As I’ve posted previously, there’s more to Dave Reichert’s abusive franking practices than simply a flagrant waste of taxpayer money, for it is not just the medium that is at question here, but the message itself.
Yesterday I contrasted two franked mail pieces, one in which Reichert promises “bold” earmark reform, and the other in which he brags about the amount of earmarked bacon he brought home to his district. You can’t get much more hypocritical than that.
Or can you?
In a widely distributed franked mail piece from 2007 headlined “Issue Alert: Medicare Cuts,” Reichert touts his opposition to “devastating cuts” in senior benefits:
In this taxpayer funded mailer, Reichert promises to “uphold my pledge to protect Medicare,” from, you know, all those social service slashing Democrats in Congress.
And what kind of pledge exactly is Reichert talking about? Well, judging from this clip from May of 2006, back when he thought he and his fellow Republicans would still control Congress in the coming session, it wasn’t much of one:
Yup, when Reichert talks about taking a “closer look at government waste,” the first place he looks is Medicare and Medicaid, because “you get the biggest bang for the buck when you cut those programs.”
Wow. That’s some pledge.
Reichert has sent out over one million pieces of franked mail since winning reelection in November, 2006—none of them fact checked by media truth squads, none of them rebutted by the opposition, and all of them paid for with taxpayer money. He uses his franking privileges to create a demonstrably false impression about his votes in Congress and his stance on the issues.
And as far as I can tell, our local editorialists and columnists just don’t seem to care.
UPDATE:
The video clip above is ©2006 by TVW. You can view full coverage of Reichert’s speech here.
UPDATE, UPDATE:
YouTube has pulled the clip at TVW’s request, so exercising my rights under the fair use exemption, I have reposted the clip using a different service.
Piper:
Please list for us what Rep. Reichert’s legislative accomplishments are and why his track record of success should allow him to continue representing the 8th CD of WA.
Thanks,
GBS
BTW, as I’ve asked numerous times previously, please leave out the rhetoric regarding Darcy Burner. Just the positive results that easily demonstrates what Rep. Reichert has accomplished in his role as a congressman.
Thanks again.
@1…GBS…
I don’t have to defend Dave Reichert’s record since even if he were dead and rotting in his grave he’s a better representative of the 8th CD than the ultra-liberal, ultra-left, clueless The Darcy.
But how’s this…with Reichert, my wallet is safer – The Darcy wants in it since that’s the only way she’ll be able to pay for all her liberal pipe dreams.
And I also vote party – Dave’s “R” is one more chit on that side of the ledger when it comes to choosing up sides for the job of Speaker.
I have yet to hear a single credible reason to replace moderate Dave Reichert with the chattel of the netroots, The Darcy, who vies for the title the most liberal Congressional candidate on any ballot in the U.S. this year.
Remember what I wrote about how dumb she was to vie for Russ Feingold’s prize for being a “progressive” (read: radical left-wing) candidate for Congress. You think the cenrist voters in the 8th think that’s cute?
I know Democrats who live in the 8th who find her too extreme to the left for their taste.
And again…I’ve said this beaucoup times…the Irresponsible Plan is a joke and a mess.
Need I say more?
The Piper
@2
I don’t have to defend Dave Reichert’s record since even if he were dead and rotting in his grave he’s a better representative of the 8th CD than the ultra-liberal, ultra-left, clueless The Darcy.
Wow, you just broke the world record in intellectual laziness, Crackpiper, congratulations!
Need I say more?
No, you’ve thoroughly demonstrated how ridiculous you are already.
“But how’s this…with Reichert, my wallet is safer – The Darcy wants in it since that’s the only way she’ll be able to pay for all her liberal pipe dreams.”
Piper, Come November we’re going to pry open that precious fucking wallet of yours to pay for this stupid fucking war you supported.
Not only is Piper unable to come up with a single word in defense of Sheriff Dave, but his knee-jerk diatribes against Darcy have degenerated from lies through nonsense to nearly incoherent gibberish.
Piper:
Nope, you need to say no more.
Conservatives = Empty Suit.
You’ve clearly demonstrated it.
