Gus Bilirakis Supports Torture

Gus supports torture. He voted "NO" on the Intelligence Authorization Act which would have banned "waterboarding, mock executions, and other severe methods of interrogation."

I sure hope he is held accountable for this vote when he runs for re-election next year.

Gus Bilirakis LOVES being dependent on Middle East oil (No wonder he supports the immoral war in Iraq!)

How else to explain Gus' NO vote on H. R. 6 to "Create Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation Act" which would:

"...move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers from price gouging, to increase the energy efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government..."

Be Afraid, Very Afraid....So Says Gus Bilirakis

Predictable fear-mongering from Gus Bilirakis.

In response to the arrest on terror charges of two students from the University of South Florida, Gus wants to further crack down on foreign students by requiring more vigilance on the part of university officials. Just think, pretty soon, if we pander enough to the fraidy-cat Americans, there won't be any brown people coming to our shores to study! Oh, how happy Lou Dobbs will be!! (Or is it only Mexicans that Lou hates? It's so hard to keep up...)

Seriously folks, isn't this getting ridiculous? Every time I go through airport security and have to remove my clogs, I realize how the stupid (and inept) actions of one purported shoe bomber have terribly inconvenienced a multitude of travelers.

It makes me realize that the terrorists have truly won.

Don't Worry, Gus Is On the Job

Problem solved! Don't Republicans make you feel safer?

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, has a few questions for the Transportation Security Administration about pipeline safety after a trio of teenagers drilled into a pipe carrying ammonia in the Riverview area of Hillsborough County, causing evacuations.

...

“I want to let you know that I am going to be contacting TSA about the security of these pipelines, especially in the Tampa Bay area," Bilirakis told Hawley. He plans to follow up with a letter. He added, “I hope that you will ... take this matter very seriously and respond to my inquiry expeditiously.”

Wow, a letter. I guess the terrorists out there are shaking their boots. Expeditiously.

Gus on Veterans Day

Armistice Day, The War to End All Wars. That was the original message of Veterans Day. The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month. The end of World War I.

When Gus Bilirakis spoke to the assembled veterans and their families at Curlew Cemetary to mark the day, he and fellow Bush enabler, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Jerry F. Custin, used the solemn occasion to pimp their immoral war in Iraq on the back of a dead soldier. Nothing like a good Internet tome to stir up and confuse as you appeal to the patriotic feelings of the veterans. These guys are masters at it. Custin shared the story of Army Sgt. Eddie Jeffers, whose essay "Hope Rides Alone" has been circulated on the Internet

The 23-year-old soldier from Alabama addressed the criticism he heard against the Iraq war.
"Even thousands of miles away, in Ramadi, Iraq, the cries and screams and complaints of the ungrateful reach me," Jeffers wrote. "In a year, I will be thrust back into society from a life and mentality that doesn't fit your average man. And then, I will be alone."
Said Custin: "Unfortunately, Sergeant Jeffers won't get to walk down the streets of America next year. On September 19th, he was killed in Iraq

Nice to know that these war enablers have missed the point of Armistice Day completely, isn't it? Just more of the same from Bush's gang. Offer platitudes to the veterans while supporting policies that continue to put our military in harm's way. And of course, don't bother to take care of our veterans when they return home. God forbid we should raise taxes on the rich to pay for the GOP folly.

Gus Bilirakis - Another Shameful Vote

Veterans and Greeks - Thumbs Up!
Poor Children and Gays - Thumbs Down!

First the S-CHIP bill (NO to healthcare for poor children), and now Gus Bilirakis joins the hateful, homophobic caucus and votes a big NO on H.R. 3685, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007.

Something to ponder--
What would Gus say to a gay Greek veteran about government healthcare or employment discrimination?

Hmmm.....

Where's Gus Bilirakis?

From Greek News :

"Accompanied by US Regional Coordinator for SAE Theodore Spyropoulos, Tamvakis also met with US House of Representatives members John Sarbanes, Gus Bilirakis and Zachary Space to discuss the promotion of Greece's national issues in the US Congress and the strengthening of relations between the Greek expatriates and the motherland."

S-CHIP? Healthcare for poor children? Ending the war? Holding the Bush administration accountable for lies and incompetence?

