In recent votes and a press release, Congressman Andy Harris continues to demonstrate his eagerness to leave millions of Americans hungry, to support a big government takeover of a woman’s body, and to falsely implicate the White House in the IRS scandal.
In voting yes on the recent Farm Bill, which was mercifully defeated, Harris voted to cut $33 billion from the Food Stamp (SNAP) program, which would have eliminated food assistance to two million people, most working families and seniors. The program, which was created by a bipartisan majority in the 70’s (sponsored by Bob Dole and George McGovern), has served as a powerful boon to economic recovery since its inception. Harris and other conservatives wanted to toughen work requirements for SNAP recipients, but at the same time would slash funding for training programs. Its defeat, according to the Washington Post, was a “moral imperative”, also noting that several GOP lawmakers voting against farm subsidies have actually received such subsidies. The Post excoriates Harris and those who voted yes guilty of “a shockingly cruel attitude toward the poor.”
In voting yes on the abortion ban, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks, Harris subscribed to an unproven medical theory that fetuses can feel pain. Moreover, victims of rape and incest must report these assaults to criminal authorities, but there is no provision for exceptions to women with severe fetal anomalies or situations where a women’s health is threatened by pregnancy. Incredibly, those GOP lawmakers who advanced the bill out of the Judiciary Committee were all men, led by Republican Chair Trent Franks’ comment that “the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy is very low,” a breathtaking falsehood that Harris seems to support, and reminds us of Todd Akins’ “legitimate rape” gaffe.
By voting yes, Harris, who should know better, continues, according to Democratic Representative Louise Slaughter, “to tell women what they can and cannot do, despite what the constitution (Roe v. Wade) tells them they can do.” Rather than focus on creating jobs, something Harris only pays lip service to, he believes it’s more important to support an unconstitutional abortion ban or repeal Obamacare 37 times, both a colossal waste of taxpayer money.
And finally (for now), a June 22 press release from Harris excoriates the waste of money in the Prince Georges and Baltimore City Schools (in itself very debatable) by putting them in the context of the IRS scandal, blaming the IRS division for “wasting hard-earned tax dollars and refusing to take responsibility for wrongdoing.” I don’t know where the myopic Harris gets his information, but no “wrongdoing” has been proved, in fact quite the opposite. GOP Oversight Chair Darrell Issa has tried to cherry-pick the evidence to support a pre-conceived conclusion, but full transcripts have proven his (surprise!) mendacity. And we now know, according to new IRS Head Danny Werfel, that not only Tea Party groups were targeted, but liberal groups with “Occupy” or “Progressive” in their titles, and that there has been no White House involvement at any stage.
Harris’ lunar ideology and complete disregard of evidence that does not suit his arguments is common knowledge, and even Republicans are tiring of him. His votes against the Violence Against Women Act, against Hurricane Sandy funding in his own district, and willingness to send the country into default are but a few examples of his irresponsibility. He needs to know that we are watching as he conducts his War on Women and the Poor, and we’ll remember in 2014.
Bill Gilmore says
Certainly Mr Calkins shows his progressive view of Mr. Harris’s opinion, does he also have an opinion on the $16 trillion debt that this country has accumulated, and an idea on how to stop wasting taxpayer dollars. As for Mr. Werfel comments, they would seem to be meanless. Why is the IRS targeting anyone, as a White House insider you would have expected less?
Rich Levy says
The IRS examined these groups because that is its job. It is charged with determining that 501(c)(3) applicants are primarily engaged in social welfare work, not politics. They are mandated by the regulations to investigate and make that determination.
We could always return to the standard as it was created in the law – that applicants be engaged EXCLUSIVELY in social welfare work.
Neither David Axelrod nor Karl Rove should be plying their politics at taxpayer expense.
Richard Calkins says
Thanks, Bill, for the comment. All evidence suggests that the deficit is now decreasing under Obama. Tax increases on the wealthy, plus a smaller government workforce that Obama supports, have attributed to this decrease, according to the Congressional Budget Office. We need a balanced approach- tax cuts and austerity only is not a viable strategy, to say the least, and has never worked. I agree about the IRS- they need to evaluate, in light of Citizens United, why 501(c)(4)’s are tax exempt, given their obvious political goals, conservative or liberal.