In 2006, National Journal ranked Dennis Moore as being 64.8 percent more liberal than his fellow house colleagues (see here). In fact, 43 Democrats in the house ranked as less liberal than Dennis Moore. Perphaps most startling, Moore ranked as 64 percent more liberal on economic issues than his house colleagues--which is surprising considering that Moore has forged his reputation on economic issues and as a member of the Dem. Blue Dog Coalition, making his supposed "record" of fiscal restraint the centerpiece of every campaign.
American Conservative Union (ACU) has him ranked at only 20.4. Now no one expects Dennis to be conservative, but a score of 20.4 is not even in moderate territory (that would be 35-50).
This just confirms Dennis' recent tendency to vote against the values of Kansas constituents:
- Moore voted for the House's large, over-inflated, deficit-inducing budget, which included 36,000 earmarks--millions for peanut farmers, a tire museum, and studies traking gender-change operations
- Voted to dismantle long-standing law affirming employees' right to secret ballot in vote to join a union (this has been in place since the Taft-Hartley Act of 1948). Now employees may face intimidation, threats, and harassment by union bosses for a nay vote
- Moore voted against warrantless wiretaps on suspected terrorists in the U.S. making calls to the Middle East. Even Sen. Claire McCaskill of MO had the good sense (kudos, Claire) to vote for this important national security measure. Dennis opted to vote with the liberal power base in the house
If we want real reform in Washington, we need Moore out...He's been in the house for 10 years now, and is a little too comfortable voting with liberal special interests and ignoring the Kansas constituents who helped elect him.
2 comments:
Funny, you say that Dennis has been ignoring his constituents... well, those constituents have re-elected him several times in a largely Republican district. I would suggest that the problem isn't with him... but some other source.
BTW... speaking of representing constituents, how about the Republican committee of JoCo selecting Phill Kline to the post of DA when he was overwhelmingly voted out of an office that he disgraced? I think the JoCo Republican committee needs the shaking up.
Ray,
You're right, Dennis has proved to be popular because of his acute attention to the needs of constant visibility here in the district and his impeccable constituent service. Most residents however could not tell you how he voted, and most don't know about the push to the left Dennis has undertaken now that the House is under Democratic control and Pelosi (who as house minority whip kept the party together) is ensuring that the ranks vote in line on major legislation.
BTW, the current anti-congressional mood is a real factor for Dennis. Many people are upset with their elected officials in congress--Dem or Repub., and Moore would be wise to be aware of that. And there's also the fact that Dennis has not done anything of substance--he virtually has no pull despite representing one of the most prospererous counties in the nation, the western KC suburbs, a leading technology corridor and driver the areas of education and bioscience.
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