Gus Bilirakis in the News

In order to do our jobs here at GusWatch, we are signed up for "Google Alerts." For those of you not familiar with Google Alerts, they are a way to be notified, via email, whenever a certain name or phrase appears in the news. Google Alerts for Gus Bilirakis usually come into my email box, on average, three days a week. On those days, I may get three or four alerts of the same story when it is published in different media outlets or on blogs.

For the past two weeks, Gus Bilirakis has been in the local news for hosting a couple of workshops on identity theft. Good for him.

But much more common are stories like the one I got today. I would say 60-75% of the coverage of Gus is on Greek-related issues. Here is the link to the latest, along with an excerpt:

"Friday a Kiev issue of the Kommersant daily reported that Denisenko met with Republican Senators George Voinovich and Sam Brownback, and Gus Bilirakis, the head of the support group to the Greek Orthodox Church in the House of Representatives."

A few thoughts came to mind as I read this:

1. "...head of the support group to the Greek Orthodox Church in the House of Representatives." WTF? Support group for a church in Congress? Is this the best use of Gus' time in Washington?
2. If Gus Bilirakis puts that much time and energy into supporting the Greek Orthodox Church in Congress, shouldn't his votes reflect his religious values? If so, then why did he vote against giving more poor children healtchare through the S-CHIP program?
3. Is this another example of Gus pandering to one of his two big constituencies (Greeks and veterans) while ignoring the rest of us?

Gus Bilirakis: No Healthcare for Poor Children

Gus Bilirakis shows his real values again. He'd rather spend American tax dollars on a pointless war in Iraq than on healthcare for poor children in our country. Gus Bilirakis voted "NO" on the bipartisan S-Chip bill when it came up for another vote.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/votes/?votenum=1009&chamber=H&congress=1101&tally=1

Will he have the political courage to change his vote and override a veto this time? Don't count on it.

Gus Bilirakis & GOP family values: Trapped in the men's room

GOP Values:

Don't think of sick children.
We torture but it's okay as long as we say that we don't use or condone torture.
War is patriotic but our kids make other choices.

Gus Loves Bush

Pushing Rope notes the percentage of the time Florida Republicans vote in line with President Bush, one of the worst presidents in American history. Not surprisingly, Gus loves Bush:

2007 - 75%

Bilirakis aide's daughter gets government healthcare

Susan S made a trip to see Gus Bilirakis' aide today,Wed Oct 03, 2007:

Without even seeing that he was proving my point, an aide to Congressman Gus Bilirakis told me this morning that his own daughter gets government healthcare.

Here's the scenario: Democracy for America and the Democrats in NW Hillsborough County, FL, have collected healthcare stories from citizens around the state which we have delivered to our Congressional representatives. The delivery to Rep. Bilirakis' (FL-9) office was delayed because we wanted to give them to an aide during his monthly "Community Outreach" event. This morning, I took the stack of stories to the library where the event was held. The 40-something male aide was browsing the bookshelves when I got there.

We went into the private meeting room and I gave him the stories and asked that the Congressman sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 676 for single-payer healthcare. I also asked him to pass along the word that we would like to see Congressman Bilirakis vote to override George Bush's expected veto of the S-CHIP bill.

He then told me that the Congressman was against the bill because it would be giving healthcare to children whose families earn more than $80,000 dollars per year. I told him that had been taken out of the bill, but that it didn't matter, because ALL children, in fact, all Americans, deserve healthcare.

He then said "...children in this country are not denied healthcare. My own daughter, who is in her twenties and makes minimum wage, gets her healthcare at the County Health Department. So no one has to go without healthcare in this country."

My response was, "So your daughter gets government healthcare." He was a bit flustered.

"No," he said. "She goes to the health department and gets care."

"But that's government healthcare, paid for by the taxpayers."

I'm not sure if it ever registered that his daughter is taking advantage of a program exactly like S-CHIP. (Would you call that hypocrisy or stupidity?)

We talked in circles for awhile longer, but he was having none of it. There's no way that Gus Bilirakis (legacy congressman) will ever override this veto, despite the fact that his own aide's family can't afford healthcare. He follows White House marching orders and in the words of this morning's St. Pete Times editorial, "this is about ideology and politics, not money."

