Closing arguments: the case against Pete Sessions

Since January of 2007, I've kept track of the voting record of our Congressman, Pete Sessions, operating under the assumption that Sessions keeps getting elected because voters don't really know anything about him. Since 2004, he's been elected solely because he's a Republican in a district gerrymandered as a "safe" Republican seat by Tom DeLay and his cronies. Voting for the "R" label, in my opinion, is like continuing to buy your favoring "Made in U.S.A" product, not realizing that it's now made in China.

So let's review the record of Pete Sessions.

Pete Sessions has been pretty much of a rubber stamp for the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party, and supports President Bush about 90% of the time.

But sometimes, when it suits his own special interests, Pete Sessions has been known to vote with people like Barney Frank on a bill supportive of online gambling.

That's what Pete Sessions' strip club fundraiser was really about--Pete Sessions' Vegas trip was really about online poker.

What Pete Sessions really wants is leadership of the Republican Party. He's already looking forward to winning--not to serve the constituents, but to become chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Pete Sessions is scared of Democrats, except when there's one lone protester among 100 Republicans, flanked by Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Then, Pete Sessions is brave enough to taunt the protester, but with a really strange comment that makes one wonder, "Did Pete Sessions own son lead an anti-Sessions protest?"

Pete Sessions thinks anyone who doesn't agree with him is "unhinged."

Pete Sessions votes against rate cuts to student loans, SCHIP and renewable energy. Pete Sessions also voted against the anti-predatory lending act, and Sessions Watchers know that the current economic crisis was caused, in part, by predatory lenders.

Pete Sessions got an "F" from MiddleClass.Org, which monitors votes affecting ordinary people all over the nation.

Pete Sessions' "power ranking" in Congress is 349th most powerful out of 435 members. That's actually a step up, since Pete Sessions used to be 10th from the bottom in power, at 425, pretty good for a beginning Congressman, but not for someone like Pete Sessions, who has been in Congress since 1996.

Tomorrow's Election Day, and it's time to vote for change. Once again, here are the candidates running against Pete Sessions, listed in alphabetical order:

Alex Bischoff, Libertarian: League of Women Voters survey; Project Vote Smart bio; Campaign website

Eric Roberson, Democrat: League of Woman Voters survey; Project Vote Smart bio; Campaign website.

To find your Election Day polling location, visit the Dallas County Elections website.

(And to the person who posted advertisements for another blog in my comment boxes, yes I'm "censoring" your posts, because this website is specifically about watching Pete Sessions, not watching some other candidate. By the way, your blog doesn't allow comments, so you're censoring, too, right?)

Pete Sessions chickens out on impeachment vote

In a previous blog post, Pete Sessions was quoted as saying, "Everybody hates George Bush," but apparently, "hating" him only goes so far. Pete Sessions was given an opportunity to cast a vote on impeachment, but chickened out. He was one of only 16 House members who declined to go on record one way or the other. (H. Res. 1258, Roll No. 401. The resolution passed 251-166, to send it on to the Judiciary Committee.

Pete Sessions: "Everybody Hates George Bush."

Somebody accused me once of "hating" George W. Bush. I corrected the person, explaining that I don't "hate" anybody. Sure, I believe Bush to be the worst president we've ever had, but that statement is based on facts, not emotion. I'm perfectly capable of pointing out the President's flaws, substantiated by things like The Downing Street Memo, his abuse of signing statements, and I sure do agree with Bruce Fein that Bush should be impeached.

But "hate?" Hmmmm...I'm trying to think of something or someone I hate. I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Yet there's our Congressman, explaining to a group of students that his political party is in trouble, in part, because "everybody hates George Bush."

Republicans like Pete Sessions who "hate" George Bush must be the opposite from me--although they're blinded by "intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury," they just can't bring themselves to vote against his wishes or use their constitutional authority to kick him out of office. Interesting.

Okay, let's see...things I hate. I've got one! Fire ants. Hate 'em.