Minnick Can't Win For Losing And Inconsistent Voting Is A Loser

Hello Conservatives,


It’s going to be a tough week for Walt Minnick. After his inconsistent votes on Saturday he is getting heat from all sides. As you know Saturday Mr. Minnick voted against HR3962 National Health Care Reform but before that vote a bi-partisan majority of 176 Republicans and 64 Democrats voted to bar the use of federal funds to subsidize abortion in the Health Care bill. Mr. Minnick voted against the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. In a statement, he said he does “not want a government bureaucrat denying a medical procedure ordered by a woman’s physician.”. Come on Mr. Minnick National Health Care Reform will do just that to all Americans. Some bureaucrat will be deciding what medical procedures they will approve for a doctor to perform on all of us. What’s the difference? I said yesterday that I did not believe Minnick’s vote had anything to do with the cash donations his campaign  got from pro-choice groups but that statement makes one wonder. It makes no sense to vote two different directions.

In Ridenbaugh Press/Northwest Randy Stapilus said of the two votes, “It was the occasion of one of Idaho Democratic Representative Walt Minnick’s tougher votes, and what he did may have some significant political repercussions. The votes may simply have been votes of conscience, in which case he may have done what he felt he had to do. Whatever his motivation, there will be political results.”….The Idaho Choose Life site had this devastating formulation: “After standing-up for free abortions as an essential health care right for women, he went on to vote against the broader health care bill. One could understand Mr. Minnick’s priority to be abortion, but not basic health care.” ICB was also mentioned in this article quoting me as saying, “I think Mr. Minnick just opened a huge winning issue for whoever gets the Republican nomination to challenge Minnick next year.” You can read the entire article at http://www.ridenbaugh.com/index.php/2009/11/08/minnicks-split/

Then after taking heat from us on the right IdaBlue, a local left blog wrote this headline, “Minnick should switch parties. Now! Congressman Walt Minnick has issued a press release saying that he will not vote for the House health care bill. You know, the one that the AMA and the AARP just announced that they support? The one that is still struggling to get the necessary 218 votes? The one that will cover the most Americans, that will reduce the deficit, that has the best changes to lower health care costs? Yeah, that one.

"Well, for me, that's the last straw. Walt, please switch parties. Now, so a Democrat can prepare for the election a year from now. Oh, but wait, that might mean you were actually willing to do something to help Democrats. I guess it's better from your perspective to do all you can to stop Democrats from getting anything done.

"Walt, please, just be honest and switch parties. You masquerading as a Democrat is embarrassing and dishonest.” The jabs continued from there. You can read the entire article at, http://idablue.blogspot.com/2009/11/minnick-should-switch-parties-now.html

So with the inconsistent votes Minnick alienated himself from both sides. This is the problem with trying to be a blue dog on this vote when you’re really a pro choice liberal. With one vote Minnick tried to please the conservative base that wanted Bill Sali out and were willing to vote for a liberal disguised as a blue dog but, he could not vote for the abortion amendment and turn the pro choice crowd out of his court. It seemes to have backfired and he achieved neither. It’s going to be a long year for the Minnick camp.

ICB