Representative Joseph Cao Going Against His Constitutents' Wishes
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
March 21, 2010 1:46am CST
You may remember Joseph Cao, who represents New Orleans, the only Republican who voted for the House health care bill in November. At the time he said he felt compelled to do what his constituents wanted and NEEDED. He's the first Republican to represent that district in many years and replaced the Democrat whose claim to fame was $90,000 found in his freezer. You may also recall that he'd voted for the Bart Stupak anti-choice amendment as well.
As it turns out he really doesn't much care what his constituents want or need after all. He announced tonight that he'll be against the bill tomorrow, reportedly based mostly on the abortion issue. We've all heard and read and many of us have said these past few months that our lawmakers "work for us" and that they're suppose to vote the way WE want them to vote. Here we have a Republican in a heavily Democratic district which heavily FAVORS the health care bill who is going to vote his own conscience instead of the will of the people.
What do you think - is he wrong? Do you think he'll be gone after November's elections?
Annie
2 people like this
6 responses
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
21 Mar 10
Thanks for letting me know about this. Last I heard he was undecided on this one. So he declared he won't vote for it...yet his district says yes...idiot. I hope they run him out of office and every other elected officials that don't represent the will of their people.
Why is it so hard for them to understand their basic job function? Represent the will of they people who elected you. Represent your state/ district.
Not hard to understand...so why can't they do it? I have no tolerance for a politican that ignores the people who pay their paycheks and elects them.
1 person likes this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Mar 10
YOu know me...I call BS on both sides of the fence. I hold both sides to the same standards.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
21 Mar 10
Cao said that while most Louisianians oppose the measure, he recognizes that many in his mostly urban district want health care reform.
http://www.wdsu.com/politics/22881205/detail.html
sounds to me like he is thinking of his constituents.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
21 Mar 10
I don't know what he THINKING but he isn't planning on voting the way his constituents want him to. Should it matter what the rest of the state wants? Doesn't every DISTRICT in every state deserve to be represented?
I just brought this up because it's been said over and over that our Representatives should vote the way their constituents tell them to but when it's someone whose constituents want him to vote "yes" it seems there's a different standard.
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
21 Mar 10
Why is it that it only offends you when someone who opposes the bill is doing the opposite of what his constituents want? All the polls show the majority of Americans don't want this. In 2000 you felt the popular vote was more important than anything else and yet suddenly, the popular vote is irrelevant unless it's from a district that agrees with you.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
21 Mar 10
Why is it that you seem to always insist on twisting my words? Where did I say this "offends" me? What does this topic have to do with the 2000 election or "the popular vote"? The last VOTE taken nationally was in November of 2008.
Most of the time when the subject of how a Representative should decide how to vote comes up here it's from someone who is against the health care bill regarding a Representative whose district is mostly also opposed. With Cao it's the exact opposite which is why I thought I'd ask if everyone still feels he should follow the voters. I notice you didn't bother answering that.
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
21 Mar 10
The answer is very simple. The bill violates the U.S. Constitution so he should vote against it regardless of what his constituents think. Otherwise we just have mob rule and the constitution becomes meaningless which frankly is the path we're on right now.
@momiecat (997)
• United States
22 Mar 10
The passage of this health care bill is only going to benefit freeloaders. There will be no more middle class in America. We are becoming a socialist country. This bill seems to just be one more Democrat vs Republican issue. Democrats want to give away the farm. In the future, people will wish that we had kept health care the way it was. This is just terrible for the hardworking middle class who now will be forced to sacrifice their good health care and pay for all the illegals and freeloaders in the country. I am just sick over this.
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
21 Mar 10
Is it even possible, without huge changes in the ethics rules, to get politicians to respond o their constituents instead of the lobbyists and special interest groups slipping big things into their wallets?
1 person likes this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
21 Mar 10
I don't think he is wrong. He stated his reasons for changing his mind. He's for health-care reform, as is his district, just not the Senate bill being pushed on the House. He may be voted out this November, but I'm hoping the majority of Democrats and Republicans are voted out for the way they've handled this issue and others, the lack of bipartisanship, making up rules as they go, etc.
