That is what a lot of local Republicans must be feeling today after reading of Congressman Richard Hanna's comments at an Equal Rights Amendment rally in the Huff Po article: Richard Hanna, GOP Congressman, Tells Women To Give Their Money To Democrats.
"I think these are very precarious times for women, it seems. So many of your rights are under assault," he told the crowd of mostly women. "I'll tell you this: Contribute your money to people who speak out on your behalf, because the other side -- my side -- has a lot of it. And you need to send your own message. You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.""Precarious times for women?" Women aspire to the highest office in the land and head some of the nation's largest corporations. Some would say these are the best of times for women. .
"So many of your rights are under assault?" Exactly which "rights," Mr. Hanna? Please be specific.
"You need to remind people that you vote" ... Really? In this day and age of minute-to-minute polling that slices and dices voting data among gender, age, racial, ethnic, sexual and political orientations?
There are reasons why after 40 years the Equal Rights Amendment still has not been ratified by the required 38 states not the least of which are (1) it is not needed and (2) it will be used to distort rational decision making by elevating gender over other considerations. But this post is about Mr. Hanna and not the ERA.
When HuffPost asked Hanna after the rally whether he was bucking his party by encouraging women to give their money to "the other side," he said that he wasn't.Mr. Hanna, you were nominated for your office by local Republicans as their standard-bearer with the full knowledge that you were an independent thinker and would not always "tow the party line." However, your nomination and election should not be confused with a willingness to be lectured by you as to what Party members should believe.
"I'm trying to help [the GOP]," he said. "I think it's the appropriate thing to do."
You were elected to represent the people of this district in Congress, not to "help" the Republican Party. Telling women to support Democrats is not "appropriate" because it undermines the Republican Party and many of your supporters rather than "help" them. If you undermine your supporters, why should they continue to support you?
Mr. Hanna, you may have just lost Utica-Rome's seat in Congress to someone from Binghamton.
8 comments:
I think he just jumped the shark
one and done for the repulicrat Hanna.We were sold a bill of goods .
Is this a clever ploy or an idiotic blunder? The Congressman has just revealed himself as a Boehlert cloned Republicrat. He has been leaning towards a Liberal preference from Election Day. But now that the 112th Congressional district changes its territorial footprint, the Congressman may feel the need to flaunt his Liberal slant. The Republican Party does not discriminate against women in any way. For the Congressman to imply to the Huff Post that he is not advocating for women to support the Democratic Party, sends his constituents a very significant message. Can he be so obviously incompetent that virtually disqualifies him from holding Congressional office by blundering the masking of his Liberal predilection? Or is the Congressman cleverly resigning the 112th Congressional seat by deliberately betraying his constituents and the Republican Party? This betrayal will all but guarantee him a Republican primary as well as a very strongly female financed Democratic opponent in November.
Hanna was a Boehlert Republican from the outset. He chased Boehlert for an endorsement both times Hanna ran. Hanna is also a pro abortion, pro Planned Parenthood supporter as was Boehlert. This also was part of his past record. So, none of this should come as a surprise to anyone. Boehlert alos first ran to the right and two terms in moved to the left. Of course it should also be recalled that Boehlert served for 22 years! What makes anyone think that acting like him will result in the loss of the seat?
to anonymous above: 1. I do not remember Boehlert ever telling people to give their money to the other side. 2. Another metropolitan area has been added to the district where a democrat will make a good showing. People will choose a real democrat over a republican that behaves like one ... or they will stay home.
Ask anyone who's had business dealings with him or anyone who's worked for him.
First class JERK!
The last thing this area needs is a Boehlert clone. In his 22 yrs. in office he accomplished nothing, though he did manage to get GAFB closed due to his incompetence. If Hanna is a Boehlert clone, we're in deep trouble.
To Strikeslip above. You may be correct given that there is a new district to be created. The only point I was making is that Hanna is and was a Boehlert Republican from the outset. Will Republicans desert him and vote for a liberal Democrat? Or, will Republicans support the lesser of two evils? That answer plus his huge wealth results in the possibility, if not probability, that Hanna will survive. One Boehlert advantage was his support by labor and teachers unions.He was very cozy with union heads. I'm not sure Hanna has it.
Post a Comment