Credit where credit is due
I was looking at some of last week's legislative columns when I stumbled across this candidate for quote of the week from Republican Representative Gary Jerke:
But then I get to a couple of his votes. On House Bill 1189, the Republican sponsored car seat bill, he voted to put 5-7 year olds in car seats when the Governor says it goes way too far. But, to his favor, he voted against SB 196, (banning smoking in bars on the precept it was to save the children who hang out in them.)
I'll be the first to admit that if you're against more government, no record is going to be perfect because you're inevitably going to be balancing competing needs from time to time. So, the car seat vote is forgiveable, and instead of chastising it, I'd choose to congratulate him on the legislation he didn't sponsor, and that he voted against.
Yes, I know I'm quick to get out the spanking stick for a literary beating for many of those who need to be stopped before they legislate again. But I also think it's incumbent upon conservatives to also congratulate and promote legislators when they do the right thing. Conservatives need to remember the carrot along with the stick.
So, with regards to Representative Jerke - good job this session. Keep it up this next year.
(And try not to do that car seat thing again, OK?)
"I am having a great deal of difficulty justifying all these bills in that the government is getting more and more involved in decisions about our very being. We need less government in our lives, not more."I did a little research to see if we could test his commitment to less government, and in a several year review of the legislation he's sponsored (both prime sponsored, and otherwise), I have to give Representative Jerke credit. His record of sponsorship is not only good, I'd call it exemplary.
But then I get to a couple of his votes. On House Bill 1189, the Republican sponsored car seat bill, he voted to put 5-7 year olds in car seats when the Governor says it goes way too far. But, to his favor, he voted against SB 196, (banning smoking in bars on the precept it was to save the children who hang out in them.)
I'll be the first to admit that if you're against more government, no record is going to be perfect because you're inevitably going to be balancing competing needs from time to time. So, the car seat vote is forgiveable, and instead of chastising it, I'd choose to congratulate him on the legislation he didn't sponsor, and that he voted against.
Yes, I know I'm quick to get out the spanking stick for a literary beating for many of those who need to be stopped before they legislate again. But I also think it's incumbent upon conservatives to also congratulate and promote legislators when they do the right thing. Conservatives need to remember the carrot along with the stick.
So, with regards to Representative Jerke - good job this session. Keep it up this next year.
(And try not to do that car seat thing again, OK?)
Comments
I support more legislation reducing abortion for any reason. It is commom sense legislations.
People are not throw aways like a piece of used paper.
PP: I think if people want to keep pushing the abortio issues maybe there should be one page dedicated to it or there are other ideas.
This is just my humble opinion.
Every year, the professed "less government" Republicans vote to put government in charge of uteruses.
Every year the "less government" Republicans try to take more control away from local school districts: trying to mandate abstinence-only sex education, Trying to force all districts to accept homeschoolers' ala carte education demands, limiting school reserves (while not limiting state reserves), etc.
The "less government" Republicans have created about 1,000 new state jobs in 4 years under Rounds.
Every year the "less government" Republicans raise a whole slew of government fees - nickel and diming all of us.
The Republicans may preach "less government" but they don't practice what they preach.
Remember Jerkes advocacy for sales tax on advertising and raising sales tax proposals! Yet another tax and spend repbulican of course except for public education funding!