Before heading back up the mountain, I promote this diary and challenge the rest of you to start adopting Democrats to track, follow, target for action, etc. And more than one of you can pick the same scoundrel. But do it! — Erick
once lived in Nashville, Tennessee, and many of my family members still do. It is a wonderful city with terrible politics. Among its politicians are reputed Blue Dog Congressman Jim Cooper. Among family members who continue to live there is my retired brother, who like me was outraged by Cap and Trade (hence, “CaT”). My brother was so torqued off, in fact, he wrote an angry letter to Cooper.
Tuesday he received a reply and emailed it to me. What follows is a fisking and my formal adoption of Cooper as a pet project, per Erick’s request. I’ll leave out any identifying information except to state my brother is a nominal Democrat. Or was. The only other bio is that my brother is retired from the energy business and knows CaT like the back of his hand. Nonetheless, the good congressman chose not only to condescend but to blatantly lie to someone who knew better…someone who has voted for him in the past.
Anyhow, here it is, with my asides in parenthesis:
“Dear _____
“Thank you for writing to me about the American Clean Energy and Security Act, H.R. 2454
(The Orwellian names never cease to amaze. To echo my brother, what is so secure about brown-outs, anyway?)
“The bill is a first step (don’t get mad, it’s not a done deal) towards ending our nation’s dependence on foreign oil (Really? How many nuclear plants will it build, how many coal mines will it open, how much oil will be drilled?). Presidents have been asking us to address our addiction to Middle Eastern oil since 1973 (see previous questions), and both President Obama and John McCain (neither of whom won their respective party’s nomination in this congressional district) supported a cap and trade program in last year’s election.
“I understand (fear) your concerns about the effects this bill might (will) have on your energy costs (and the effect that might have on your vote). However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has determined this bill would only cost households about fifty cents a day (this is obviously an enormous lie as estimates range from around $2 to $6k, but you do have to wonder if the staffer blushed or laughed when he wrote it), while creating new incentives (due to price increases on electricity and gasoline?) to develop renewable sources of energy (but no incentive to increase domestic production of gas, oil, coal and nuclear–the ultimate renewable). There are five separate consumer protection provisions (your $250.00 check will be in the mail if you draw SSI), and efficiency measures will reduce electricity costs in the long term (after they double and you discover the joys of frozen sinks).
The bill is a long way from becoming law (there is no reason to be mad, really, because the Senate may kill it), but it is an important first step (God help us with the second) towards a 21st century economy that best serves our children and grandchildren (modernity sucks anyway). Thank you again for getting in touch with me and expressing your concerns (which I disregarded). I truly appreciate hearing them (so I know who to knock of the Xmas card list).
“Sincerely,
“Jim Cooper
“Member of Congress”
This district has never elected a Republican. Memo to the NRCC: the time is right.
More updates will follow on my adoptee as they become available–unless somene closer to the district wants this one.
Neil Stevens
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Daniel Horowitz
Jake Walker
It's amazing how stupid they think we are.
penguin2 (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 1:33AM EST (link)I’m hoping they are going to find out in 2010. People are going to be a little more knowledgeable and wiser, than the last two election cycles. We get similar sounding trash from our Dems. in Congress; it is all political double speak, triple speak. But when those electricity bills go up, gas passes $4.00/gal., and everything they buy is more expensive-because companies pass on their increased costs, well maybe the tide will turn.
Glad you’re on this. Does your brother know more people beginning to think like him? That’s what I am wondering about. Are there Dems out there adjusting their thinking?
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. – Benjamin Franklin
When Good stands up to Evil, Evil blinks. – Vassar Bushmills
Conservative Education: Suggested Reading List
Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots
He says this has made people he knows mad.
spainishirish (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 7:14AM EST (link)I will get more details, though. And yes, they do think we are stupid.
Will energy prices rise? (NOT A TROLL)
briann (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 6:28PM EST (link)The more I think about this energy bill, the more I think that when energy prices (and everything else prices) start to rise we will see price controls put in place. Every thing else about this administration looks like the 1970′s, so I don’t think that we will see outrageous energy prices, just widespread shortages.
