "speak-in" he organized in the House chamber. That was a make-believe House session--albeit with real, but very right-wing members--he called after the real House adjourned for the summer. McCotter was upset that the House hadn't passed an energy bill: the GOP energy bill, also known as the Drill, Baby, Drill Act of 2008.
Not satisfied with starting a repertory company, McCotter recently tried his hand at writing rock songs.
This provision may start us down a treacherous path toward government-encouraged euthanasia if enacted into law."
"...With three states having legalized physician-assisted suicide, this provision could create a slippery slope for a more permissive environment for euthanasia, mercy-killing and physician-assisted suicide because it does not clearly exclude counseling about the supposed benefits of killing oneself.
Assisted suicide is a red-flag issue here in Michigan, where Jack Kevorkian assisted in a number of suicides before making the grievous error of acting as his own lawyer in a murder prosecution against him.
Republicans like McCotter are good at waving red flags at voters.
Once upon a time, WJR-AM was the "station of record" in Detroit. Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey brought Tiger baseball into people's homes; the genial J.P. McCarthy interviewed the city's movers and shakers; and the soothing voice of Jay Roberts kept insomniacs and third-shifters company on "Night Flight." Not any more. The station that once called itself "The Great Voice of the Great Lakes" has become a very large cog in the Republican Noise Machine, spewing out 50,000 watts of right-wing bile to a huge swath of the nation's midsection.
Which makes WJR the perfect audience for Thaddeus McCotter, the flannel-mouthed congressman from Detroit's western suburbs. In person, McCotter talks like a constipated Snidely Whiplash and has a skin thinner than the paper our grandparents used to send airmail letters. The man fancies himself a rock musician. That is, when he's not trying to act like the second coming of William F. Buckley. (Aside to McCotter: it's bad form to use a five-dollar word in a $7.50 sentence.)
This is welcome news. Finally - some attention by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to MI-11. Today the DCCC announced the release of a Families First ad campaign.
Thaddeus McCotter, this means you.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), chaired by Congressman Chris Van Hollen, today announced the DCCC is launching a Putting Families First ad and grassroots campaign in 28 targeted Republican districts. The ads focus on the Republicans out of step priorities by putting bank bail outs and building schools in Iraq before the needs of the Americans in the struggling economy. The Putting Families First ads begin airing on Tuesday morning during drive time and will run for a week.
In addition to the strategic radio ads in 28 Republican districts, the DCCC will also begin a grassroots initiative which includes targeted e-mails to 3 million voters and nearly 100,000 person-to-person telephone calls.
McCotter and his Republican co-horts need to hear from all of us about how unsatisfied we are with his performance. Need a talking point?
McCotter opposed over $526 million to modernize crumbling Michigan schools, but supported building new schools in Iraq.
Tell the Congressman that it's time to put Americans first.
First in an occasional series; cross-posted at DailyKos.com
Someone needs to warn Rita McCotter that her husband, Thaddeus, is madly in love with himself. Nowhere is that more evident than when he takes to the House floor to pontificate about the issues of the day. The most recent scene in the McCotter romance took place last Friday, when he took to the House floor to criticize the the U.S. House's vote in favor of the financial rescue package, which he had strongly opposed...
Slowly more of the details surrounding the House vote on the financial rescue package last Monday when 133 of 199 Republicans voted no despite John Boehner's, the House Minority Leader, efforts in favor of passage are surfacing. And once again, Thaddeus McCotter (R-Livonia) displayed his pettiness and inability to be civil to those he disagrees with.
Another Boehner ally, Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter of Michigan, physically turned his back on the leader during a tense closed-door GOP conference meeting Sunday night.
People who were in the room said McCotter left abruptly after Boehner told members not to attack one another. Boehner tried to reach out to McCotter as he left. McCotter kept walking.
McCotter wants his way, or no way. His definition of compromise is he decides and you go along. He's not a team player. Ol' thin-skinned Thad doesn't have the temperament to work with others.
