Mike the pimp?

It's been clearly obvious that our government, including Rep. Mike Simpson, is willing to sell the American people out to the highest bidder. They want to sell our wilderness, they want to sell our air and water quality, they want to sell our high-paying jobs to countries overseas (while ferociously protecting our minimum wage jobs from the "illegals"--gee, thanks!), and so on. They protect the interests of the huge corporations (pharmaceuticals, oil companies) while family farms and businesses wither on the vine. The government is more than willing to sell us out to those who are willing to pay for them.

Americans must demand change. We need to "fire" those who do not represent citizens but only represent the almighty dollar. The most effective way to do that is to evaluate our current representatives and determine whether they are working for Idaho or do they work to serve others.

For example, let's evaluate Representative Mike Simpson. At the GOP Auction House, I discovered some interesting facts about Rep. Simpson which stimulates some serious questions about whether he represents Idaho or whether he represents the Republican party:

What will Michael Simpson put on the Auction Block next?

HOW SIMPSON RESPONDS TO HIGH ENERGY PRICES

• Rep. Simpson voted against cracking down on the oil and gas industries price gouging.
• Rep. Simpson voted for the GOP energy bill that gave billions to oil, gas and nuclear industries.
• Big oil and gas industries have given Rep. Simpson $42,450. Any surprise?
  

REP. SIMPSON PUTS BIG BUSINESS AHEAD OF AMERICAN WORKERS

• Rep. Simpson voted to strip overtime protection from millions of workers.
• Rep. Simpson voted to allow federal loans to American companies that have escaped paying U.S. taxes by moving offshore.
  

GOP "HEALTH CARE"

• Big drug interests have given $4,250 to Simpson over the Representative's career. They know who their friends are.
• Rep. Simpson voted for the GOP Medicare Prescription Drug Bill that will give billions to businesses and the health care industry, while forcing seniors to accept annual increases in premiums and deductibles and a growing gap in coverage for the prescription drugs they buy.

TIES WITH THE GOP LEADERSHIP

• Simpson has taken $1,000 from House Majority Leader John Boehner.
• Simpson received $22,165 from House Majority Leader John Boehner's "Freedom Project" PAC.
• Simpson voted with President Bush 89% of the time.
• Simpson voted the GOP party line 95% of the time.
  

TIES WITH TOM DELAY AND JACK ABRAMOFF
Simpson has taken:

• $6,171 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC.
• $1,000 from convicted DeLay associate Jack Abramoff.
  

With all of these ties to the DeLay/Abramoff mess, is it any surprise that Simpson has:

• Voted to weaken House ethics rules when DeLay proposed doing so as GOP Majority Leader.
• Voted with Tom DeLay 94% of the time (through 3/31/2006)
  

SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS

• Rep. Simpson voted to continue awarding contracts to Halliburton even if the Pentagon's own audit processes found that more than $100 million of their contractor's costs in Iraq were unreasonable. No surprise that Halliburton gave Simpson $3,000.
• Rep. Simpson opposed expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to thousands of Reservist and National Guard members, even though 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.
• Rep. Simpson voted against granting a $1,500 bonus to every American service member serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guard and Reserve forces.

THE ENVIRONMENT

• 1,861 water systems in 29 states have been contaminated with MTBE, exposing as many as 45 million Americans to this potential carcinogen, but Rep. Simpson voted to protect the companies responsible from lawsuits by communities that need their help to clean up these systems.
• Rep. Simpson voted against bipartisan reform of the Endangered Species Act.
• Rep. Simpson voted for a massive sell off of public lands to mining interests.
  

HOW DOES SIMPSON SUPPORT...

HIGHER EDUCATION?
While tuition costs are rising for ordinary Americans, Rep. Simpson voted to cut Federal student aid by $12.7 billion -- the biggest such cuts in history.

STEM CELL RESEARCH?
Rep. Simpson sided with social conservatives against patients with debilitating diseases and voted against expanding Federal funding of stem cell research.

[Sources available at "What will Michael Simpson put on the Auction Block next?"]

How can someone who receives 80% of his money from OUT OF STATE honestly be able to represent the interests of Idaho?

Fortunately, Idaho has an alternative alternative with Jim Hansen. To start out with, Jim is ONLY accepting contributions UNDER $100. Yes, he has friends and family from out-of-state who are sending their $100 to Jim to support him because they believe in him, but I think that we can handle that much better than competing with a PAC sending thousands of dollars to a politician because they are purchasing a "service" (i.e. vote) from him. Most Idahoans cannot compete with PACS and thousand dollar contributions. Most of us can handle sending a donation under $100.

Check Jim out and ask yourself... who do YOU want in DC? Someone who works for out-of-state organizations or political parties... or someone who works for the people in Idaho?