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Down With Upton

By: Tabitha Hale (Diary)  |  November 22nd, 2010 at 11:52 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Erick already touched on this earlier, but it is worth repeating. Fred Upton is exactly the type of Republican we should be working to unseat.

  • He was one of only 38 House Republicans to support the Democrats’ Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that removed millions of acres of federal lands from oil and gas leasing, thus driving up energy costs for consumers.
  • He was one of only 20 Republicans to vote against an amendment that would have reduced the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 funding to 2008 levels.
  • He teamed up with Democrat Jane Harman to pass an invasive energy bill which mandates that only politically-favored “environmentally-friendly” light bulbs be used. Yes, he thinks the Constitution gives him the power to tell you which light bulb you can use.
  • Here is an exhaustive list of his votes dating back to 2003/2004.

He is entirely out of step with the Tea Party, with the GOP, and with America. There are many others who are much more qualified for this position – guys who don’t want to ban the incandescent light bulb.

Sign the petition here to tell the GOP that putting this guy at the head of the Energy and Commerce Committee would be a disaster.

COMMENTS

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  • fpete13527

    What don’t you get about that???

    • http://www.mauricebonamigo.com bonamigo

      I know Fred Upton and I have been trying to find a solid conservative to run against him for the past 2 election cycles. However, I may have found a true conservative who does have the capability to take him down.
      The major problem is with the republican Party of Michigan, they are still playing the good old boys club and little “Freddy ” is their darling boy.

      Maurice Bonamigo
      President

      Maurice Bonamigo & Associates
      Telephone: (312) 664-6353 Chicago
      Mobile: (312) 402-3797
      Facsimile: (561) 658-3718
      Email: maurice@mauricebonamigo.com
      Web site: www.mauricebonamigo.com

  • spim

    (just me personally – they may be great – I am only somewhat ignorant)

    but I signed it anyway

    definitely shouldn’t hurt at all

    Thanks very much for the info and link

    • davesinsanantonio

      a straggling handful will be ignored or worse, Millions will be heeded. Thus the nature of politics.

  • romanmoronie

    Upton is a trust fund baby with nothing better to do. I’d say he’s a RINO, but I think its closer to the truth to say he just follows the path of last resistence. He’ll stay because his family is popular in his stronghold of St. Joseph, MI., home to Whirlpool Corp. Locals still identify the Uptons with Whirlpool, originally the Upton Machine Company for you history buffs. As long as Whirlpool drives the local economy (and located in a community of 9000, how can they not?) and this company is doing well (it is) there will be no shortage of people checking his name in the primaries regardless of who opposes him. A very good candidate opposed him this last time and he was trounced

    • davesinsanantonio

      has done and is doing. A community of 9000 does not elect a member of the House, but a much wider community does. So, educate them all. Start now. It may take the full two years to get it done, so start now. Teach them correct principles and they will get it right most of the time. Even if he wins again, he will learn that the path of least resistance is to not go against the voters. At least it will cost him time and money to run again, and every time from now on, and that may influence some of his political behaviors. Even if it doesn’t, you will have educated the electorate and that will spill over into other elections for other offices–not a bad result at all.

    • henryhiggins

      With virtually no name recognition, and very little money, Tea Party endorsed candidate Jack Hoogendyk ran against money machine Fred Upton and won 43% of the vote. Not exactly trounced, all things considered. The media coverage Upton is getting now would have put Jack over the top in the primary. He gave Upton the fight of his political life and put him on notice for 2012. Upton campaigned in the primary on the premise that we should vote for him because he is in line to chair the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. Not so fast, Fred.

  • E Pluribus Unum

    My point of view is well known, I am advocating Joe Barton for this – a veteran leader, known conservative, wise and fair when in a position of power.

    Upton? Ugh.

    • Old_Dominion

      I can already see the ads of him groveling to the BP executives.

      Upton has his flaws, to be sure, but speaking as a rare Republican Main Streeter here, it would be nice if all the moderates didn’t get lumped in with the liberals.

      • E Pluribus Unum

        What happened on Nov 2 was not an endorsement of the MSRP point of view. I think we’ve had about 50 years of doing Republican things your way. Maybe it’s time to try the actual conservative thing.

  • jpmon

    There is a lot of thoughtful discussion on this blog about coalition politics and the importance of allowing all members of the coalition to have a voice. Even if you disagree with their stance on a certain issue or strategy, telling them to be quiet and sit in the corner isn’t productive. Erick’s discussion over the past few weeks on disputes between social and fiscal conservatives has been one of them.

    Upton is a moderate conservative. He holds a seat that Obama won by 10 points in 2008, yet he won the same year by 20. Nothing should be surprising about the fact that he drifts from the party line from time to time because it is exactly what his voters want. You can disagree with the stances he’s taken on a few of his votes but he is a part of the coalition that has made a Republican majority. There will probably be about 50 or so members in the next congress that would embrace their depiction as a moderate because of the nature of their districts. It may not be a huge chunk of the caucus, but it is a necessary one that also deserves a seat at the table.

    Upton’s 95% lifetime American Conservative Union rating should demonstrate the fact that he is no Arlen Spector. He is a seasoned, consensus builder that has the experience and temperment to push through the conservative policy that will be at the top of the 112th’s agenda. To push respected lawmakers like him out of leadership would be a mistake.

    • fightinmad

      . . . isn’t the kind of leadership we want or need. If he embraces the “Global Warming” lie then he doesn’t need to be the leader of the Energy and Commerce committee. We need strong leaders in each committee that hold true to conservative values and our Constitution. Taking away our rights over what light bulb we use or toilet we flush is getting to be too intrusive. We must draw the line in the sand and fight to keep it there. No compromise in any area. It is imperative we keep our victory clean and strong. The people have spoken. No Upton!

  • http://jakespeaks.wordpress.com/ Jake W

    Upton’s no conservative, and he’s not my first choice for the committee, but I still don’t think he’ll be the disaster you guys are making him out to be.

    At the very least, read Fred Barnes’ piece on Upton here http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fred-upton-chairman-house-energy-and-commerce-committee_517972.html

    I’ve commented on it previously, but Upton’s for repealing Obamacare, abolishing the House Select Climate Change Committee, barring EPA from takign any action without congressional approval, and reconsidering the lightbulb ban, saying of his vote,

  • kaptkane

    a one way trip to some other “socialist” country for him. See how long it takes till he’s begging to be let back into the United States of America.
    They all gotta go. Period.
    And at this point I don’t care how it happens.
    Think about that.

  • miroco

    is what got us here. The pinkos set the terms of the debate and our airheads err on the side of fairness. Abortion is bad except —so we end up at except when you don’t want a baby. Being reasonable should be grounds for dismissal now that we finally have enough people awake and paying attention.

  • bodenet

    Upton has drank the Kool-Aid of the left. He is one more socialist – communist Janissary to get out of office. People react strongly when I call the left communists…we can call them Maoists,Marxists, Leninists, Marxist-Leninists or anything else. It does not matter. Upton and the likes of him are part of the destruction that has been proceeding in this nation stealthily before now, for many decades. It is time to put a stop to march left regardless of what you call it. The problem is hat people like Upton have drank the Kool-Aid and they think they are right.