Politico’s Daniel W. Reilly, in an article speculating about which twelve Congress-critters might be persuaded to change their minds and vote for the Wall Street bailout, mentions a member from Washington state:
Rep. Doc Hastings(R-Wash.)
A moderate Republican, Hastings told the Yakima Herald that he was undecided until Sunday night. In the end, he said he voted no because there were still “too many concepts” and not enough details about taxpayer exposure.
Why, Hastings is not only moderate, I’d say he’s downright mavericky. From a quick interest group ratings search at Project Vote Smart:
2007 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the Business-Industry Political Action Committee 92 percent in 2007.
2007 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 74 percent in 2007.
2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the Business-Industry Political Action Committee 100 percent in 2006.
2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the Consumer Action 0 percent in 2006.
2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association 100 percent in 2006.
2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 100 percent in 2006.
2005-2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the American Forest and Paper Association 100 percent in 2005-2006.
2005-2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the Associated General Contractors of America 90 percent in 2005-2006.
2005-2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the International Warehouse Logistics Association 100 percent in 2005-2006.
2005-2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the National Association of Manufacturers 100 percent in 2005-2006. The following ratings indicate the degree that each elected official supported the interests of the organization in that year.
2005-2006 Representative Hastings supported the interests of the National Electrical Contractors Association 88 percent in 2005-2006.
Yep, that’s pretty darn moderate. If he gets any more moderate he’ll be duty bound to support mandatory $18 million golden parachutes for all executives of failed companies. The New Bi-Partisan American Capitalist-Communism has its own internal imperatives, after all.
Essential truthiness requires that “moderate” Republicans be identified to get this thing passed (NOW!!!!) on behalf of our “moderate” masters on Wall Street, at NAM and the Chamber, et al. Any delay will result in the threat of unreceived paychecks and the inability to satisfy consumer lust for luxury automobiles through 72-month loans. The latter is a prospect so terrifying that the only proper course is to curl into a fetal ball and start screaming “9-11” at the top of one’s lungs.
You know the drill by now. Duck and curl, as it were.
Don’t worry about the voters, most races for the House of People’s Deputies Congress are not truly competitive anyhow. Despite economic uncertainty please note the price of Victory Gin has remained unchanged for two weeks, and credit cards charging as little as 21% APR are now accepted at liquor control outlets.
Long live the Glorious People’s Bank of the Republic, where our friendly but oddly familiar-sounding motto is “You pay, we decide.”
It’s amazing how fast guys like Doc become commies when it’s Wall Street who needs food stamps!
Meanwhile, the Seattle Times reports that WaMu’s creditors may go after ousted CEO Kerry Killinger’s $16.5 million severance pay.
Although WaMu’s retail banking operations were sold to JP Morgan Chase, the company itself filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. Under federal bankruptcy rules, creditors can challenge payments made to corporate insiders in the preceding 12 months.
This provision could also make the $18 million paid to Alan Fishman, who was CEO for 3 weeks, vulnerable although Fishman’s compensation might be harder for creditors to reach, according to the paper.
The Times also noted that any WaMu stock which Killinger or Fishman held onto is now virtually worthless.
3 of the top 4 contributors to Obama’s campaign are:
1) Goldman Sachs: $691,930
3) Citigroup Inc: $448,599
4) JPMorgan Chase: $442,919
@3 You know for sure that Rethugs are in deep shit when even Wall Street fatcats pour money into the Democratic campaign! This is the end of the line for the Party of Fools and Idiots …
When the Republicans controlled the House they realized that Doc Hastings was so stupid and manipulable that he be the perfect person to chair their ETHICS COMMITTEE in that chamber.
Under Hastings nose all sort of corruption, graft, mayhem and attempts to diddle little boys went unnoticed and unprosecuted while Doc “totally in the tank” Hastings did absolutely nothing.
This man is a complete good old boy dumbshit who is a total disgrace to the office he somehow continues to hold.
3 – Those are the solvent outfits.
Big contributors to McSame include Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns.
Then there’s the lobbyists like Greenberg Traurig that old roosting place of Jack Abramoff.
So , what of our complicit Patty D & Maria Dum , who’s interest will they be supporting today when the Senate votes ? Anytime the elected bodies vote like lemmings there is hell to pay . The multi-trillion war in Iraq , The Patriot Act , Hurricane Katrina , Nafta ..
Why in the heck are Democrats & Republicans financing the foxes to sustain an unsustainable economic model ?
On the subject of “moderate conservatism,” in honor of the economic crisis I’ve started reading Studds Terkel’s oral history of the Great Depression, Hard Times.
The 1986 Forward, written at the height of the Reagan era, has a great quote:
We really haven’t crawled out much from Reagan’s long shadow.
I was thinking about this also, after hearing this interview on Democracy Now about FDR. Another “Then and Now” moment.
But – but – but – the media told me all Republicans are “moderate” !!!
@7 “So , what of our complicit Patty D & Maria Dum , who’s interest will they be supporting today when the Senate votes ?”
I’m glad you asked! They’ll be voting for the interests of Americans. No, not you, just the real Americans — the people who work, pay taxes, fight wars, and do all the other things that make this country function. That doesn’t include any of you Republicans. They’ll vote for this bailout to rescue Main Street which has been ravaged by Wall Street and the Party of Kleptos and Thieves, also known as the GOP.
Thomm Hartman’s radio show is right now going over the back and forth between Herbert Hoover and the Congress over the banking crisis of that time.
The parallels are frighteningly similar.
The fight is over who do you give money to?
Wall Street who will only be left to do what they’ve been doing.
Or Main Street who if they don’t get better financing terms will be thrown out of their houses, will lay off employees from their small business or shut them down all together.
Eventually FDR took over and decided to bail out main street and the country was way better off for him taking that course.
As usual from a left-wing-kook web site, 100% invective and sloganeering, 0% substance.
Patty Murray is nothing more than the Democrat equivalent of the way that article describes Doc Hastings, ie a party lemming. Her most notable achievement is to hold more fundraisers for herself in DC than any Senator in US history. Maria Cantwell is not much different.
“..real americans – the people who work, pay taxes, fight wars,and….”
Yeah, but most billionaires are Democrats. They LIKE the socialism-for-the-rich system which Democrats foisted on us starting in the 30’s. Studs Terkel? If it weren’t for the Stalinist leanings of the avant garde of the 30’s, he would have been what he was qualified to be…. a wino babbling at the end of the bar about all that he would do to fix the world.
You got it Rabbit , question my patriotism because i question my / your elected leaders .
I work , i pay taxes ,and like you and i also vote very Liberal , i just think The bi – partisan votes that are lop sided seldom are good votes .