Crossposted on dailykos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/3/121949/040

Gus Bilirakis Puts Politics and Ideology over Children

Today the St. Pete Times weighs in on the SCHIP bill:

This is about ideology and politics, not money. Bush would limit the capacity of a successful program and instead push tax credits to pay for health care, which won't work and has little support in Congress. The low-income families who need SCHIP the most are not going to get their child into the doctor with tax credits.

In the Tampa Bay area, a veteran and a freshman sided with sound policy over partisan politics. Reps. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Rocks Beach and Vern Buchanan of Sarasota were among 45 Republicans who voted for the bill, but that's not enough to help Democrats override a Bush veto. If only Republicans Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville and Adam Putnam of Bartow had been as open-minded and could see the light.

Gus Under the Radar?

Is Gus Bilirakis doing Bush/Cheney dirty work to help set the stage for war with Iran? Looks like it. Why else would he move out of his veterans' hearing aids/Greek issues-comfort zone to propose the following bill?

On September 25, H.R.3653, sponsored by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), to hold the current regime in Iran accountable for its human rights record and to support a transition to democracy in Iran, was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The bill makes a direct link "between the state of freedom and democracy within Iran and the efforts of the current regime of Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and the long-term success of the global war on terror." Senator Brownback (R-KS) introduced the Senate version of the bill, S. 1534, on May 25, 2007 and it was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Read more on this blog.

Something's not right here folks. Gus Bilirakis can barely pronounce "Iran," let alone come up with an idea like this on his own. It would be laughable if it weren't so deadly serious.

Btw, another laughable thing (pointed out by someone on Daily Kos) is the U.S. having the nerve to criticize someone for human rights abuses. Sadly, we lost all moral authority on that one years ago.

Worth Mentioning Again (and Again and Again)

There is no clearer indication of Republican idiocy and immorality than Tuesday's vote against the SCHIPS bill. How on earth do you vote against health insurance for poor children? If there were ever any doubt about which is more important to Gus Bilirakis and his fellow GOP House members: continuing to follow White House marching orders or thinking about the needs of their constituents, then let's remove that doubt once and for all. Gus and his cronies have followed George Bush over the cliff.

Let's hope that Gus' Democratic opponent hammers him with this every single hour of every single day until November 2008. For this, Gus must pay dearly.

(Several Democrats, including Kathy Castor, also sold us out on this one. If they don't come around and vote to override Bush's promised veto, then let's make sure they suffer the same fate as the Republicans. If we can't count on their support for this, then what good are they?)

Gus Bilirakis: Poor Children Not Worth a Few Days of War in Iraq

We here at GusWatch have long questioned the priorities of Gus Bilirakis, but with his "nay" vote yesterday on expanding healthcare for poor children through the SCHIPS program, Gus has removed all doubt. His concern for the health and welfare of American citizens begins and ends with wounded and ailing veterans, a big voting block in District 9.

Gus, who heard "encouraging news" in the pathetic shilling of General Petraeus before Congress a couple of weeks ago, would rather continue pouring money down Bush's Iraqi shithole than take care of America's uninsured poor children. Has there ever been a more disgusting example of pandering: pandering to failed Republican policies on healthcare, to Bush's attempt to salvage his legacy, and to laughable claims of Republican fiscal responsibility?

From Congressman Rahm Emanuel:

"This week, the President asked for $200 billion more for the war in Iraq. In the same week, the White House said the bipartisan plan to give 10 million children health care included ‘excessive spending’ and threatened to veto the plan. For this President who helped rack up three trillion dollars in new debt, it is not about the spending, it is about priorities and the President has made his clear.”

Gus has shown us once again what his priorities are. He stands first and foremost with George Bush, and not with American families. Remember that on Election Day 2008.

Cheney again links 9/11, Iraq war

So I guess this is the time to take the Dick, GI Joe and the 9-11 Two-Step Show on the road.

Vice-president Dick Cheney waves as he greets military personnel at MacDill Air Force Base. (Chris Zuppa | Times)

TAMPA --

Vice President Dick Cheney invoked images of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., in an address at MacDill Air Force Base today in which he again linked the war in Iraq to the war on terrorism.