If you couldn't get your job done, walked out of key meetings and turned your back on co-workers, what would happen to you? You'd lose your job. McCotter should lose his.
The Politico article tells us a few more choice tidbits about that vote. At his press conference immediately following the vote, Boehner evidently hurting from the defeat lashed out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"We had a dozen members that we thought that we had a really good chance of getting on the floor," Boehner told reporters afterward. "And all that evaporated when the speaker spoke."
But, not so fast. When cooler heads prevailed, out came the real story.
By Monday afternoon, staff members in the offices of Republican leaders were blaming one another for the failed vote.
Blunt said he had come to the floor thinking 75 Republicans would support the plan. He was off by 10 - just short of the 12 that were needed to turn defeat into victory.
But Boehner told a different story. He said that the GOP leaders never thought they'd get more than 68 Republicans to support the bill - and that he sent Blunt to tell Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) as much nearly two hours before the vote.??"I sent [Blunt] down to talk to Hoyer, 11:30, quarter to 12, somewhere in that time frame," Boehner said. "We had a pretty good idea where we were, where we thought we could get to. And Hoyer knew."
Boehner added: "I did not talk to [Hoyer], so I don't know what their conversation was. [Blunt] and I had that conversation. We talked about 'Should we just rise [walk out]?' It wouldn't have been good, but I thought it would have been better than this. It really doesn't make any difference."
Democrats, for their part, said they assumed Blunt was lowballing his whip count to force Pelosi and the Democrats to line up more votes from their members.
Meanwhile, Americans continue to feel the brunt of Congress' folly.
I just received a robo-call from Thaddeus McCotter (R-Livonia) proudly announcing he was the first member of Congress to oppose legislation to ease our current massive credit contraction. He didn't call it that of course. He used a Republican talking point and said "bailout."
So, just what is Thad doing about this world crisis? Politico brings us what McCotter said on the floor of the House this morning.
McCotter referred to President Andrew Jackson and the battle over the Bank of the United States, Fyodor Dosteovsky and "The Brothers Karamazov," and finally, Lenin and the 1917 Russian Revolution.
McCotter's point was that the bailout was an infringement on the freedom of individual Americans and a threat to majority rule in the United States, although his reasoning was somewhat hard to follow. But it sure was quotable.
Great Thad. The world's financial systems are melting down and you make bad literary analogies. How about doing something to help the situation that happened when YOUR party controlled the White House and consciously de-regulated the financial services industry?
But, no. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee you never bothered to even attend a hearing. A hat tip to Michigan Messenger for reporting how you don't represent your constituents.
As a member of the two most important subcommittees - the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises and the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity - McCotter paid little attention as the financial hurricane gathered and grew.
He did not attend any of 13 committee or subcommittee hearings for which there are transcripts available on issues directly related to the current crisis. While representatives of the minority party have little opportunity to influence the committee's work, the hearings offered repeated opportunities for McCotter to hear expert testimony, question witnesses, and stake out policy positions for the benefit of his constituents.
What a way to restore confidence in our economy. It's no wonder the majority of Americans are sick of politicians and their antics. McCotter is a prime example. It's time for you to go Thad.
So much for respecting our system of government. A group of constituents show up at his office and present a petition signed by 400 other constituents in support of a sustainable energy plan and Thaddeus McCotter calls them clowns.
Mr. McCotter, I was there. I was in your office that day. We were told that you were not there. My account of what happened is very different. Interesting, isn't it, that you posted this childish antic within minutes of us leaving your office.
I'm not even sure there are words strong enough to describe this violation of the public trust and office holder responsibility. And, this is what passes for "leadership" in the Republican party. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.
We've always known that your mind is made up and you're not interested in facts. But, mocking constituents for having an opinion that is different from yours? You owe every constituent an apology.
I hope that your opponent is watching closely. If I were him, I'd take copies of both your email encouraging "counter-protestors" and your effort to mock constituents to every editorial board that will endorse candidates in the November election. Our media needs to see the how you treat citizens.
