Mike Turner: Key Votes Show Loyalty to Bush, Party First

It's no surprise that Mike Turner voted with the president and the GOP today against the amended FISA bill that denied blanket, retroactive immunity to telecoms who participated in illegal spying against Americans. It's a pattern of Turner's votes that follow the party line against the best interests of his district.

For starters, Turner has repeatedly voted to maintain an open ended, unlimited military presence in Iraq. He voted against a bill that "requires the president to submit a "comprehensive strategy" for Iraq to certain congressional committees by January 1, 2008 and requires him to update that strategy again in July, 2008 and every 90 days thereafter" (HR 2956). Over and over again, Turner has voted against accountability for the president's handling of the disastrous war in Iraq. He also voted against an appropriations bill for military operations (HR 1591) that included funding for healthcare for veterans and hurricane recovery. But because it too held the president accountable for progress in Iraq, Turner voted no.

Mike Turner pretends to be a defender of American workers, but he voted to create a Central American free trade zone, enabling coporations to transfer American jobs to Central America and the Dominican Republic.

While oil companies reap record profits, Turner voted against a repeal of the Bush tax cuts for big oil companies. Here's the Post's summary of the bill Turner voted against:

This bill would repeal tax cuts to oil companies and mandate that they pay a fee to remove oil from the Gulf of Mexico. It would also fund renewable energy programs. The act would repeal a tax break that oil and gas firms received in 2004. That break effectively lowered their corporate tax rates. It would also bar oil companies from bidding on new federal leases unless they pay a fee or renegotiate improperly drafted leases from the late ‘90s. Those leases did not require royalty payments on Gulf of Mexico oil production. Oil firms would pay a “conservation fee” for oil taken from the gulf. Additionally, the bill would set aside an estimated $13 billion to $15 billion in revenues over a five-year period for tax breaks relating to renewable energy sources

Sounded like a bad idea to Mike Turner and President Bush. (HR 6)

Turner joined the Republicans in voting against a bill which would have allowed the government to negotiate for lower drug prices (HR 4).

When a bill banning the degrading treatment of detainees in American captivity came up for a vote (HR 2863) Turner again voted with President Bush, and voted against the bill. He voted against accountability for the Director of Intelligence.

Turner voted for restrictions on federal funding of stem cell research (HR 810) and voted for the courts' intervention in the Terry Schiavo case.

In a further display of loyalty to the party, Turner voted for ethics changed designed to benefit Tom DeLay (HRes 6, 2005). He voted against a reimposition of the Fairness Doctrine so that broadcasters could continue to spew partisan hate on the radio.

Turner voted against prohibiting discrimination based on sexual preference.

On other occasions, Turner has simply not shown up. He refused to hold Bush accountable again when he didn't vote on contempt of Congress resolutions last month. Overall, Turner has voted with the GOP 88% of the time.