A Tip About Congress Before You Judge Chris Smith, By Avi Solomon
A number of people have criticized Chris Smith for voting in favor of the Cap and Trade Bill last year. It is understandable for people who don’t believe in global warming or don’t believe it is a serious problem to be upset with Congressman Smith for voting for the bill. However, it is unfair to ignore all that he has done for his district and the Orthodox Jewish community during his past 30 years in Congress. In future articles I hope to address the deeds Congressman Smith has done while in office that makes me believe he is worthy of re-election. In this article, I merely wish to point out a fact about how Congress works before we judge Chris Smith for voting for the Cap and Trade Bill.
In order to be an effective Congressman a person has to know how to negotiate and compromise. The House of Representatives consists of 435 politicians representing different districts with different interests. Then there is the fact that the House is broken into committees and subcommittees with chairs putting pressure on the members of their party to vote a certain way. Any Congressman who wants to be effective has to trade votes occasionally. You can agree or disagree with the ethics of such behavior, but it is a reality within American Congressional politics. I believe that Congressman Smith has a record that is in sync with Republican values as well as Jewish values. I believe Congressman Smith had to vote for the Cap and Trade Bill because he was pressured by a chair of a committee or subcommittee. I have no doubt that his vote was in return for a vote that would benefit our district. What I am sure about is that anyone who wants to challenge Congressman Smith for his seat in this election can’t promise that they won’t also have to trade a vote during their first term. Furthermore, the vote that Congressman Smith traded in return to help his constituents interests wasn’t on a bill that effects the 4th district greatly nor was is it on a bill that will probably ever make it to law.
When you consider the reality of Congressional politics and the only complaint Congressman Smith’s opponents have is his vote on the Cap and Trade Bill then that is enough proof alone as to what a great job Chris Smith has been doing in Congress.
There are 21 Comments to "A Tip About Congress Before You Judge Chris Smith, By Avi Solomon"
Avi, Kleinhendler would have never voted for the Cap and Trade Bill. NEVER!!!!!!!!
Avi, you have convinced me. I’m voting for Chris Smith.
I could careless about Avi Solomon think. I want to know what Herschel thinks of Chris Smith voting for the Cap and Trade Bill.
are you being paid by smith for congress
Avi is right Chris Smith is very good!
If hershel opposes his fellow republican there must be a good reason. Hershel thinks long and hard before he talks and all that he says is gold.
Smith is a rabid anti Israel man. We only endored him because of local favors.
I think I’ll keep voting for Chris Smith. I do not think “unzerer” belong in the limelight, in politics, then everything can be blamed on them.
“I believe Congressman Smith had to vote for the Cap and Trade Bill because he was pressured by a chair of a committee or subcommittee. I have no doubt that his vote was in return for a vote that would benefit our district.”
If Avi believes and has no doubt, then we must all believe and have no doubt…….
Smirh should have traded a different vote not the Cap N trade one. only 8 republicans in congress voted for it I don’t believe he was pressured if anything he should have been pressured by the republicans.
Chris Smith voted for it because he either got a kickback from some self interest or he missread the voters of his district. now that ocean and monmouth overwelmingly voted Christie and being that cap n trade would make our allready high taxes skyrocket Rep. Smith should be voted out and easely challenged by a true republican.
Chris Smith helped me so much. He has a jewish heart so i will vote for him
Although I happen to disagree with almost everything AS has been saying on TLS, I agree with him that Cris Smith should be reelected. You never trade an incumbent many-term House member for a new comer, unless you have a really good reason. The reality in the House is such that for a congressman to have any say in the matters he has to first attain some seniority and only then he he can effectively represent his or her district’s intrests. For Lakewood community to have to wait 10 or more years to have its interests represented is not prudent to say the least.
Also, you don’t send a guy who has done so much for the community packing on a whim. I know personally two people whom Rep. Smith helped. A little bit Hakoras HaTov is in order.
This is the first election where I can say that I am happy with both candidates equally! Whoever wins, it’s good for me.
Nobody needs my endorsement. Nobody needs my opinion on cap and trade. I do not understand one tenth of what Avi Solomon does about politics. I do know however that Howard Kleinhandler seems to be very dedicated to bring jobs, and responsible development to our area. My endorsement would be meaningless. I am not a politician. I am a toy store owner with a desire to see my town achieve positive growth, using ideas that other successful towns have used in the past. I will leave the politics to experts like Avi. I mean that with all sincerity.
i was personally help alot by the office of Congressman Smith. So i, and i’m sure many others, owe him a debt of gratitude,
avi solomon is not packing a full deck. cant you see from all his out-of-the-ordinary remarks about any controversial subject in this town.
Different is not always better. The oilom voted for christie, and in just in the last week alone he anounced that his forthcoming budget will likely eliminate all property tax rebates, and that new adults will no longer be allowed on most Family Care plans. Be careful what you wish for!
Chris smith must go, hes no conservative. besides voting for cap and trade he has virulent antigun history hes no conservative only sometimes he may appear so, its just a wolf in sheep’s clothing. and my final point is just because there are no term limits for congress we should impose them ourselves and vote for fresh blood once in awhile, after awhile they all loose focus on who they are serving
every single democrat voted for cap and trade. better a republican that trades votes than a democrat.
and a frum jewish democrat ??
must be as krum a a corkscrew.
Congressman Paul Ryan was asked if there were enough votes in the
House to pass healthcare. Congressman Ryan replied that there were not
but went on to say, “I wouldnt count her (Nancy Pelosi) out
because she is very good at muscling votes. They were down 24 on Cap
and Trade the night before and they passed it by eight.
Eight Republicans provided the votes to pass Barack Obama’s Cap
and Trade Energy Tax scam. Chris Smith was one of those eight! What
back room deal did Nancy Pelosi strike with Smith?
Chris Smith has been in Congress for THIRTY YEARS and has continued
to get more and more liberal the longer he serves.
In the 1980s, he often opposed President Reagans efforts to cut
spending and turn our nation around from Socialism.
In the 1990s, he fought efforts to cut welfare entitlements — and
was the only House Republican to vote against the 1996 Welfare Reform
bill.
And in the 2000s, he’s moved even farther to the left. The American
Conservative Union gave Smith a score of just 28 percent the
lowest of any House Republican.
Now with Barack Obama in the White House, Smith’s gotten even
worse. He sided with Democrats to renew the S-CHIP government health
care program for children and, in the ultimate betrayal, he voted for
and helped pass Barack Obama’s Cap and Trade Energy Tax scam.
A solid vote for virtually anything the AFL-CIO wants, Chris Smith is
a sponsor of the dangerous Card Check bill that would replace
secret union elections with a requirement that a majority of employees
sign union cards — a bill that would allow union thugs to bully
workers into forming a union.
Chris Smith has been too liberal for too long, and it’s time for a
change in Congress.
If he supports cap and trade and supports card check Avi, how can you endorse him? He’s more liberal than many Dems.