Joseph Cao has a long career ahead of him

[Holmes]

Even if he voted with the Republicans 20% of the time, it would be a lot more then the Democrat that district would elect.

And the things he does vote with the Republicans on will likely be the those that the GOP is wrong on...its time to put principles over party.

When he votes against the Republicans, he's bad. When he votes with the Republicans, he needs to put principles over party?

[pogo stick]

Cao got elected by a fluke, and thankfully he will most likely be voted out next time regardless of his traitorous vote for Pelosi's healthcare scheme.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Even if he voted with the Republicans 20% of the time, it would be a lot more then the Democrat that district would elect.

And the things he does vote with the Republicans on will likely be the those that the GOP is wrong on...its time to put principles over party.

When he votes against the Republicans, he's bad. When he votes with the Republicans, he needs to put principles over party?

Most Republicans are only voting the way they are now because it is a Democratic president who is pushing the agenda. We need people who can be counted on to vote principles whether its politically convenient or not. Cao clearly failed that test.

[DariusNJ]

The bill would have passed either way, so some of you need to stop whining.

It's funny how some of you Republicans called Democrats who voted against the health care bill "heroes", but ONE Republican votes for health care and you guys get your panties in a bunch.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

What randomly brought him up?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

"Vote the district"

[Lunar]

What randomly brought him up?

he was the lone GOP vote, switching to the Dem side after he was sure that no money would go towards abortion (he's quite pro-life)

[minionofmidas]

Also: Cao isn't even supposed to be New Orleans' Rep, in that his election was a lucky fluke. Wouldn't you rather a Republican who votes with you "20%" of the time for 2 years, or a Democrat who votes with you 0% of the time, forever.

Bill Jefferson was hardly the not-voting-with-Republicans-ever type. I don't know about his last term, but there certainly were times when he was the most right wing member of the Black Congressional Caucus by a mile or two.
He wouldn't have voted against this bill, though. Noone could possibly think that voting against a bill insuring most currently uninsured Americans, almost no matter what the details, would be the wrong thing to do for that district... and I don't mean for their election chances in that district either (though it's hard to tell the two apart).

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Also: Cao isn't even supposed to be New Orleans' Rep, in that his election was a lucky fluke. Wouldn't you rather a Republican who votes with you "20%" of the time for 2 years, or a Democrat who votes with you 0% of the time, forever.

Bill Jefferson was hardly the not-voting-with-Republicans-ever type. I don't know about his last term, but there certainly were times when he was the most right wing member of the Black Congressional Caucus by a mile or two.
He wouldn't have voted against this bill, though. Noone could possibly think that voting against a bill insuring most currently uninsured Americans, almost no matter what the details, would be the wrong thing to do for that district... and I don't mean for their election chances in that district either (though it's hard to tell the two apart).

This bill was the wrong thing for every district in America. Everyone loses with the decline in healthcare quality we're about to see.

[k-onmmunist]

You'll all be cheering like Obama fangirls until you realise how much taxes will have to be hiked up to pay for this.

[CatoMinor]

He voted against the Obama Stimulus and Cap-and-trade.  But you say he has "Democratic values"?

He made it clear that he wouldn't vote for the Health Care bill unless it clearly protected the unborn.  Democratic values?

In some rare cases those are dem values. and the only reason he said he voted against the stimulus was because his district would have received the least money.

[minionofmidas]

Right. People without healthcare are going to suffer. Hm-hmm.
Well, I guess Common Ground Health Clinic might suffer from government competition.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You'll all be cheering like Obama fangirls until you realise how much taxes will have to be hiked up to pay for this.

Taxes that none of us are going to be paying. I don't think any of the Obama supporters here are in the top 10%.

[The Duke]

Also: Cao isn't even supposed to be New Orleans' Rep, in that his election was a lucky fluke. Wouldn't you rather a Republican who votes with you "20%" of the time for 2 years, or a Democrat who votes with you 0% of the time, forever.

But that's our point, he's only there for two years no matter what.  Why not do the right thing instead of pretending to support Pelosi Care in a vain effort to get re-elected?  He loses either way.

