Cornyn Spent His Summer Screwing Texans

If U. S. Senator John Cornyn had to write an essay on “how I spent my summer” in five weeks when Congress returns from its mid-year break, he’d probably have to title it, “Summer of the Screwing,” since he spent his summer in the U.S. Senate screwing everyday Texans.

President Bush’s personal senator (he’s voted with the president 95.75 percent of the time since 2003) who votes lock-step with the Republican Party (97 percent of the time), even when it comes at the expense of Texans, has cast some pretty bad votes this summer.

Screw The Troops: First, on Cornyn’s list to screw this summer were our troops. Yes, folks, Republicans are the ones screwing our troops. He voted with his party bosses to block funding for a pay raise for U.S. soldiers, better healthcare for soldiers and their families, and an appropriation for $3 billion to combat improvised explosive devices which would help prevent the killing and maiming of many American troops.
Screw Texas Consumers: This summer, U.S. Senator John Cornyn threw in the towel when it came to helping lower gas prices for Texas consumers–admitting that the problems caused by a neglectful Republican Congress from 1994 through 2006 were to blame:

Cornyn said what American drivers are seeing is years of neglect by the Congress which is “coming home to roost and there aren’t any immediate solutions.”

How comforting that the Junior Senator from Texas doesn’t have the vision to actually come up with a solution to the probem.

Worse still, Cornyn voted against repealing taxpayer funded giveaways to oil companies this summer. Cornyn voted against a bill that would repeal tax benefits for oil companies worth $17 billion over 10 years that were enacted in 2004 and 2005, as well as direct the money to renewable energy. The bill would haveimposed a profits tax on the largest oil companies.

Cornyn also voted against ending commodities speculation that helps drive up the cost of gas. Once again, Cornyn places “Big Oil” interests ahead of Texas families. No surprise, since Cornyn has received more donations from the oil and gas industry than nearly any other Senator in Congress. He’s the fifth highest recipient of oil money, having taken nearly a million dollars ($830,725) in money from the oil and gas industry. If you add in Cornyn’s money from his 2002 race, he has taken in 1.14 million from the energy industry–all while falsely claiming to support alternative and renewable energy.

Screwing Veterans: Cornyn really screwed Texas veterans. He voted against against a new GI Bill providing a permanent expansion of education benefits for post-September 11, 2001 veterans, against temporarily extending unemployment benefits for veterans, and against placing a moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush Administration that would hurt veterans.

Screwing Texas Families, Children & Students: Cornyn voted against a bill that would have allowed Texans to deduct sales tax from federal income taxes (on average, Texans pay the ninth-highest rate of sales tax–among the most regressive taxes–in the nation; it’s based upon an average because local entities are allowed to add on to the base state sales tax). The same bill would have increased the child tax credit for almost 1.2 million Texans, and would have lowered college costs as well.

Screwing First Time Home Buyers: Cornyn voted against legislation that would provide tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and for homebuilders, overhaul Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, modernize the Federal Housing Administration and provide a $300 billion expansion of the FHA’s insurance programs to help struggling borrowers refinance their mortgages. It would have provided about $14.5 billion in housing-focused tax credits, including a one-time refundable tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers who purchase a home between April 9, 2008, and April 1, 2009. It would have also authorize $3.92 billion in Community Development Block Grants to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties. It would also have given members of the armed forces returning from service more time before lenders could start foreclosure proceedings and one year of relief from rising interest rates.

Screwing Texans Who Need Healthcare. Cornynvoted for a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians–a barrier that would stop many family practitioners from accepting Medicare. Of course, after outraged Texas physicians un-endorsed him, he flip flopped and voted to undo the paycut.

Screwing Texas Homeowners:  Cornyn was one of just 13 Senators to vote against a housing bill to provide relief to millions of Americans affected by the disastrous housing market. It also would create an independent agency to regulate the two mortgage entities as well as the Federal Home Loan Bank System. It would overhaul the Federal Housing Administration and provide $300 billion in new loan guarantee authority for the FHA to help refinance borrowers in danger of losing their homes. It would create a $7,500 tax credit to some first-time homebuyers, raise loan limits for FHA-backed loans, and provide a standard tax deduction of $500 for single filers and $1,000 for joint filers on property taxes.

Screwing Low Income Texans: Cornyn voted against Home Energy Assistance, which would have provided $134 million to Texans for energy assistance. Cornyn voted against a bill that would provide $2.5 billion in emergency relief for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps low-income Americans pay heating and cooling costs.

Screwing Everyone Else: Cornyn voted against the Advancing America’s Priorities Act, which would have protected children from Internet predators, expanded paralysis research at the NIH, and expanded research on postpartum depression.
Screwing Journalists: Cornyn derailed a “shield law” bill because of oil drilling, and voted against the shield law that would protect journalists from having to reveal their sources in court.

So, while Texans spent their summer wondering how they’ll afford school supplies for their kids, gas for their car, and keeping their home from getting foreclosed on, John Cornyn was voting to screw those same Texans at every possible turn. What a great summer!

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