I’ve cordially invited you many times to have meaningful dialouge and debate. You either cannot or will not engage in honest debate.
It is again a view to the inner workings of your mind.
See analogy above, Mr. Conservative.
@4…Steve…
So you confess to being a thief – to no one’s surprise.
The Piper
@5…AF…
I’ve posted a couple messages to that effect, have you missed them or did they go over your head?
My money’s on the latter.
The Piper
More bombastic gasbagness from Piper?
Piper:
You’ve been challenged on the open thread @ 25.
@6…GBS…
Honest debate? You wouldn’t know it if it bite you in the nose.
You parrot lib talking points and smarm the leftist agenda – tell me where you deviate from or disagree with The Darcy, BHO – what are their liabilities and weaknesses.
I’ve criticized John McCain and Dave Reichert and others where warranted. But with you? One more puppet having your strings pulled by ideological masters.
You and original thought = an oxymoronic concept.
Now, if you want debate then knock off the juvenile perjoratives and kiddie antics and I’ll take you on.
The Piper
@7 “So you confess to being a thief – to no one’s surprise.”
So you’re going to pass off debt to your grandkids – to no one’s surprise. Selfish to the core – that’s you, Piper.
@9…DK…
Just for you – as you need air and water, so you need to be enlightened. Come out of the dark side, and you will be free!
And you’ll have more fun!
The Piper
It is embarassing that someone as intellectually weak as Dave Reichert is one of only 435 members of our nation’s House of Representatives.
I just can’t get enough of the stories about The Smartest Woman In The World getting her big fat ass kicked by a community rabble rouser. One of them “uppity” ones…
So much for the “clinton machine”. They failed on gore in an election he should have won easily. TSWITW is DONE and will go back to the senate with less power than fucking idiot patty murray.
@15 I love the sound of troll heads exploding. Thanks for sharing.
Pipesqeak @ 11: “I’ve criticized……Dave Reichert and others where warranted.”
OK. I’ll bite. When? Where? Over what? Or is the modifier ‘where warranted’ a smokescreen for ‘never’?
I assume you had the standard wingnutz criticisms of McCain during the primaries (over immigration reform, campaign finance, etc.).
But what about sheriff Hair-spray?
Piffle Scott @ 8: “My money’s on….”
Well, we already know that when it comes to getting the money down, you are just another chicken-hawk.
@17…PTBAA…
I’ve said Dave Reichert is more liberal than I would like.
Now, how’s about some objectivity from you on The Darcy? Is she pure as the driven snow and perfect in all respects, or does she have baggage and weaknesses? Just like my Dem friends in the 8th tell me she has.
Hmmmm????
The Piper
@19 “Just like my Dem friends in the 8th tell me she has.”
You have friends? Good Lord. No, I suspect that you’re lying again. Oh, wait, of course you’re lying – you’re a fascist bitch.
You know, of course, that that kind of comment of yours above is one of the weakest troll moves on the internets. Nobody falls for that shit. A lot of your posts contain that kind of crap. Try something else. It’s about raising the bar.
Leave it to the lead Donkey at HorsesAss to beat this (Franking) Horse to death……..What do you call that
Equine-icide?
Wake us up when you find something that’s worth reporting Lead Donkey. ’til then, keep trying to stuff that too small slipper on Darcy’s too large foot.
@21 Yet another failure to come up with a single good reason for any sane person to vote for a Republican – any Republican.
It’s really gonna suck for you come November.
Vote and enjoy a cola!
http://www.campaigncola.com/
Again not one right wing dick sucker here can or will try to defend Big Hair. It’s amazing that in the course of looking at two year’s worth of threads here, I can’t find even one GOP asshole who has tried. Man they must be REALLY sorry he’s their guy.
@15
You’re off topic, motherfucker.
Why not try to stickup for Sheriff Hairspray?
Gotta love how not a single troll is sticking up for their boy.
@ 26
Why Bother? HA isnt’ a debate site, it’s a meeting place for Liberal trolls trying to “AOL toughguy” one another and yell and whine and curse at anyone that dares cross their guarded Ideological bridge. i.e. Liberal fascists.
