Rep Marion Berry (D-AR) Doesn’t Want to Hear from Constituents

Originally posted on Boot Berry

I just contacted Representative Berry’s office (again) and asked if he has any town hall meetings or other public appearances scheduled for the August recess. Their answer was typical of the response I seem to get everytime I contact his office, nothing.

“As of now, he doesn’t have anything scheduled,” was all I could get from the man on the phone. Of course, it’s July 31 so that means he’s not going to schedule any time to hear from the folks back home.

One would think, with such an important issue looming as the government takeover of our health care system, the Congressman would want to hear from his constituents while he’s back home. Especially if the answers I’ve been getting to my questions are correct–that he hasn’t yet determined his position on the so-called “public option,” he doesn’t know where he stands on employer mandates, he can’t refute the inevitable rationing of care with previously released versions of the bill, he has no response to questions about the so-called “end of life counseling” that could also be referred to as “go ahead and die counseling,” etc.

Congressman Berry evidently doesn’t want to hear from the same constituents who responded to the Talkbusiness.net poll we reported on here. The 86% who are satisfied with their current health care system may demand he not sell them out to the left-wing Obama-Pelosi branch of the Democratic party. The 74% who prefer private insurance companies to an impossible to navigate monstrous bureaucracy may insist he side with them in this life and death battle. And the 59% of Arkansans who don’t want their taxes increased to fund rationed care of reduced quality may demand he ignore special interest groups like ACORN and the SEIU and listen to those he supposedly represents.

Perhaps he plans to spend his time off pandering to those he really represents, the folks who fill the coffers of his campaigns. Of course these folks aren’t even from Arkansas for the most part! So maybe it’s little wonder he has no intention of engaging voters in his district during the August recess.

His staff informed me that his Jonesboro office handles scheduling when Berry’s in Arkansas. So be sure to attend the Recess Rally closest to you. Let’s also overwhelm his staff in Jonesboro with calls to demand our employee listen to us. After all, he does work for us.

Marion Berry’s Jonesboro Office
(870) 972-4600
(800) 866-2701
(870) 972-4605 FAX

Great Quotes from Democrats

Here are a few interesting recent quotes from Democratic elected officials that show just how out of touch the party is with voters.

“There is no point in meeting with my constituents and [to] listen to them and have them listen to you…”–US Representative Tim Bishop (D-NY) “What good is reading the bill if it’s 1,000 pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find what it means after you read the bill?”–US Representative John Conyers (D-NY) “This mantra out there ‘live within our means,’ while it sounds really nice, while it sounds really simple and it sounds really responsible, it’s meaningless.”–California Assemblywoman Noreen Evans “We know some of this money is going to be wasted.”–Vice President Joe Biden

I’ll post more here as I find them, but these are enough to get started.  If you have links to more, please post them in the comments and I’ll add them to this post.

Dodd and Obama: Corrupt Birds of a Feather

by Michelle Malkin at Townhall.com

Everything you need to know about false Hope and Change can be found in one picture: the image of President Obama embracing embattled Sen. Chris Dodd.

The troubled Democrat is in deep over his sweetheart Countrywide home-loan deals, corporate bailout cash and crony associations. New revelations by Countrywide whistleblower Robert Feinberg confirm what more and more of Dodd’s constituents in Connecticut are coming to realize: He’s a lying weasel.

Dodd denied knowledge of the special treatment the subprime mortgage company had given him and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad on home loans. (Dodd’s were worth more than $800,000.) Feinberg flatly contradicted him in secret testimony on the Hill this week.

…More

Why Won’t They Sign? (Update)

UPDATE–104 Republicans, still NO Democrats have signed the Pledge!!!

UPDATE–3 more Republicans signed the pledge. 104 Republicans, NO Democrats. Why?????

UPDATE–3 more Republicans signed the pledge. 101 Republicans, NO Democrats. Why?????

It’s a sad thing that our elected representatives would refuse to read sweeping legislation that would impact every American before voting on it, but that’s the attitude among Democrats in Washington these days. Here’s Representative John Conyers (D-MI) telling the National Press Club there’s no point to reading the bills he votes on because he can’t understand what he reads anyway!

I guess that’s why NO Democrats have signed Let Freedom Ring’s Responsible Health Care Reform Pledge.  Of the 535 members of Congress, only 98–all Republicans–have signed the pledge promising to read the bill before voting for it and guaranteeing the American people access to inspect the bill for a minimum of 72 hours prior to any such vote.

Why won’t the Democrats sign?  Perhaps Conyers speaks for the entire majority in the US House.  Why read it if they’re incapable of understanding it?

Use the links on the right side of this page to contact your Congressmen and Senators and demand they sign the pledge!

Does Marion Berry (AR-01) Accept Federal Farm Subsidies?

So which is it, Congressman? View the following video and referenced articles to find the truth! Marion Berry has long denied that he owns any farms that accept subsidies, yet his response to a question on the topic yesterday seems to contradict this. And the data shows “slick” Berry is may seem more dim witted with age but he has been more than smart enough to fleece the public for years.

