This is a wonderful
characterization in the
Peoria Journal Star on the Editorial Cartoon
page.
Incumbent money is only half the problem.
The other half of the problem is lack of support from influential people - even the ones that are completely dissatisfied with the Republican incumbents.
Maria Recio of the McClatchy-Tribune News Service filed the following article on October 16, 2006 Monday:
Radio talk show host Don Imus is making Rep. Joe Barton a household name -- but not in a way the Texas Republican wants.
Imus, whose Imus in the Morning program is heard on radio stations across much of the country and is seen weekday mornings on MSNBC, has described Barton as a lying, fat little skunk from Texas, a pipsqueak, a coward and a crybaby and another congressional dirtbag for holding up a bill on autism research.
Imus' emotional outbursts, as well as an orchestrated pressure campaign directed at Barton by autism research advocacy groups, stem from frustration that a Senate-passed bill didn't come up for a House of Representatives vote before Congress recessed Sept. 29.
The bill would increase and coordinate National Institutes of Health funding, set up far-ranging clinical studies and direct autism centers of excellence to conduct research, especially on environmental factors.
[. . .] Autism research advocates, including one organization headed by Imus' wife, Deirdre, are united behind the Combating Autism Act of 2006, which the Senate passed unanimously in August. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., authored the bill.
They hoped for quick House action on a similar bill introduced by Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif. Bono's bill has 227 co-sponsors, but before getting to the full House, it has to clear the Energy and Commerce Committee, which Barton leads.
[. . .] It deserves to be passed, Imus said of the bill. The NIH has got to be made to spend the money on this.
Imus said his personal campaign on the bill does not help my ratings.
People are not tuning in to hear me talk about autism. I can hear the radio dials clicking off every day, he said.
Asked if attacking Barton was the most effective way to get him to act, Imus said, He is not going to be chairman after November 7, if there is a God. If Democrats win control of the House in the Nov. 7 elections, Barton would no longer be committee chairman next year.
If Don Imus really wants Rep. Barton out of office, he should show a little support for his Democratic challenger in TX-06, David Harris. Call Mr. Imus and remind him that the Republicans will remain in control unless the Democrats receive the support they deserve.
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