On Gene Taylor...

I thought Jackson shot deserters, as was the custom of the Army (US and British) for more than 100 years prior to the Civil War... but a damn fine historical reference, none the less.

I'm just not sure how it applies to Taylor, though...

Anyway, Jambo and I talked about Taylor a bit on my trip home from work Tuesday night. He described the heart of the campaign run by his opponent as being critical of Taylor's vote for Pelosi as Speaker... and nothing else. If this is the case, then I can only assume that Mr. Pellazzo (sp?) couldn't find much in his voting record since 2006 to be critical of.

It is the height of partisan politics, I feel, to decry the service and principles of a man like Taylor because he belongs to the same Party as Pelosi and Reid and Obama. Does anyone assume that the fact that Taylor's positions on such influential organs of Congress as the Armed Services Committee and the Ways and Means Committee were compromised by his very conservative voting record and his open opposition to Pelosi in the House? Let's look...

Taylor voted AGAINST the Party line when he voted to:

Extend TRICARE coverage to National Guard and Reserve service members.

Voted against ALL of Clinton's (and Rummy's) BRAC closures.

Voted FOR more nuclear-powered surface ships to reduce the Navy's need for imported oil.

Maintain the requirements of the Jones Act in Naval procurement activities.

He was one of only TWO Democrats to vote AGAINST H Con Res 63, which decried the President's efforts to send an additional 20,000 troops to Iraq (the Surge).

One of only FIVE Dems to vote to impeach Clinton in 1998.

He supports drilling in ANWAR.

He was adamantly opposed to Bush's Prescription Drug Plan in 2003.

The list goes on and on...

So, to conclude, Taylor was called to task for maintaining his Democratic Party membership, and not for voting as a Democrat. That's all well and good, and the argument that membership means support is valid. He had the opportunity to switch parties numerous times since 1998, and turned them all down (obviously). Jambo is right, though... Taylor did a damn fine job representing the conservative, traditional values of his constituents in a climate that grew more liberal with every passing election, and calling him to task on ONE vote cast (I assume) out of political expediency rather than actual conviction is... while perfectly acceptable in the "big picture"... unfortunate, to say the least.

I lived on the Coast for more than 12 years, and I want to say... loudly and proudly... THANK YOU, GENE TAYLOR! From my first year to my last, I could look to you to, honestly and with real conviction and fortitude, support the efforts and policies that I wanted supported. You worked to keep the Democratic Party "valid" to conservative Democrats (like me) who didn't want to see government grow out of control (or necessarily at all), but recognized the value of strong, Federal leadership and support for the States and local communities that needed it. I have never felt he was a "big government" advocate, and if I had to point to one place where he and I disagreed, it would be in his pro-union efforts... but (again) that is simply a fact of his district. He represented several HUGE unions in South Mississippi, from the shipyards to the teachers to the port employees, and that is a BIG block of voters to simply ignore.

No, I'm sorry to see you go, Gene, and sorry that the political climate had to come to this sort of partisan decision... the sort where your kind of principled representation falls to the "straight ticket" vote at the booths. I hope your successor is as good as you were, and that the Party you chose to remain a part of suffers more for your loss.