Blue Dog Berry – Not so Blue With Farm Subsidy – Ken Cook at Mulch reports: Blue Dogs Are Big Winners In Subsidy-Laden Farm Bill . . .

Arkansas Rep. Marion Berry (D) Cashing In on Federal Service . . . receives farm subsidies . . . – Consider if you will, between 1996 and 2000, farm and land-holding companies that Berry owns with relatives in eastern Arkansas have received $750,449 in federal crop subsidies, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture records. . .

The Other King of Pork — AR Representative Marion Berry – Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR) promises more pork barrel spending now that the Democrats are in charge of Congress. This is no surprise. Last year, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote, “Arkansas’ Rep. Marion Berry would like to be known as the king of pork. “Nothing would please me more,” he says. . . .

BOOT BERRY

Keep Talking Mr. President!

After two more health care town hall meetings yesterday in North Carolina and Virginia, the President’s poll numbers continue to crash. He’s doing more good for the conservative cause than anything else!

Keep talking Mr. President!

Something Everyone Can Do: Recess Rally

As you probably know by now, the Blue Dog Democrats have sold out to the Pelosi-Obama alliance in the House and it appears an Obamacare bill will be voted out of committee by the end of this week. With supermajorities in both the Senate and the House, we’re much closer to a government-run health care system than we were just yesterday. But now is not the time to lose heart, now is the time to step up the pressure on our elected officials in DC.

President Obama has staked his presidency on passing his vision of health care reform. He’s campaigned for it for weeks straight and it’s done him more harm than good. His approval ratings have crashed, only 23% believe Obamacare will reduce health care costs, and Republicans have led in Rasmussen’s Generic Congressional Ballot for five weeks straight.  We’re winning the battle against the President’s dream of a government run health care system.  This sell-out by the supposedly conservative Blue Dogs is nothing more than a last ditch counter attack by Pelosi-Obama Democrats in this political war for our American way of life.

We must now meet this surge by our political foes with all the force we can muster.  Fortunately, an alliance of conservative organizations has come up with a plan of attack.

At noon on Saturday, August 22, 2009, protests will take place at the local offices of US Congressmen across this land.  Rather than enjoy their annual August vacation, our elected representatives will be forced to acknowledge the overwhelming will of their constituents as we gather at a local Recess Rally to demand our Congressmen vote AGAINST any government-run, Socialist health care system.

These rallies will be held at every local office of every Congressman in the country.  Now is the time to stand up and be counted.  It’s the time to demand your representatives understand they work for us.  It’s our money they’re wasting and our lives on the line if they’re allowed to create the bureaucratic labyrinth envisioned by the Pelosi-Obama wing of the Democratic party.

Join us as we take to the streets and make our voices heard at a local Recess Rally at noon on Saturday, August 22, 2009!

Blue Dogs sell out, no details released

UPDATE: 2:08 pm CST–Blue Dog holdouts named

Today, leader of the Blue Dog Coalition in the US House Representative Mike Ross (D-AR) announced a deal has been reached between his supposedly fiscal conservative comrades and the left-wing leadership of the party of Pelosi and Obama. Virtually no details of the deal were released, although Ross stated one condition calls for a floor vote on the final bill no earlier than September, after the August recess.  Today’s deal will likely result in the compromise bill moving out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee by week’s end.

Ross said of the agreement, “It cuts the cost of the bill significantly by over $100 billion. It protects small businesses and it saves our rural hospitals and ensures that if there is a public option, it will be just that. It will be an option providing consumers more choices. It will not be mandated on anyone. And it now will clearly be on a level playing field.”  But again, we have no details.

The announcement will very likely give the President a boost as continues to plug for passage of Obamacare in Raleigh, NC and Bristol, VA town hall meetings today.  The Blue Dog standoff with Pelosi and Obama has taken a toll on the President’s popularity this month as details came to light from the previously released House version of the bill.  Rasmussen’s Presidential Approval Index hasn’t returned to positive territory since it first went negative at the end of June.  Recent days have seen his overall approval ratings stuck below 50%.  The lack of details from Ross and his Blue Dog comrades will give the President the freedom to claim success at his town hall without addressing what concessions were required.

Ross and other leaders of the Blue Dogs met Obama at the White House on July 21 where the President pushed them to stand with him, Pelosi, and the rest of the left-wing of the party in supporting the government-run health care system estimated to cost between $1-1.5 trillion over the next ten years.  That very day, Congressman Ross’ office posted news releases on his website announcing almost $81 million of pork for his home state.  Coincidence?  Possibly, but I doubt it.

The timing of his announcing such a huge amount of pork naturally lends one to wonder if he hadn’t reached a deal with the Obama-Pelosi syndicate back on the 21st.  If so, his apparent resistance to sign on could have been nothing more than a ruse to bolster his (not-so) conservative credentials with his constituents leading up to next year’s re-election campaign. Ross’ communications director hasn’t responded to messages left requesting a statement for this article.

Of the seven Blue Dogs on the Energy and Commerce Committee, four are said to have flipped to the Pelosi-Obama side.  The three who continue to stand strong against government-run health care are Representatives Charlie Melancon (D-LA), John Barrow (D-GA), and Jim Matheson (D-UT).