"Our world really did change six years ago," Cheney told more than 500 military members gathered in an auditorium not far from CentCom, which overees the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan. "They have inflicted great harm and have a taste for more."

To read more about the hypocrisy of the Bush/Cheney Administration:

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2007/09/central-command.html

I wonder if Lil' Gussie's mommy was available to drive him to this GI Joe and Barbie play time. You know the drill...slap some medals on 'em, invoke 9-11 and "fearism", pat them on their heads and send them to certain death. Think about it. It is the perfect scam. They will create more funerals so they can make their quick "cameo" appearances where they can talk about brave soldiers, 9-11, Iraq, fearism and terrorism. It is the perfect scam that keeps on giving more dead soldiers, more grieving families and more money in the war profiteers pockets.


I saw Gus Bilirakis at the Memorial Day ceremony at a local cemetary. He read from a script and slithered away during a Memorial ceremony. He didn't even have the balls to stay for the whole thing.

Gus will continue to vote our soldiers to their deaths while his mommy and daddy teach him how to drive. I hope that they remember to bring his booster seat for each lesson. In the meantime, my military family members are dedicated and over worked patriots who deserve better treatment than this. And they are the lucky ones. They are still alive and well...for now.

He singled out U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores for praise. The congressman, who was sitting in the front row during the speech, is one of the president's strongest allies, Cheney said.

Well there goes another little boy playing GI Joe. Let's stroll down memory lane, shall we? Rep Bill Young visited Walter Reed countless times yet never did anything about the conditions there when he had the power to do so.

So many fake patriots, so little time.

Gus Bilirakis, Live and In Person

You gotta hand it to our boy Gus. He walked right into the lion's den on Monday when he made a brief appearance at the West Central Florida Labor Day Picnic at the fairgrounds. Take my word for it, labor is not crazy about Republicans these days.

I was working at the tri-county Democratic booth (Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough) when I looked up and there he was (only my second Gus sighting, btw). Of course, he was surrounded by handlers, including an older woman who might have been (and probably was) his mother. We've written of her before here at GusWatch. I'm too lazy to find the link, so trust me on this one.

Anyway, one of the handlers brought Gus over to meet us. I surprised myself when I immediately told him that I didn't want him to give Bush any more money for the war in Iraq, and that I wanted him to do what he could to bring our soldiers home from Iraq now. Gus tried to counter with the tired, "But what will happen if we pull out?" To which, I replied, "What will happen if we don't?" Gus was then left to convince me of how very seriously he takes the war in Iraq.

Before he moved on, I also told him that I hoped he would support House Resolution 676, which calls for single payer healthcare, and then I told him we would be delivering healthcare stories to his office in the very near future.

Here are my impressions:
(In my best southern accent) Bless his heart. He is so obviously in over his head. He can only talk in the vaguest of generalities, and he has the most pathetic and creepy handshake. Why did his family let him run for office? They won't be able to protect him from the vultures (us) forever.

Does Gus Bilirakis support our troops? Then bring them home alive and well!

Gus Bilirakis: Sorrow for Katrina victims?

Although some of my best friends are of Greek heritage, I must admit that it seems that Gus Bilirakis represents the citizens of Greece instead of Americans. Of course we care about the fires in Greece but does Gus Bilirakis care about the Americans still suffering in New Orleans? Does he care that the levys are not ready for another hurricane? Does he care that victims are still homeless? Does he remember the people who died in New Orleans?

Maybe Gus Bilirakis should hire me to do his press releases. After all, I have to correct them almost daily now:

"As a member of the House Subcommittee on European Affairs Congress, Congressman Bilirakis expressed his sincere sorrow over the devastation in Greece New Orleans by stating, “My heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the families and friends who have lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy. I commend condemn myself and the Bush Administration for allowing this tragedy to continue and recognize Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and the Greek government in their that efforts to rebuild the levys and homes, especially in the 9th ward, have been shamefully mismanaged and unevenly funded." get these blazes under control.” Congressman Bilirakis added, "The unity and solidarity of the brave people of Greece New Orleans that has arisen from the ashes of these fires flood waters is representative of the Greek American spirit and pride that so clearly defines this nation."



