The full dyslexic quote from Representative Rick Larsen's (D-WA) letter to my wife is also disingenuous given his support for the
Bankruptcy Bill:
It is important that we stand untied in the upcoming election season and it has to start at the grassroots level.
This, while Larsen stands in opposition to his grassroots and to his Party. This week, the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Washington State unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Bankruptcy Bill and urging all Democratic legislators to oppose it. Representative Larsen, a DLC and NDC member, intends to ignore this resolution and his party.
More . . .
Earlier this week, I had a long conversation with Rick Larsen's Chief of Staff, Jeff Bjornsted. Mr. Bjornsted said that Larsen wasn't "ignoring" his party leadership, but rather had a "respectful disagreement" with them. Hah! Rick Larsen described his position to me as favoring "personal responsibility." Pressing Mr. Bjornsted further on this point, he allowed as how Larsen felt that he had a lot of conservatives in his district that he had to appease to stay in office. B.S. That won't fly, either.
Rick Larsen's district is solidly blue, a district of millworkers, truck drivers, and school teachers who voted overwhelmingly for Kerry in November. When I walk my precinct, I see working class housing and rundown rentals occupied by the unemployed and single mothers. How many of these will Representative Larsen turn into the indentured servants of the financial services industry?
When I asked Jeff Bjornsted if he could give me some facts to back up Larsen's contention that this Bill will only impact irresponsible borrowers and will regulate the credit card industry, he said that he would have an email to me within a day or two spelling out Rick Larsen's position. Well, guess what, no email. I've been asking Larsen for an factual explanation of his position for weeks, without a response. Oh, I don't doubt that Larsen will issue a position paper, it will just be so close to the vote as to make it impossible for his constituents to respond. Just a CYA.
Rick Larsen has a personal responsibility not to harm his constituents. If this bill passes, Larsen will have to shoulder his share of the responsibility for making women, children, and seniors go hungry and without necessary medical care, so he can mention "personal responsibility" in a campaign soundbite in 2006. Talk about completely ignoring the values of what is supposed to be his party! Democrats are supposed to give a hand up to the poor, the orphan, and the widow, instead of giving them the sole of the boot, while giving handouts to the credit card industry. Rick Larsen is listening neither to his grassroots, nor to his party leadership. Instead, he hopes to curry favor with the DLC and NDC leadership. Perhaps he doesn't yet realize that those people have led the Democratic Party down the wrong road. Currying favor with corporate elites is not a Democratic value. Listening to your constituents is.
To find out if your Representative is a DLC/NDC member, go to:
http://www.ndol.org/new_dem_dir_action.cfm?viewAll=1
If they are on this list, better learn their position on this horrible bill. Here is some information you can use to persuade them to do the right thing:
Here's a letter laying out the facts of this bill, signed by 104 conservative and liberal professors who teach bankruptcy law. Everyone is opposing this bill, except some politicians. That sure raises a red flag for me.
Here's an article from the LA Times, "Judges Say Overhaul Would Weaken Bankruptcy System".
More bankruptcy links on Instapundit.
If you've got a good link to some good, factual information, be sure to put it in a comment. Let's defeat the Indentured Servitude Bill.
If you're in the 2nd District, phone Representative Larsen at (202) 225-2605 (DC office) or (425) 252-3188 (WA office) or toll-free (800) 562-1385 (WA office).