Everyone deserves to be represented in Washington, not just those you agree with, or those who fill your campaign coffers, like Tom DeLay. You should change your sig line to "I work for them."
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said "people are calling [the Republican's talkathon] historic." Last Friday, it may have been a stunt, but now it is serious, he said.
What's going on now with the talkathon? Nothing. That small group of Republicans have left Washington for the remainder of the recess. Thaddeus McCotter has folded up his circus. Unfortunately, he's too arrogant to ever see how silly he looked.
You would think that a Congressman who signs his letters "I work for you" would be happy that constituents were interested in sharing their perspective about an issue, especially one he was grandstanding about. But sadly, Thaddeus McCotter was indignant that MoveOn.org organized citizens to deliver a petition to his office about energy policy.
Before anyone even arrived he sent out an official email, using your tax dollars by the way.
When you read between the lines, he wanted a counter-protest. Someone also called the police while we were assembling in the parking lot. Yes, that's right. Livonia's finest just happened to show up at 11:58 and follow us to his office.
Follow me on the flip to see what these "extremists," who weren't protesting anything by the way, but merely delivering a petition, looked like and get the details.
Vowing the voices of the vast majority of the American people would not be silenced by the Democrat Congress' Stalinist tactics, Republicans took to the dimly-lit, microphone and C-SPAN-silenced House floor. There, they demanded a vote to lower gas prices by unleashing America's oil and energy resources" from the clutches of the left-wing special interests controlling Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat Congress.
It's Swift Boat ads all over again. Our fine friend Thaddeus and his cohorts think they can spin, lie and bully their way into another election year. All of a sudden August 2008 is feeling a lot like August 2004.
What's Thaddeus huffing and puffing about? Let's take a look.
"the Democrat Congress' Stalinist tactics"
Stalinist? Hardly. Last Friday the House voted to adjourn and take a five week recess, same as they do every year at this time. Same as they did when Tom DeLay, Dennis Hastert and Newt Gingrich were Speaker and the Republicans were in the majority and setting the agenda. Under House rules--which is an extended version of Robert's Rules of Order, motions to adjourn are not debateable. The body votes immediately on the motion. If the motion passes--all you need is 50%+1 of those present--the session ends and everyone goes home. It's the way every legislative body works.
So for all the bluster, nothing unusual happened. McCotter only wants you to think something happened. The majority sets the agenda. It always has. Tom DeLay constantly reminded us the fact, by refusing to entertain legislation to end the war, rescind the Patriot Act, create a sustainable energy policy, or investigate the long list of Bush administration abuses. Funny how Republicans want one set of rules for them and another for everyone else when it suits them.
"they demanded a vote to lower gas prices by unleashing America's oil and energy resources from the clutches of the Left-wing special interests controlling Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat Congress"
If this weren't sad, it would be funny. After Dick Cheney held closed meetings with the heads of energy companies to fix prices (anyone remember Ken Lay and Enron?), it's hard to believe the Republicans can say this with a straight face. What Thaddeus is really saying is "Republican and big oil interests are different from the Majority's, and we don't like it." If you listened to scientists instead of oil company lobbyists once in a while Thad, you might figure out that drilling in the Arctic and the Gulf of Mexico isn't going to fix our energy problems, nor will it lower gasoline prices.
This is our generation of Americans' 'Boston Tea Party!'
Wow! I had no idea that John Adams and the Sons of Liberty were shills for whale oil companies.
House Republicans will be rearranging schedules, flying thousands of miles, and refusing to take a paid vacation. Instead, the GOP will take to the House floor every day to ensure the voice of Americans' is heard; there is a vote to make our country energy secure and independent; and keep America the greatest nation on Earth!
Flying thousands of miles. Now that's a way to conserve energy.
Thad, your constituents are curious--why--during all those years of a Republican majority in both chambers--wasn't a comprehensive energy policy developed?
Oh, I forgot. Drilling in the Arctic is your energy policy.
A word to the wise about your excessive use of exclamation points, Congressman McCotter. They make you look silly and they make creative writing teachers cringe.