Will Gus Bilirakis sign the petition?

http://whenthesaints.org/

We, the undersigned, urge the United States Senate to pass Senator Dodd's Gulf Coast Recovery Bill of 2007 (S1668) to assist the Gulf Coast region in rebuilding the infrastructure lost after the Katrina and Rita disasters.
Passage of this bill is an important step towards returning the Gulf Coast residents to their homes.

Gus Bilirakis Shows Sympathy for Victims! Why are we not happy?

While we here at GusWatch have nothing but sympathy for the Greek citizens who have lost so much during the recent wild fires, we're a little upset over this:

"As a member of the House Subcommittee on European Affairs, Congressman Bilirakis expressed his sincere sorrow over the devastation in Greece by stating, “My heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the families and friends who have lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy. I commend and recognize Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and the Greek government in their efforts to get these blazes under control.” Congressman Bilirakis added, "The unity and solidarity of the brave people of Greece that has arisen from the ashes of these fires is representative of the Greek spirit and pride that so clearly defines this nation."

Why are we not happy? It was the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Couldn't Gus have mentioned that?

Gus Bilirakis' blog: No comments all the time.

Of course, comments are closed. Gus'supposed blog doesn't allow comments because he is a coward.

Again, I feel compelled to tweak Gus' latest press release because it is full of errors and disinformation.

The departure of Attorney General Gonzales will allow the Justice Department to move beyond the distractions illegal actions faced committed under his leadership. I support a full investigation into Alberto Gonzales'illegal activities and I encourage him to be forthcoming in his testimony. If his memory is as bad as it seemed when he last testified, then he should be Baker-acted for his own safety.

The Justice Department is vital to our nation’s safety and security. Today’s announcement has created an opportunity for new leadership to embrace a refocused and bipartisan agenda that will enable the Department to effectively and faithfully restore the balance of power and undo the outrageous attacks on the U.S. Constitution so that we can enforce our nation’s laws including the Separation of Church and State.

Only then will our Justice Department be once again free to enforce our nation’s laws.




http://bilirakis.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/bilirakis-comments-on-gonzalez-resignation/

Call at National Guard conference for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq greeted with standing ovation

My grandfather earned a purple heart medal the hard way and although medals are one way to honor our troops, the time has come for Gus to stop playing GI Joe with medal ceremonies. Our troops need real health care benefits. They need strong leaders who have the political courage to bring them home. If one of Bilirakis' sons was the last one asked to die for lies, war profits and oil, would Gus offer him up for the "surge"? I doubt it.

It is time for Gus to honor our troops by supporting health care for all. It is time for Gus to vote to end the immoral occupation of Iraq. It is time for Gus to really start talking to our troops. My military family members need real representation. Medals don't keep our troops safe or bring them home to their families. It appears that our troops agree with me:

Call at National Guard conference for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq greeted with standing ovation DAVID McFADDEN, Associated Press Writer

August 25, 2007 6:08 PM

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A call by Puerto Rico's governor for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq earned a standing ovation Saturday from a conference of more than 4,000 National Guardsmen.

Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila said the U.S. administration has ''no new strategy and no signs of success'' and that prolonging the war would needlessly put guardsmen in harm's way.

''The war in Iraq has fractured the political will of the United States and the world,'' he said at the opening of the 129th National Guard Association general conference. ''Clearly, a new war strategy is required and urgently.''

Acevedo said sending more troops to Iraq would be a costly blunder.

To read the rest of the article, click on:
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=565075331141468233

Gus Bilirakis Resources

For those interested in learning more about Gus, here are a list of relevant resources:

FPC Wiki Page

Official House Site

Official Campaign Site

Wikipedia Page

Congresspedia Page

WaPo Voting Database

FEC Report

On the Issues

Open Secrets.org

Project Vote Smart

Gus Bilirakis Goes to Iraq for "Dog and Pony Show"

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week here in District 9, you know two things about Congressman Gus Bilirakis -- He just went to Baghdad on his summer vacation, and he's getting his head buzzed to draw attention to the need for funding for cancer research.

I am certainly not going to knock cancer research, but I would like to point out that 44+ million Americans might not be able to reap the benefits of that research because they can't get healthcare in America. And some of that 44+ million are children that Gus voted against covering with the SCHIPS bill a couple of weeks ago.

