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Henry Cuellar:The Kind of Democrat We Can Do Without
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Henry Cuellar:Some people say that America needs to get the Republicans out of Congress in 2006. I say that America needs to get the right wing out of Congress - whether the right wing is represented by Republicans or Democrats.
The campaign of Ciro Rodriguez against Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar illustrates the difference between these two different approaches to the 2006 congressional elections. Henry Cuellar is a Democratic member of the House of Representatives, but that doesn't mean he votes as a Democrat ought to vote. Henry Cuellar's voting record shows that he is as often aligned with right wing special interest groups as he is with the American people.
In spite of the growing scandal of widespread corruption in Congress, Representative Cuellar failed to support H.R. 2412, a bill that would have provided more information about contacts between lobbyists and politicians, and which would slow down the revolving door of politics in which politicians move into cushy corporate jobs after they retire in exchange for favors. Cuellar's failure to act leaves the door open for more bribery and corruption of the sort we have seen from Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay. Is that what Cuellar had in mind?
Henry Cuellar is so snugly in bed with the right wing that he is the only Democrat ever to receive the endorsement of the Club for Growth. The Club for Growth is a right wing political organization that first gained prominence through its infamous statement that supporters of Howard Dean were latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, body piercing, Hollywood-loving, left-wing freaks who ought to all move to Vermont, where they belong. Henry Cuellar ought to be ashamed to have earned the endorsement from such a group of unscrupulous Republicans.
Henry Cuellar was silent when his Democratic colleagues stood up in support for H.R. 952, a bill that would have put an end to the practice of extraordinary rendition, whereby Bush Administration officials knowingly sent prisoners to nations where torture is routinely practiced. Torture is an anti-American value, yet when Henry Cuellar had the chance to do something to stop it, he did nothing.
Henry Cuellar also withheld his support from H.R. 1157, a bill that would have kept government spies from searching through your library records and bookstore receipts without your permission and without your knowledge. Cuellar seems to support government efforts to spy against law-abiding Americans.
When we took a look at the important actions of the House of Representatives in 2005, Henry Cuellar only supported progressive values 25 percent of the time. The rest of the time, Henry Cuellar stuck his head in the sand and let the Republicans run the show, or worse, helped the right wing steal the keys to government. It's no wonder that the right wing Club for Growth supports the re-election of Congressman Cuellar this year. Forgive us if we don't join them.
We thank Democrat Ciro Rodriguez for challenging Henry Cuellar this year, and ask that other Democrats who believe in progressive values follow his example. Across America, Democratic voters will have the opportunity to vote in primary elections, to replace right wing Democratic incumbents. These primary elections do not receive as much attention as the general elections on Election Day in November, but they are every bit as important. It is the primary elections that will enable Democratic voters to ensure that, when we regain a Democratic majority in Congress, it is the kind of Democratic majority of which we can be proud.
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