ThinkProgress.org calls Rep. Virginia Foxx “the gift that keeps on giving,” and today she gave us all a classic. On the House floor, Foxx, of “health care reform is more dangerous than terrorism” fame, claimed that the Republican Party “passed civil rights bills back in the 1960s without very much help from [Democrats].” Talk about revisionist history. The landmark civil rights legislation of the 1960s was introduced by JFK and pushed through Congress by Lyndon Johnson, both Democrats the last time we looked. A substantial number of Republicans did vote for the civil rights bills, but those were the days when the GOP included a hefty number of moderate or even liberal members of Congress. If those bills were introduced today, you can pretty much bet everything you own that the vast majority of Republican members of Congress would vote against them, since the party has essentially purged all but a handful of its moderates. The primary factor splitting supporters from opponents of those particular bills was geography, i.e., if a Congressman was from the South, he probably opposed them; otherwise, he was probably for them. Thus, Southern Democrats voted en masse against the civil rights legislation, while nearly all the other Dems voted for them. If you take out the Southern Democrats from the equation, a higher percentage of Dems voted for the bills than did Republicans. The bottom line, though, is that those bills were introduced and pushed through by the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate. And Foxx, as usual, comes across as a confused loony.
This article appears in Nov 17-23, 2009.
Virgina Foxx voted against the Hurricane Katrina Aid Package, arguing that those most needing the assistance had placed themselves in jeopardy.
Virginia Foxx voted against the extension of the Voting Rights Act.
Virgina Foxx tried to block the second stage of TARP stating that market forces need to be left to work out the economy’s problems.
Virgina Foxx was among the first to claim that the Health Reform would result in the federal government putting seniors to death, and most recently claimed that Health Reform was to be more feared than a terrorist attack.
Virgina Foxx opposed the Matthew Shepherd Act because his death was the result of a robbery and not an act of hate against a gay man.
And today, Virginia Foxx tells us that Republicans led the way in civil rights reform because the Republicans have always been the true reformers.
Her record of legislative accomplishment lists two items: a) an act that allows U.S. troops to increase their retirement savings by investing a portion of their combat pay into Individual Retirement Accounts, and b)the Electronic Pay Stub Act which gives federal employees the choice of receiving their pay stubs electronically.
She has a doctorate in education can get such a degree if they are willing to pay the tuition and put in the time) and she was president of a community college. One expects more from those who should know better. If she is as stupid as she seems, then her academic work and leadership are suspect. If she is not as she seems, then she is either a party dupe sent out to utter nonsense or is purposely telling lies.
No matter how you look at it her behavior is shameful.
Virgina Foxx voted against the Hurricane Katrina Aid Package, arguing that those most needing the assistance had placed themselves in jeopardy.
— poor choice of words by Foxx and not entirely true, but those folks don’t need handouts so another good vote by Foxx.
Virginia Foxx voted against the extension of the Voting Rights Act.
— this is great! Voting Rights Act is unnecessary today.
Virgina Foxx tried to block the second stage of TARP stating that market forces need to be left to work out the economy’s problems.
— that is great! She’s trying to stop the fed’s printing press from destroying America. Foxx is also one of the few in the GOP to vote against the bailout when Bush was in charge too!
Virgina Foxx was among the first to claim that the Health Reform would result in the federal government putting seniors to death, and most recently claimed that Health Reform was to be more feared than a terrorist attack.
— it wont put seniors to death, but it is a threat to liberty and Foxx should do more to promote free market reforms.
Virgina Foxx opposed the Matthew Shepherd Act because his death was the result of a robbery and not an act of hate against a gay man.
— even if it was an act of hate against a gay man, it was still a murder, those who commit murder should receive the same justice no matter who the victim is. There should be no special cases.
And today, Virginia Foxx tells us that Republicans led the way in civil rights reform because the Republicans have always been the true reformers.
— this is not true, but the GOP did have alot of say in the passage of the ridiculous civil rights laws.
What an embarrassment.
Great points Luke!
Notice Grooms would coulda should junk. If Democrats were more caring they would have voted for the civil rights stuff. The fact is that Republicans have been leading the way for the fair and just rights of man for a hundred years. The Democrats are just the little midget that tagged along and is now acting like it was the leading force behind this change. Grooms excuse ridden explaination is proof enough that you have to twist logic to make the Democrats the good guys.
The main reason the Democrats have any following at all is that they like to hand out free money and stuff, AKA buy votes.
Many of the things Foxx says seem wacko because Grooms usually fails to EXPLAIN the reasoning behind her vote. This is called error by Omission.
There have been minority voices in both the GOP and Democrat party that have pushed for good reforms over the years. The leadership is always the problem.
The GOP is run by big money interests always looking to loot the public for the most part as is the Democratic party.
Tom DiLorenzo wrote a great book on the origins and history of the GOP in his great work, The Real Lincoln.
By and large, the civil rights legislation is terrible. It is an outrageous assault on property rights, freedom of association and self determination. It’s stupid but predictable that today’s GOP to claim credit for that, it further shows their hollow rhetoric.
I would say up until the 1920’s, the Democratic Party was the party of ltd gov, sound money, etc. The GOP has never been that way except when compared to the Dems, not good.
Limited government conservatives have no place in today’s GOP.