@27
You’re right that HA is a liberal site, but since it’s a liberal site it’s you right wing folks that are trolls.
Sorry, but liberalism and fascism are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. One can not be both liberal and fascist.
I think you’re not bothering to defend your boy because he’s not worth defending.
@28 Don’t waste your time trying to explain big words to Puddybutt posing as Rick D. Big words like fascist are WAAAAY out of his league. He’s just repeating Lush Flimbaugh talking points. And he’s also biding time until he gets to bow before PRESIDENT OBAMA!
Sorry, but liberalism and fascism are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. One can not be both liberal and fascist.
Nope. If a young Hitler were alive today he would most likely be a militant environmentalist. Most of the fascist were gay and wanted nothing to do with organized religion. It doesn’t surprise me that liberals constantly call others fascist being that they are fascist themselves.
Well, some things never change. Enjoyed the visit, Goldy.
Dog
Your world is a strange place. Hitler was a control freak who hated freedom. That’s where you live, cur, a place where people like Dick Cheney get to call the shots. I’m not going to compare GWB to Hitler. I don’t want another Hitler, and I pray to God that he was an aberration, the likes of which we will never see again. Yet you proclaim: “If a young Hitler were alive today he would most likely be a militant environmentalist.” Spare me such idiocy. Go howl at the moon, the moon which presumably still resides behind our incessant cloud cover.
re 2: When it comes down to it, you are just a clueless ideologue.
You don’t like Liberals? Well, gues what? We DETEST the likes of you.
And as November rolls around, keep this little thought in mind: “He who laughs last, laughs best.”
I beg your pardon, Piper, we never promised you a rose garden. I will fight every day of my life to ensure that you never again in your lifetime draw a breath in a Republican administration.
Riffing on Reichert comment thread:
23. Jane Balough’s Dog spews:
I wonder what you WingNutz will think when it dawns on you that all you elected to the white house was a little rough trade?
05/31/2008 at 10:57 pm
I will take a rough trade over a dem anyday. roof roof
06/01/2008 at 12:51 am
32. headless lucy spews:
re 23: Yes. I know you would.
“Rough Trade, a slang term for a masculine working class man who has sex with men (sometimes as a male prostitute)”
06/01/2008 at 9:25 am
Nuff said…
Piper Is Laughable Special Edition
” …with Reichert, my wallet is safer”
Iraq. $2 trillion. Enough said.
@7 Piper, please explain why you shouldn’t help pay for the mess you helped create — your reasoning escapes me.
@8 Your money isn’t down on anything until it’s in escrow. We know what wingnuts’ track record is when it comes to paying bets.
@15 Shut up and pay your gambling debt, cockroach turd!
@19 “I’ve said Dave Reichert is more liberal than I would like.”
Yeah, we know Mussolini is more to your liking.
@21 Well well, it turns out wingnuts aren’t nearly as concerned about government waste, fraud, and abuse as they wanted people to believe.
@27 Liberal trolls? How can we be trolls on a liberal blog? Silly you! You’re the troll here, not us!
If Rickie-Dickie is the smartest they’ve got over on Stefan’s sucky little blog, all I can say is, they sure grow ’em stupid over there!
Rog
The opposition has gotten dumber. Indeed, for the most part, those on the other side are not worth engaging. Any suggestions for how the opposition might rise to the level of actually be challenging?
Marks @ 31,
Welcome back! Are you still out of state?
— dj
@43 If they evolved from mineral matter into organic matter, that might be a start.
Notice how the GOP is totally okay with hypocrisy as long as they get to be the hypocrites?
headless lucy spews:
“re 2: When it comes down to it, you are just a clueless ideologue.”
Well, so is everybody here, lucy.
@19: The Darcy is fine by me for the most part. On some issues she’s not radical enough for my tastes, but I can live with it.
As for “baggage” or “weaknesses”, your attempt to turn a political contest into a shitfest of personality carping is a rather humorous flop.
Grow up.
