GARY PETERS ON THE ISSUES

Congressman Gary Peters, incumbent in the Michigan 9th district is repeatedly telling his constituents that he is an independent and moderate politician.  After almost 2 years of voting with his party, he is now trying to backpedal by telling us that he will help the small businessman to create jobs.
Besides voting on the 2000 page healthcare bill and the cap and trade bill, here are some more samples of how he really feels and how he voted.  His change of heart is coming a little too late.

 Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending. (Jul 2009)
$7 billion Increase in Fund balance appropriation (without fiscal year limitation).


With respect to the Unemployment Trust Fund and to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund: Removes the FY2010 limitation as well as the specific dollar amount for such advances, replacing them with such appropriations as may be necessary.

Increases from $315 billion to $400 billion the maximum loan principal for FY2009 commitments to guarantee single family loans insured under the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF).

Increases from $300 billion to $400 billion the limit on new Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae) commitments to issue guarantees under the Mortgage-Backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program.

Proponent's argument to vote Yes:Rep. LEWIS (D, GA-5): This bipartisan bill will provide the necessary funds to keep important transportation projects operating in States around the country. The Highway Trust Fund will run out of funding by September. We must act, and we must act now.

Opponent's argument to vote No:Rep. CAMP (R, MI-4): [This interim spending is] needed because the Democrats' economic policy has resulted in record job loss, record deficits, and none of the job creation they promised. Democrats predicted unemployment would top out at 8% if the stimulus passed; instead, it's 9.5% and rising. In Michigan, it's above 15%. The Nation's public debt and unemployment, combined, has risen by a shocking 40% [because of] literally trillions of dollars in additional spending under the Democrats' stimulus, energy, and health plans.

We had a choice when it came to the stimulus last February. We could have chosen a better policy of stimulating private-sector growth creating twice the jobs at half the price. That was the Republican plan. Instead, Democrats insisted on their government focus plan, which has produced no jobs and a mountain of debt.


Voted YES on modifying bankruptcy rules to avoid mortgage foreclosures. (Mar 2009)

Voted YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package. (Jan 2009)
Congressional Summary:Supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009.


Proponent's argument to vote Yes:Rep. DAVID OBEY (D, WI-7): This country is facing what most economists consider to be the most serious and the most dangerous economic situation in our lifetimes. This package today is an $825 billion package that does a variety of things to try to reinflate the economy:creating or saving at least 4 million jobs rebuilding our basic infrastructure
providing for job retraining for those workers who need to learn new skills
moving toward energy independence
improving our healthcare system so all Americans can have access to quality treatment
providing tax cuts to lessen the impact of this crisis on America's working families.

Opponent's argument to vote No:

Rep. JERRY LEWIS (R, CA-51): Most of us would agree that the recent $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is an illustration of how good intentions don't always deliver desired results. When Congress spends too much too quickly, it doesn't think through the details and oversight becomes more difficult. The lesson learned from TARP was this: we cannot manage what we do not measure. We cannot afford to make the same mistake again.

Sen. THAD COCHRAN (R, MS): We are giving the executive branch immense latitude in the disbursement of the spending this bill contains. We are doing so without any documentation of how this spending will stimulate the economy. Normally, this kind of information would be contained in an administration budget. For items that have a short-term stimulative effect, most of us will feel comfortable debating their merits as an emergency measure. But there is a great deal of spending that is not immediately stimulative.

Voted YES on monitoring TARP funds to ensure more mortgage relief. (Jan 2009)

 I only wanted to emphasize on the big money votes for now. 

Gary Peters did wrong by his constituents and we need to educate our neighbors and friends in this district that he is not representing them.  He's received millions from special interest groups, unions and lobbyists.  These are the people he is representing. 

Rocky Raczkowski has the interest of his constituents at heart. He listens to them, he feels like they do and he will be the representative we need in Washington.  Check out his website at http://www.rockyworksforus.com/ and then donate to his campaign  by clicking on the Donate button.