Congressman Jerry Lewis' $30,000 Portrait
Congressman Jerry Lewis has had a change of heart. Well no, he has not, really. He is hearing that he may not be a shoo-in for the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee like he thought. So it seems to be time for damage control and spin. And spin it is.
According to a story in yesterday’s Press Enterprise:
Ratcheting up his calls for reduced spending — and his bid for a key position in the next Congress — Inland Rep. Jerry Lewis introduced legislation Monday that would return all yet-to-be obligated federal stimulus money to the U.S. Treasury.
So how much stimulus money would this affect? About $12 billion of the $787 billion, a drop in the bucket in comparison to the federal budget. It is not that we don’t appreciate every effort, we simply don’t appreciate opportunistic behavior by our congressman.
As recently as last week, while appearing at the new county government center in Hesperia, California, which was named after him, Congressman Lewis defended earmarks, better known as pork barrel spending. Earmarks, which Lewis refers to as a “direct form of democracy,” will far exceed $12 billion.
After Lewis became the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee the first time, Republicans lost control of the House the following term. The Wall Street Journal dubbed Lewis “The Minority Maker,” blaming his strong support of earmarks, despite the public’s outcry over federal spending, as the reason Republicans lost so many seats.
Lewis has been caught up in a number of scandals and has been under federal investigation for years over his use of earmarks to reward political friends with lucrative contracts. He has not only assisted those he represents in California, but also in Washington D.C., where is wife owns property.
We hope that the new Republican leadership in the House will not repeat the mistakes made in the past. Just weeks ago voters across the country sent a mandate to elected leaders on both sides of the isle. It is time for responsible government. Tax-and-spend politicians will be voted out of office.
Republicans must listen to this mandate and put a fiscal conservative in the leadership role of the House Appropriations Committee. Lewis is anything but a fiscal conservative. He is the wrong choice for one of the most powerful positions in Congress. Voters will remember two years from now the choices made today. Let’s not allow the Minority Maker a chance destroy Republican hopes in 2012.
In 2012 a The Tea Party candidate will challenge Lewis in an agressive insurgent campaign. Lewis will go down in defeat.
All excellent points regarding Lewis by administrator. Even if King Gerald does succeed in forcing his way back into the chair of the appropriations (spending) committee, I will beat him in the June 2012 primary.
Redistricting and the open primary system here in CA will not be kind to King Gerald. I would like him to run in 2012 because it will bring some sport to the election.
It is up to each individual congressman as to whether the lobbyists will be in the front seat or the citizens.
While the lobbyists may not like my style, the citizens will benefit by being in charge.
New Leadership…Hunter For Congress 2012…Putting You First.