People don’t seem get the 8th (which is where I live). What it isn’t is a place full of nice moderate people whose opinions on all issues fall exactly in the middle between Tom DeLay and Ted Kennedy. What it is is a place that used to be full of smug, complacent Republicans who elected the execrable Jennifer Dunn year after year, but is increasingly full of both well-to-do and working class Democrats who support an entire slate of progressive causes and who are sick of Republican mismanagement and waste. And every year more of these people show up in the 8th. Dave has kept his job so far by:
[a] Retaining the remaining Republicans
[b] Lying to everyone else enough to convince them that he cares about their issues, which he doesn’t.
[c] Receiving massive infusions of national GOP cash, particularly in late 2006.
Darcy had what was probably the slimmest margin of defeat against a Republican incumbent in the country in 2006. 2008 is worse for Republicans than 2006, and we’re going after Dave hammer and tongs. The Republican leadership has already said they will be putting their resources elsewhere this year, because they’re really busy defending safer seats. Like her or hate her, and I like her, Darcy Burner will be the next US Representative from WA-08.
Hey! Just like the Republican leadership!
15 MTR
So among your many other shortcomings, you’re a racist without the courage to use the word in public that you use in private?
Dog @ 30: Are you STILL mouthing that dribble equating environmentalism to Nazism?????
One of your ignorant rightwing sidekicks writes a book that tries to equate liberalism with fascism, revealing that he knows next to nothing about either, and you just repeat it like a recording? Or are you behind on the Limbaugh talking points, and are just trying to catch up with last month’s instructions, without realizing how thoroughly discredited, nay MOCKED, that thesis has become?
National Socialism (Nazi Party) incorporated a bit from just about every yearnings of the German people for a time prior to their defeat in WWII. Never mind that most of them weren’t acted upon in any significant way, or that most of them were inconsistent with one another. They made good talking points and sound bites from which the German people could sort through until they found something they liked. Trying to tie Nazi philosophy into a coherent political doctrine is impossible, it just get’s wierder the more you try to do so (and lots of Nazis tried). Kind of like the current Republican party when it comes to immigration policy.
Go back to school and learn a thing or two about 19th & 20th century political thought and history. Or at least read a couple dozen books that are written by somebody other than those on Limbaugh’s approved reading list. While you are at it, read a bit of Hegel, Sarte’, and John Stuart Mill, and compare them with Mein Kampf (yes, actually read it). It will take you at least a couple of years to sweep the cobwebs out of your head. Then, MAYBE, we can have a rational discussion.
Speaking of lying republicans, while we all knew that Bush/Cheney rumsfeld lied and twisted the intelligence – the definitive report is now in. And Dave Reichert was 100% all the liers that brought us this unnecessary war:
From : http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com
re 47: Nice use of the: “Pee Wee Herman Defense” – From Pee Wee Herman’s famous cry of “I know you are, but what am I?”
@52 Wingnut Reasoning: Hitler liked animals, therefore was an environmentalist, therefore environmentalists are Nazis.
Reality: Republicans are an exotic invasive species that are bad for the environment and therefore should be quarantined.
@52 (continued) “Trying to tie Nazi philosophy into a coherent political doctrine is impossible, it just get’s wierder the more you try to do so (and lots of Nazis tried). Kind of like the current Republican party when it comes to immigration policy.”
Two things we can count on is that Republicans are (a) detached from facts and (b) completely irrational. For example, a recent poll showed the #1 concern of Vermont Republicans is illegal immigration — even though Vermont has virtually no illegal immigrants.
@47 Another failed attempt by an aider and abettor of the Wingnut Mess to defend himself by saying, “You guys are just as bad as we are.”
Nope, we’re not! When it comes to cluelessness, lack of moral compass, and sheer stupidity you wingnut retards are in a class by yourselves.
re 47: re 47: Back to the drawing board! Back to the drawing board!
rhp6033 @ 52 – “kind of like the current Republican Party when it comes to immigration policy ”
Nice glossing over the reality there rhp. Republican don’t have a problem with LEGAL immigration, it’s the ILLEGAL immigration (read foreign nationals) that are invading this country that we have a problem with. You really think the US can absorb unfettered migration to this country from every corner of the world and still exist as a Nation? I don’t think even the most vacuous liberal believes that, even the Lead Donkey on this site. That said, let Goldy’s marionettes (i.e.HA trolls) begin their inane rantings showing just how tolerant liberals are to a counter opinion.