OK, maybe that is OT. Sorry.
-Bri
Tennessee has plenty of districts that could swing Rep in 2010
scarlos (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 1:38AM EST (link)The 4th and 6th are very republican (RPVI of R+13 for both, which means Reps usually get 63% of the vote) but are going to need major funding to vote out their Democratic Incumbents (4th due to it’s size and shape, 6th due to Bart Gordon’s long tenure)
the 8th is only possible if Obama is able to bend Tanner’s Social Conservatism trends (or he retires). He currently has an extremely solid lock on it.
the 5th leans Democratic (it’s Nashville-based), but only slightly at RPVI of D+3. Cooper won 69% there in 2006.
Though expect to pick up a seat or two in 2012, once the no-longer-democratic-controlled Tennessee State Legislature stops gerrymandering their districts. Expect the 4th to be more consolidated in Eastern Tennessee, and for the 8th to take some of the heavily Republican Nashville or Memphis Suburbs.
Socialism is Oligarchy in disguise
Gordon has been vulnerable for many years.
spainishirish (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 7:16AM EST (link)He should be a major target.
Great diary, spanishirish. My folks still live in Nashville.
janis (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 9:01AM EST (link)And I live in Bart Gordon’s district. He’s just great at sending me his stock “Thanks for your interest in…” whatever subject I called his D.C. office about, which I read with my hair on fire most of the time. It apparently never sinks in with these idiots that if you call and express your extreme displeasure with a vote of theirs, you’re not going to be any happier at getting a weasel letter addressing the same topic chock full of lies, excuses, and deliberate evasions.
It will be my pleasure to help defeat Bart Gordon in 2010. Kudos to you and Steph C. for doing whatever it takes to retire Cooper.
If I recall correctly, Gordon got into office yeas ago railing
spainishirish (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 12:03PM EST (link)against TVA rates, which he obviously couldn’t control and never did. I find that ironic given he has now voted to increase energy costs. That issue is a killer, and his retired military opponent can kick the stuffings out of him with it.
Fortunately, we have a plethora of things to kick
janis (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 12:58PM EST (link)the arrogant stuffing out of him over. Obama’s election has finally and forever freed the liberal soul of the man and he’s on display as the rank partyline hack he’s always been but managed to cover up.
2010 may well be more fun than any election year we have had recently. The only shame is that Dan Rather won’t be on CBS doing his cranial explosion routine. Oh well, guess we’ll have to settle for Olberdouche weeping copiously. (If there’s a God in heaven…….)
There's a REAL reason for this
load (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 8:37PM EST (link)I live in the TN 4th and I’ve worked on 2 campaigns to unseat Lincoln Davis. I also worked on getting Ed Bryant in over Bob Corker.
This is my personal opinion and no one else. The TN GOP does not actively support these candidates who decide to run against any of the incumbents. The GOP party has got to get behind any candidate that makes it through the Primary (candidates need money). That has not happen. I’ve witnessed it first hand in the 06 campaign with Bowlin against Davis. I saw the same think in the 08 campaign when we had Langford and Greenough trying to win the Primary, Langford won the Primary but was no match for Lincoln. I understand Langford is running again but Lincoln is a bull dog and it will take a bigger dog to unseat him. I’m sorry to say Langford does not seem to have that bull dog mentality. Maybe things will change with new leadership at the TN GOP but we’ll have to wait and see. Another reason is TN has got to have a CLOSED Primary system in place. Too many Dem’s switch over to vote in the Primary and only go back during the General. This must happen.
RTR
The biggest hurdle is the 5th district
Steph C (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 8:26AM EST (link)hasn’t been red since 1875. Not that there aren’t other big hurdles because Cooper has been in D.C. forever.
However, if you want to adopt Jim Cooper… good. Navigate your way to my blog site and grab my email. We’ll collaborate.