Updates to follow as information comes available.

House Dems: If you can’t beat ’em, censor ’em!

It’s obvious to all who’ve been paying attention that President Obama and his Democratic lackeys are struggling to keep their dreams of a government-run health care system afloat. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was recently forced to admit that any bill able to pass on his side of the Capitol may not contain Obama’s centerpiece of a public option. Though she remained obstinate long after the writing was on the wall things weren’t going her way, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) finally capitulated and admitted she may not be successful in ramming a bill out of the House by the August recess. Recent polls show more than 80% of Americans are satisfied with the current health care system so maligned by Democrats. And finally, we’ve seen Obama’s poll numbers plunge as he forged ahead with a full court press in an effort to regain momentum on his signature issue.

But Obama and his left-wing allies in Congress haven’t given up on their efforts to seize control of another 1/6 of the American economy. Since Republicans and other conservatives have been so successful in getting the truth out about the Democrats’ Obamacare bill, House Democrats have changed tactics. Now they’re blatantly censoring members from telling their constituents the truth about what’s in HR 3200, the House version of Obamacare.

On Tuesday morning, Rep John R. Carter (R-TX) made an appearance on Fox News to explain how Democrats on the House Franking Commission refused to approve a mass communication to his constituents unless he changed the message to reflect the Democratic talking points intended to misinform the American people about the un-American policies and regulations that will result if this bill becomes law. Carter sought to use his franking privilege to distribute an audio message to his constituents on the health care plan being pushed by Democratic leaders in Congress.

The message he wanted to distribute contained the phrase “The House Democrats unveiled a government-run health care plan.” The Commission informed him it would be required that he change “House Democrats” to “the house majority” and change “government-run health care plan” to “public option” or “health care plan.”

It’s quite obvious such censorship is designed to help stop the bleeding currently being suffered by Obama and the Democrats on their signature issue, health care reform. This obvious partisan censorship is intended to deny voters the opportunity to hear anything other than the Pelosi-Obama view on the House version of Obamacare.  The Franking privilege can be used to inform constituents of their representative’s views of legislation making its way through the House.  The following is taken directly from the Commission’s Franking Manual in the section titled “The Intent of Congress.”

It is the intent of Congress that such official business, activities, and duties cover all matters which directly or indirectly pertain to the legislative process or to any congressional representative functions generally, or to the function, working, or operating of the Congress and the performance of official duties in connection therewith, and shall include, but not be limited to, the conveying of information to the public, and the requesting of the views of the public, or the views and information of other authority of government, as a guide or a means of assistance in the performance of those functions. *Emphasis mine

Carter’s attempted communication clearly falls under the category of conveying of information to the public. It might not be conveyed as propaganda for the Democrats wishing to force Americans to seek bureaucratic clearance for any and all of their health care decisions, but it most certainly conveys information to the public.

After seeing Carter’s interview, I discovered the Franking Commission is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans.  I immediately leaped to the assumption that at least one Republican had voted with the Democrats to block Carter’s communication.  However, John Stone, communications director for Rep. Carter, cleared that up for me.  He explained anything that gets past the Franking Commission must do so with at least 4 votes.  So at least one Democrat on the Commission would have had to vote to approve Carter’s submission for it to be approved.  I was relieved to know that this wasn’t the result of a turncoat Republican sitting on the Commission.  In fact, Stone assured me none of the three Republicans sided with the Democrats in this case.

This is simply another extension of the tyranny of the Democratic majority in the US House.  Pelosi and her ilk have changed House rules, held middle of the night votes on important legislation to pass legislation for which they didn’t have the votes, and will now only permit congressional Republicans to use their franking privilege to distribute Democratic propaganda in their Blitzkrieg to implement Socialism in these United States.

While this devious Democratic move prevents Carter from using taxpayer funds to distribute the truth about Obamacare, it doesn’t prevent him from using campaign funds to get the word out.  Of course, this drain on his campaign bank account will place him at a disadvantage next year in his bid for re-election.  Even though it will make next year’s race mroe difficult, Stone assured me that Carter will forge ahead in his campaign to get the truth in the hands of his constituents.

Call, email, and phone the three Democratic congressmen on the Commission and let them know the US Congress is not the Propaganda Office for the President and the DNC!

Democrats on Franking Commission

Susan Davis 1526 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2040 Fax: (202) 225-2948

Donna Edwards 318 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-8699 Fax: (202) 225-8714

Brad Sherman 2242 Rayburn Building Washington, D.C. 20515-0524 Phone: (202) 225-5911 Fax: (202) 225-5879

Democrat in the Wild: Bearack Obearma

A little political humor from an email:

The photo below captures a disturbing trend that is beginning to affect US wildlife...

Animals that were formerly self-sufficient are now showing signs of belonging to the Democrat Party…as they have apparently learned to just sit and wait for the government to step in and provide for their care and sustenance.

This photo is of a Democrat black bear in Montana nicknamed…

Bearack Obearma.