Rick @ 59: Sorry, but I am not “glossing over the reality” at all. There is NO official Republican policy on immigration right now. They tried to make a policy in 2006, but found too many internal dissents to create a coherent policy. Within the Republican party you had the “legalists” (those who were against illegal immigration), the the “anti-immigration” people (who opposed just about all immigrants unless they were from Great Britain), and the corporate interests who favored as much immigration as possible, in all forms, in order to keep wages down.
That’s not to say the Democrats don’t have some internal dissent on the issue also, but not to the extent you will find it in the Republican Party.
In the meantime, politicians in states where it is safe to do so (i.e., no big voting blocks of hispanics, etc.), and where polling has indicated “concern” among blue-collar workers over immigration affecting their jobs, local GOP Congressmen have been hitting the issue.
But as I posted before, the “illegal immigration” issue is one of those issues where they can CLAIM that it is only illegal immigration which is the problem, but at the same time use it as a code word to rally the support of those who dislike immigration of all types, as well as quite a few racists who bristle at the idea of any Hispanic providing competition for their jobs, even if they were born here and there families have been in the U.S. for several generation.
The GOP may adopt a position on immigration as part of the party platform at their convention, but I suspect it will be very watered down and vague, requiring no specific action at all (which isn’t that much different from most party platform planks, of course).
(My wife’s step-mother is Hispanic, but her family has lived in California for more than a hundred years before the Mexican-American war. She likes to say that she is “Californian”, not “Mexican”, and that it is whe “Anglos” who are the illegal immigrants there. But she still gets rude comments from time-to-time, from people who call her a “wetback”, and tell her to “go back to Mexico”.
@30
Actually, the fascists in Germany sent gays to the gas chambers. Gay’s didn’t fair much better in Italy or Spain.
And that eco-stuff you’re spouting got shot down minutes after the BIAW published it.
Idiot.
@30
Socialism——————Fascism. See it works like that with us Lefties over on the left with the Swedes and you Righties over on the right with … Well nobody any more.
Good ole sheriff Dave tried to ram McCain down our throats at the convention, and it is hilarious how the media video release edited out the thunderous booing he received, repeatedly. He was dumb enough to keep trying it. Then finally we laughed at him. Of course, that’s not all they edited out…but it was the most amusing.
@63
So, who do you like?
@64 Hi Michael,
The only one I’ve seen that I could vote FOR is Ron Paul. Anyone else would be just trying to vote for the lesser of the evils (as if such a thing were possible) by voting AGAINST the ones you think are worse. The others are all members of the same elitist gang of thugs, and not a word from any of them can be believed. I’ve watched Dr Paul for many years, and he is for real.
Love ya, Goldy! Just being sociable…er, whatever…
@ 60 RHP6033~ thanks for the civil response. Not a common occurence on this board.
When I said Republican’s, that is what I meant…as in not an established party policy as you correctly stated. There has been little movement on an established “policy” because the corporate types are angling for cheap labor (laws be damned) and the ordinary conservatives want to adhere to the rule of law (current U.S. immigration policy).
My ex-wife is hispanic and grew up in El Centro,CA.(as close to Mexico as you can get and still be in the U.S.) She’s never vocalized to me the same encounters that you spoke of with your step-mother and she’s worked in Numerous states throughout the Country since.
I see it this way…….when the rate of migration surpasses the rate of assimilation, chaos reigns. I also see an “equality aspect” to this argument since we’re dealing primarily with illegal crossings coming from our southern border. I have a good Phillipina friend that has been trying to get her mother here since her fathers death in 1996 and going through the process, but so far has been unable to do so.
You don’t think Illegal immigration has affected the rate at which Legal immigrants have been allowed to enter and claim citizenship status? Is it right for someone to cut in line of those willing to go through the process? Do we shrug our shoulders and say “I know you were trying to do the right thing, but we don’t care because they’re here and you’re not”? is that the America you grew up in RHP?
Cuz it is most certainly not mine.