Now about that trip to Baghdad. Is anyone but me noticing some eerily similar stories coming out of the mouths of those returning from Iraq these days? From war cheerleading think-tankers like Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack to Rep. Shelley Moore Capito to our very own Rep. Gus Bilirakis, things are still bad, but (surprise, surprise) there is progress being made! (links will be provided later)

In today's paper, Washington Post reporter Jonathan Finer pens an op-ed that spells out what these trips really are. Finer thinks Congressional Reps have a duty to visit the wars they are funding, but denies the importance of these trips for determining what is actually happening on the ground. Here's his recounting of a recent back and forth between Sen. Lindsay (Goober) Graham and Sen. James Webb on Meet the Press:

Last month on "Meet the Press," Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a supporter of the war, chided his Democratic colleague James Webb. "Have you been to Iraq?" asked Graham, who has visited seven times.

"I've been a member of the military when the senators come in," replied Webb, who has not visited Iraq but fought in Vietnam during a long military career. "You know, you go see the dog-and-pony shows."

Well, our Gussie saw himself a dog and pony show.

In conclusion, Finer warns:

As Washington anticipates a September report assessing the troop surge, there is good reason to be skeptical of such snapshot accounts.

UPDATED - From Sunday's New York Times - Returning soldiers give us their thoughts:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/opinion/19jayamaha.html

Gus Bilirakis has another opponent - DCCC Chimes in With Opinion on Bilirakis Leadership

In article by William March today in the Tampa Tribune - Gus may have another new opponent.

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/dicks-considers-run-against-bilirakis/

But, one of the most interesting things in the article is the following quote form Kyra Jennings of the DCCC:

'DCCC’s Southern Regional spokeswoman, Kyra Jennings, confirmed that (John) Dicks met with Van Hollen about the race, and that “We are excited that he is considering a possible challenge. Bilirakis “has only been in Congress a short time, but already has shown he’s not going to be an effective leader.” '

Gus Hates Children and the Elderly

Congress recently had a chance to help out children and seniors across the country. Guess which way the Florida delegation voted?

FL-1: Jeff Miller (R) - Nay
FL-2: Allen Boyd (D) - Yea
FL-3: Corrine Brown (D) - Yea
FL-4: Ander Crenshaw (R) - Did not vote
FL-5: Ginny Brown-Waite (R) - Nay
FL-6: Cliff Stearns (R) - Nay
FL-7: John Mica (R) - Nay
FL-8: Ric Keller (R) - Nay
FL-9: Gus Bilirakis (R) - Nay
FL-10: CW Bill Young (R) - Nay
FL-11: Kathy Castor (D) - Yea
FL-12: Adam Putnam (R) - Nay
FL-13: Vern Buchanan (R) - Nay
FL-14: Connie Mack (R) - Nay
FL-15: Dave Weldon (R) - Nay
FL-16: Tim Mahoney (D) - Yea
FL-17: Kendrick Meek (D) - Yea
FL-18: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) - Nay
FL-19: Robert Wexler (D) - Yea
FL-20: Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) - Yea
FL-21: Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R) - Nay
FL-22: Ron Klein (D) - Yea
FL-23: Alcee Hastings (D) - Yea
FL-24: Tom Feeney (R) - Nay
FL-25: Mario Diaz-Balart (R) - Nay

Let these people know what you think about them. Go to their page at the FPC Wiki to find their contact info.

Temporary Permanent Post on Gus' Votes

Till I have time for a more complete post:

On second thought, what more is there to say?

• Gus Bilirakis voted against giving more children healthcare in order to spend Medicare dollars on privatization.
• Gus Bilirakis voted for the FISA bill in order to give George Bush and Alberto Gonzalez more power to spy on American citizens.
• Gus Bilirakis was in the news for sponsoring another bill to keep the veterans' vote (if only he cared about the active duty soldiers who are currently spilling their blood, sweat and tears in Iraq.)
• When Gus Bilirakis isn't pandering to veterans, he's sucking up to the Greek community. He seems to be more concerned with the occupation of Cyprus than he is with the American occupation of Iraq.