“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics
I checked your blog and you are making a great foster parent, Steph C.
spainishirish (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 11:59AM EST (link)I’ll just act as a Big Brother to Jim whenever you need to do something other than take care of the old boy.
I live in Gordon's district too
squeek71 Thursday, July 9th at 6:58PM EST (link)And he has infuriated me as well. He has a republican opponent this time, and I am so glad!!! The gentleman’s name is Dave Evans. I don’t know much about him, but he has a website.
http://www.daveevansforcongress.com/index.asp
Major General Evans has a pic of himself with Fred Thompson on the home page of his website, which is a plus in my book. I just hope that he thinks like Fred.
Let’s get Rep. Gordon defeated, y’all. He votes the wrong way on just about everything. I was fit to be tied when he voted for cap and trade. I had emailed and called his office and begged him not to vote for it. And many others must have as well because he said in his “excuse” email that he had heard from a lot of folks who had concerns about the bill. He is ignoring us!!! I emailed him back and told him that he would do well to remember that he lives in a red state. I also told him that I would be voting for his opponent. I am so fed up with the man.
Sorry
squeek71 Thursday, July 9th at 7:00PM EST (link)I meant to put my post in response to the Bart Gordon discussion above.
Adopt a Rep? Sounds good.
Ned Reck (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 8:08PM EST (link)Does that mean that if they don’t get adopted after a number of days… then they get euthanized? hehehe
BTW… I’m gonna adopt Rep. Lincoln Davis from Tennessee… Pelosi’s new, bought-and-paid-for, lap-dog. He was going to run for Governor the next go-round… but was recently given a position of glute-smooch power by the Head of Household… and has since had a liberal-leaning epiphany. Blue-dog? Henceforth… I suspect this particular Rep. Blue Lapdog’s into the House Madam for a bunch of liberal face-licks.
We’ll see.
Ned Reck
On the plains of “Hesitation”… lie the blackened bones of
countless millions… who… at the dawn of victory…
sat down to rest… and while resting….. DIED.
~ Anonymous
See my previous post if Lincoln is your adopted Dem
load (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 8:42PM EST (link)Good luck on your selection of Lincoln. He is NO Blue Dog, even tho he attends their daily calls and I know first hand he has a “temper”. But that’s another story for another day. He’s no friend of the military and our troops (another fact I know first hand) and he voted for the Stimulus bill. Those two things, if worked properly could be his down fall but you’ve got to have the right candidate to run against Lincoln.
RTR
Linc needs to go, but...
Emmett_James Friday, July 10th at 10:06AM EST (link)we need to find a STRONG conservative to run against him. My county (Hickman) and most of the others in the 4th Dist are still conservative Dem. More conservative that Dem, but still vote Dem for all local elections.
Maj, USA (Ret)
Any specific info requested?
Theo (Diary) Thursday, July 9th at 8:44PM EST (link)“Sponsoring” a Dem is a good idea. I’m considering sponsoring my local House Rep: Allen Boyd, FL-02. One question: what kind of info is most important for us to watch? I imagine this sponsorship thing would be easier for more time-crunched people to do if we could start by focusing on certain things.
My suggestion: since voting records are already easily available via C-SPAN and other watchdog groups, we should focus our attention on either what media appearances these Dems make in local media or events. Or if we have a bit more time then collect records of flip-flopping comments they make to different groups, that can be used against them in elections.
moderate Libertarian computer geek, Secular Humanist with Buddhist tendencies, Air Force Civil Engineer, and proud southern American patriot. (adam) THEO my personal site, Theoretic Solutions.
Late to the game...
Wes (Diary) Saturday, May 15th at 1:36AM EST (link)I see it’s been months since this post went up.
We need Conservatives from around the country to recognize that this is a winnable race for the GOP. There are 11 GOP candidates running against Cooper.
http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2010/05/14/hartlines-got-a-half-milly/ – You should all see this post. This is a post about my father, Jeff, one of the eleven campaigning right now for the primary election. We have a chance to take this seat Red for the first time since reconstruction. This is too good an opportunity. Spread the word.
Wes