OK, so it is obvious who I am going to vote for, but you may ask, "Why?" What is so bad, so....self-serving, about Cantor's record? I have addressed this in the past and yet far too many voters in the 7th district either did not hear or chose to ignore it. As this election is as important as the last one, I will attempt yet again to bring facts to the fore, in the hope of encouraging others to think, do some research, and to finally see that Eric Cantor is not at all what he claims to be - Either a Republican or a conservative. I will not address Cantor on a personal level at all, I will simply place his voting record in front of you, cite the locations where one may find this information for themselves, and compare his record to his rhetoric and the Republican Creed.
The Republican Creed:
We Believe:
That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice,
That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society,
That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government,
That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing Constitutional limitations,
That peace is best preserved through a strong national defense,
That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation.
There are two issues facing our nation right now that must be addressed before others. They are the economy and our civil/human rights, as codified in our Constitution. I submit that Eric Cantor has done nothing to correct the economic malaise that we are facing, in fact has only exacerbated it, and that his votes have served to strip us of our First, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights, at the very least. I will now cite for you those votes/actions, which serve to prove that Cantor is not only no conservative, but he cannot even qualify as a Republican, if the Creed means anything at all.
"That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government,..."
Cantor makes speeches, that's all he does is make speeches, he never answers any questions, about helping the middle-class, helping those who seek jobs, helping those businesses that seek to grow and expand and hire more people. You have all heard those speeches many times. He calls for fiscal responsibility in Washington, D.C., he talks about how the Democrats just spend and spend and show no restraint or fiscal responsibility. Well, Let's look at some of Cantor's "fiscal responsibility," shall we?
During the Bush years (This would be prior to the Obama Administration) Eric Cantor voted twice for TARP. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the cost to taxpayers at a minimum of $34 Billion (That's Billion with a B) and possibly could cost the taxpayers as much as $100 Billion. That includes the 7th Congressional district of Virginia.
During the Bush years Cantor voted twice for PEPFAR. This was Bush's plan to send $55 Billion (That's Billion with a B) of U.S. taxpayer money to Africa, so that nations on that Continent could fight AIDS. Can any of you Cantorites find that article in our Constitution which authorizes such spending?
Eric Cantor voted to extend the Import-Export Bank Charter, costing U.S. taxpayers $140 Billion (That's Billion with a B). This is allowing the government to pick and choose winners/losers in the private business sector, including foreign companies, using U.S. taxpayer's money. Again, can you find the article in the Constitution which authorizes this spending?
Eric Cantor continues to vote to fund AmTrak, a financial black hole if one ever existed. From 2010 to 2014 the U.S. government (Read U.S. Taxpayers - That includes Virginia's 7th Congressional district) have forked over more than $4.4 Billion (That's Billion with a B) to subsidize AmTrak, with AmTrak proclaiming their 2012 fiscal year a success, because they lost ONLY $361 Million.
Eric Cantor recently pushed and voted for the "Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act." This is $13 Million per year from 2014-2023 coming out of the taxpayers pockets. Now before you go getting all sanctimonious on me for bringing this up I want all you Republican faithful to compare this to any such spending bills proposed by Democrats and how you react to them. And I will also ask, once again, please show me the article in the Constitution which authorizes such spending.
Eric Cantor voted for No Child Left Behind when it was presented during the Bush years. I will not go over the total costs since its inception, I will just tell you that the cost to taxpayers in fiscal year 2014 is $14 Billion (That's Billion with a B). Are you one of those Republicans who has, as I have, called for the abolishment of the Department of Education at the federal level? Be honest now. If you are, then how do you give Cantor a pass for funding this abomination?
Eric Cantor voted for Medicare Part D. In 2010 the cost to U.S. taxpayers (This includes the 7th Congressional district of Virginia) was $62 Billion (That's Billion with a B). Anyone think that the costs have gone down since then?
Eric Cantor has voted to raise the debt ceiling under both Bush and Obama. The most recent such vote was in February of this year. That vote not only increased the ceiling, but gave Obama unrestricted use of the budget to spend however he saw fit.
Fiscally responsible? Budgetary restraint? Republican? You tell me.
"That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing Constitutional limitations,..."
We must also address the continued erosion of our civil rights under both the Bush and Obama administrations. As much as you enjoy laying the blame for these things at the feet of Democrats the fact is that Republicans, including Eric Ivan Cantor of the 7th Congressional district of Virginia, have contributed mightily to this erosion. Here are some examples:
Eric Cantor voted for the Patriot Act under Bush. This was the precursor to the NDAA during the Obama administration. The Patriot Act all but abolishes your Fourth Amendment rights against illegal searches and seizures. It allows agents of the U.S. government to "write their own warrants" without due process of law. Don't believe me? Ask Judge Andrew Napolitano.
Eric Cantor voted for the NDAA. Among the onerous aspects of this bill is the fact that the U.S. government can incarcerate anyone they "think" might be involved in terrorist activities. No big deal you say, it's about terrorists. Well, you should know that this includes U.S. citizens, not just foreign nationals. It also does away with due process of law. You remember due process of law, don't you? Things like obtaining warrants from proper sources, like judges, by showing EVIDENCE, not just conjecture or "we think." Things like a right to an attorney, a right to confront ones accusers, a right to a speedy trial by a jury of ones peers. Remember that stuff from the Constitution? Well, the NDAA does away with all that. Don't believe me? Ask Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Judge Napolitano, or better yet read it for yourself.
Eric Cantor voted for H.R. 6166 under the Bush administration. The Military Commissions Act of 2006 grants more authority to the Executive Branch and creates military tribunals for U.S. citizens. Remember all the screaming and gnashing of teeth about Obama having/exercising too much power as just the one branch of the federal government? Well, thank Eric Cantor and the spineless Republicans who granted power to that branch. Oh yes, I know, they did that under the Bush administration, but now do you see how these things play out when we ignore the Constitution?
Eric Cantor voted for H.R. 347, The Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011. Why is this a big deal? It allows the Secret Service to arrest on felony charges anyone whom they deem to be protesting too close to a political figure that they are protecting. Say goodbye to your First Amendment rights of free speech and thank your Eric Cantor.
Eric Cantor voted for the FAA Reauthorization Act. This bill allows the U.S. government to spy on its own citizens, sans warrants, using unmanned flying drones. Bye-bye Fourth Amendment, thank you Eric Cantor.
Eric Cantor has voted for CISPA and SOPA, both designed to give the government more power over your computers and what we can and cannot access while on them. They also have provided the impetus for the NSA spying on U.S. citizens that is so much in the news. Thank you Eric Cantor.
This is but a short list of Cantor's continued efforts at spending more money and restricting our liberties. During his tenure the federal government has done nothing but grow and go deeper in debt. Please stop buying the lies you are fed. You may continue to ignore this if you like, but you do so at your own peril and that of your children (See what I did there?). If you care, I mean really care, about the Constitution, individual liberty, fiscal responsibility, and the future of our nation, then you will take what I have listed here and do your own research. If you don't want to believe me, fine, look it up yourself. Don't be lazy like those non-thinking, robot-like Democrats, use your brain and see for yourself. I am confident that once you do, you will see, as I have, that Eric Cantor is not the man who should be representing the 7th Congressional district of Virginia.
Is Eric Cantor a conservative? Is he even a real Republican? You tell me.
Links:
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php
http://www.opencongress.org
http://votesmart.org
