On this date in 2014, 2015, as well as 2016, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” published profiles of the U.S. House Representative from Texas’ 26th Congressional District, Mike Burgess, the U.S. House Representative from Texas’ 26th Congressional District whose claim to fame is discussing masturbating fetuses touching themselves in the womb for their own pleasure as part of his “pro-life” arguments before Congress. Burgess has also openly discussed the impeachment of Barack Obama (declining to comment WHAT the impeachable offense he committed was), going on FOX News to call for witch hunts into the attacks in Benghazi, amongst other tacky quotes and votes. Not surprisingly, he also bought into the Center for Medical Progress’ “sting” video and tried defunding Plannned Parenthood around this time a year ago.
Going into the latest session of Congress, Mike Burgess was looking forward to trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and when asked about the millions of people who would lose their insurance coverage as a result, he laughed it off and was excited to repeal because it would mean “more freedom”. Ah yes. The freedom to die because you can’t afford your medical costs anymore. That’s something to strive for, Mike. Especially for someone who purports himself to be a “pro-life” physician.
His voting record still shows us that Burgess is the same old frowny sack of nuts he’s always been:
- February 16th, 2017: Burgess votes for HJR 69, to make it legal for hunters on wildlife reserves to kill several species of hibernating bears or wolves while they’re sleeping. Because… well, the logic really isn’t there as to why, it’s just awful.
- March 16th, 2017: Mike Burgess votes for HR 1181, which would allow veterans deemed mentally incompetent to continue to own firearms, and not have them taken away without a judge’s written order. We feel safer already.
- March 28th, 2017: Rep. Burgess votes for SJ Res 34, which allowed internet providers to sell the data information of their customers’ internet usage to businesses. Well, so much for privacy.
- May 4th, 2017: Burgess votes for the House GOP’s healthcare plan, that would kick roughly 24 million people off their health insurance plans, allow up to 28,000 more people to die a year, give $50,000 in tax breaks to millionaires, and would eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions which would include such medical conditions as pregnancy (current or past), post-partum depression, or prior sexual assault. Oh, and a provision in the bill would make sure that Burgess would be allowed to keep his healthcare plan as it exists under the ACA, which would be repealed for the rest of the country. He and his Republican compatriots threw themselves a beer bash to celebrate taking away healthcare from millions and then gloated about it with Donald Trump at a White House press conference, as well.
- June 8th, 2017: Mike Burgess votes for HR 10, the GOP’s attempt to repeal Dodd-Frank financial reform, because what the country really needs is to allow the big banks to make the same mistakes that imploded the economy only a decade earlier.
- September 8th, 2017: Rep. Burgess chooses to be one of 90 Republicans in Congress who votes against disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey. HE IS A TEXAS CONGRESSMAN WHO VOTED AGAINST RELIEF MONEY FOR TEXAS.
Mike Burgess has already announced that he will be running for re-election in 2018, and with Texas’ 26th being one of the most conservative districts not just in Texas, but the entire country, it would seem like all he has to do is survive the primary. Alas, he has a Republican challenger in Veronica Birkenstock, a former supporter Burgess who is the founder of Practical Employee Solutions, a company that helps businesses recruit employees from other countries through the H-2B visa program. And… Burgess lost her support, and compelled her to run when he voted against expanding the H-2B visa program.
You heard that right… someone’s challenging a Texas congressman to HIS LEFT. That’s not something you see everyday. And frankly, she can be nothing but an improvement over a guy who derails debates to talk about wanking fetuses. At least, we hope so.