There are Republicans we need to take down in 2006 so we can get back control in the Senate. This is less than two years away.
Rather than focusing on individual races right now, let's focus on the issues. Let's focus on what the Republican Senators voted against. Many of the Republican Senators voted against the America people every chance they could.
DSCC PUTS '06 GOP SENATORS ON NOTICE: THE VOTES YOU CAST THIS WEEK ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU
March 18, 2005
By Phil Singer
As Senate GOPers Up For Re-Election Vote Against Common Sense Efforts to Make Budget Better for Everyday Americans, Democrats Vow To Hold Them Accountable
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) warned Senate Republicans today that votes they cast this week against initiatives intended to help America's communities would come back to haunt them during the 2006 campaign.
Senate Republicans voted against a number of measures aimed at improving the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year, including initiatives geared toward protecting Social Security, improving homeland security, increasing access to affordable prescription drugs and providing quality health care to veterans.
"Senators are defined by their voting record," DSCC Executive Director JB Poersch said. "Senators who vote against priorities like protecting Social Security benefits, making our neighborhoods safer, or providing veterans' health care can rest assured that they will pay a price come election time. We guarantee it."
Republicans Say NO to Protecting Social Security Benefits: Allen, Burns, Chafee, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against a Resolution rejecting any Social Security plan that "requires deep benefit cuts or a massive increase in debt." [CQ, Vote #49, 3/15/05]
Republicans Say NO to First Responders: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against $1.6 billion for first responder programs. [CQ, Vote 50, 3/15/05]
Republicans Say NO to Veterans Health Care: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas Voted against $2.8 billion for veterans health care and $2.8 billion for deficit reduction. [CQ, Vote #55, 3/16/05]
Republicans Say NO to Keeping Medicaid Viable: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas Voted Against Restoring $14 billion to Medicaid and Establishing a Bipartisan Medicaid Commission. [CQ, Vote #58, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to America's Homeland Security: Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Kyl, Lott, Santorum and Thomas voted against $855 million for Homeland Security Grants: first responder programs, port security grants and border patrol agents. [CQ, Vote #64, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to America's Communities: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $1.9 billion in cuts to the Community Development Block Grant Program. [CQ, Vote #65, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Vocational Training: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against $7.46 billion for the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act and deficit reduction. [CQ, Vote #61, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Fiscal Sanity: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas Voted against restoring pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules. [CQ, Vote #53, 3/16/05]
Republicans Say NO to Protecting ANWR: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska from oil drilling. [CQ, Vote #52, 3/16/05]
Republicans Say NO to Keeping Amtrak Operating: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $1.04 billion for Amtrak. [CQ, Vote #51, 3/16/05]
Republicans Say NO to America's Schools: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against $4.75 billion for education and $4.75 billion for deficit reduction. [CQ, Vote #45, 3/14/05]
Republicans Say NO to College Students. Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $5.4 billion to education program cuts and increasing the maximum Pell Grant award to $4,500. [CQ, Vote #68, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Farmers. Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $2.8 billion to agriculture programs. [CQ, Vote #69, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to COPS. Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against increasing funding for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) by $1 billion and use $1 billion to reduce the deficit. [CQ, Vote #70, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to America's Highways. Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against increasing the budget authority for surface transportation projects. [CQ, Vote #71, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Teen Pregnancy Prevention. Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against a resolution supporting $1 billion for family planning programs, such as teen pregnancy prevention. [CQ, Vote #75, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Disclaimers on Fake News. Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against refusing to establish any appropriations bill that allows funds to be provided for "prepackaged news stories" that do not have a disclaimer stating "Paid for by the United States Government" running throughout the presentation. [CQ, Vote #77, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Special Education. Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against a reserve fund that would provide $71.3 billion for special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. [CQ, Vote #79, 3/17/05]
Republicans Say NO to Advanced Technology. Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against making every effort to provide funding for the Advanced Technology Program. [CQ, Vote #80, 3/17/05]
It is vitally important that we hold these senators accountable for their votes. If your senator is on the list and you disagree with how he or she voted, please take a moment to send an email or call.
Democrats are for the people of America. Not against. We cannot forget how these Republican Senators voted. We need to let our neighbors and friends know. We need to write letters to the editors speaking out against these effrots to chip away at the very foundation of our country.
We will not forget.