[k-onmmunist]

You'll all be cheering like Obama fangirls until you realise how much taxes will have to be hiked up to pay for this.

Taxes that none of us are going to be paying. I don't think any of the Obama supporters here are in the top 10%.

Read my lips...

[minionofmidas]

Also: Cao isn't even supposed to be New Orleans' Rep, in that his election was a lucky fluke. Wouldn't you rather a Republican who votes with you "20%" of the time for 2 years, or a Democrat who votes with you 0% of the time, forever.

But that's our point, he's only there for two years no matter what.  Why not do the right thing instead of pretending to support Pelosi Care in a vain effort to get re-elected?  He loses either way.

I am fairly certain that he "did the right thing" instead of pretending to oppose any Universal Health Care in a vain effort to run for statewide office.

Of course, it's also possible that he's just stupider than I thought. But remember that Cao never ran on any sort of promise to vote like a Republican. Remember that he ran as a centrist Independent (or, really, as the favorite son candidate of the bit of NOLA in the district) for State Senate a year or so before, in a jungle primary with several Republicans. (He didn't win, obviously.)

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

The bill would have passed either way, so some of you need to stop whining.

It's funny how some of you Republicans called Democrats who voted against the health care bill "heroes", but ONE Republican votes for health care and you guys get your panties in a bunch.

For the record:

I'm the one who called the Democratic "no" votes "heroes" and I'm also the one defending Representative Cao - not for his vote, but for his right to represent his district the way he sees best and still be a good Republican.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Also: Cao isn't even supposed to be New Orleans' Rep, in that his election was a lucky fluke. Wouldn't you rather a Republican who votes with you "20%" of the time for 2 years, or a Democrat who votes with you 0% of the time, forever.

But that's our point, he's only there for two years no matter what.  Why not do the right thing instead of pretending to support Pelosi Care in a vain effort to get re-elected?  He loses either way.

You could say the same about Minnick, Kratovil, Bright, Teague, etc.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

What randomly brought him up?

he was the lone GOP vote, switching to the Dem side after he was sure that no money would go towards abortion (he's quite pro-life)

Yeah - I heard that on the news earlier today after I posted and figured that must've been it.

[DariusNJ]

The bill would have passed either way, so some of you need to stop whining.

It's funny how some of you Republicans called Democrats who voted against the health care bill "heroes", but ONE Republican votes for health care and you guys get your panties in a bunch.

For the record:

I'm the one who called the Democratic "no" votes "heroes" and I'm also the one defending Representative Cao - not for his vote, but for his right to represent his district the way he sees best and still be a good Republican.

I wasn't talking to you specifically. A lot of other Republicans on the forum quoted your post and have called Cao a traitor, etc.

[Psychic Octopus]

Cao isn't a traitor. He voted for it to help his constituents support him, who, nevertheless, are surely throwing him out in 2010.

[Lunar]

Cao isn't a traitor. He voted for it to help his constituents support him, who, nevertheless, are surely throwing him out in 2010.

I don't think that's why he did it.  I think he's genuinely trying to do as much good for his district as he can, knowing he only has one term to do it. 

(I have his pic in my signature not because he's a hero, I just thought it was funny)

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

I don't think that's why he did it.  I think he's genuinely trying to do as much good for his district as he can, knowing he only has one term to do it. 

(I have his pic in my signature not because he's a hero, I just thought it was funny)

LOL, yeah right. Cao's just still reeling from when black churches started a recall petition against him within weeks of taking office for voting against Obama's 'stimulus'.

[Lunar]

I don't think that's why he did it.  I think he's genuinely trying to do as much good for his district as he can, knowing he only has one term to do it. 

(I have his pic in my signature not because he's a hero, I just thought it was funny)

LOL, yeah right. Cao's just still reeling from when black churches started a recall petition against him within weeks of taking office for voting against Obama's 'stimulus'.

So how do you explain his vote against cap-n-trade?

[segwaystyle2012]

Cao wouldn't have won in the general, but now he won't even win the primary.