Gus Bilirakis Votes Against Transportation Bill - Hurts Airports, Roads & Housing

H R 3074 Recorded Vote
QUESTION: On Passage
BILL TITLE: Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations for FY 2008

VOTE PASSED
Bilirakis - NO

H.R. 3074:
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes

White House Threatens Veto of Transportation-HUD Bill
CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE

July 23, 2007 – 2:17 p.m.

As expected, the administration issued a veto threat Monday against the fiscal 2008 Transportation-Housing spending bill, denouncing its “irresponsible and excessive” spending level.

The $104 billion bill funding the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments (HR 3074) is $4.1 billion more than Bush requested and $5.9 billion more than enacted in fiscal 2007 (PL 110-5).

Bush has threatened to veto any spending bill that exceeds his fiscal 2008 budget request.

But members of the House Appropriations Transportation-HUD Subcommittee say the cuts the administration wants in this bill would mean underfunding the 2005 surface transportation law , which mandated specific spending levels each year.

Debate will begin Monday, but a vote on final passage is not expected until Tuesday.

Under the bill, highway programs would receive $40.2 billion, $1.1 billion more than enacted last year and $631,000 more than Bush requested. The Federal Aviation Administration would receive $14.6 billion, $140 million more than last year and $545 million more than requested.

The community development fund, which helps localities build housing in low-income areas, would receive $4.2 billion, $408 million more than last year and $1.1 billion more than Bush requested. HOPE VI, which funds revitalization of deteriorating public housing projects, would receive $120 million, which is $21 million more than last year; the administration had sought to eliminate the program.

Source:
CQ Today Midday Update

Political Clippings compiled from BNN Frontrunner and CQ Politics.com.

© 2007 Congressional Quarterly Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Congressmen Gus Bilirakis and C.W. "Bill" Young Have a Funny Way of Showing Support for Veterans

At some point, don't the most deluded GOP supporters understand that their party is all talk when it comes to helping those who have served our country?

Check out this headline:

"Injured Iraq vets sue VA over health care delays"

Can we please stop giving these false patriots credit for supporting the military?

Frustrated by delays in health care, a coalition of injured Iraq war veterans is accusing VA Secretary Jim Nicholson of breaking the law by denying them disability pay and mental health treatment.

The class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, filed Monday in federal court in San Francisco, seeks broad change in the agency as it struggles to meet growing demands from veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Suing on behalf of hundreds of thousands of veterans, it charges that the VA has failed warriors on several fronts — from providing prompt disability benefits, to adding staff to reduce wait times for medical care to boosting services for post-traumatic stress disorder.

...The lawsuit also accuses the VA of deliberately cheating some veterans by allegedly working with the Pentagon to misclassify PTSD claims as pre-existing personality disorders to avoid paying out benefits. The VA and Pentagon have generally denied such charges.

Please read the entire article. The Republican Party is morally bankrupt.

Occupation is as occupation does

I believe that the Congressman who represents the Republicans in my district has strayed off course. It seems to me that Gus Bilirakis needs to refocus his attention on our American military crisis and our fellow Americans dying in Iraq. So, for the sake of my military family members and the rest of our brave American troops, I felt the need to tweak and improve his latest press release. I am proposing that he re-submit his bill to Congress after he includes my corrections, adaptions and/or ammendments.

Remarks as edited and adapted by thefos for a reality check on our American military crisis due to the U.S. led Iraq Occupation:


Gus Bilirakis Commemorates the 33rd 4 ½ Anniversary of the Turkish U.S. Led Invasion of Cyprus Iraq

WASHINGTON (20 Jul.) -- Last night, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), member of House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, delivered the following remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to commemorate the 33rd 4 1/2 anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus Iraq by U.S led Turkish military forces.

Gus Bilirakis' press release:

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl09_bilirakis/pr_statement_33rdanniv_turk_cyprus.html


Mr. Speaker, I rise today not only as a privileged member of this body, but particularly as a Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues I want to use this honorable position to truly support our troops by ending the U.S. led Iraq occupation and bring them home safely to their beloved families. I also admit to my constituents and fellow American patriots, that we never should have taken our eyes off the ball. We never should have allowed the Bush Administration to divert our attention from Bin Laden and the terrorists who attacked us on September 11, 2001.

I stand before you today to recall an anniversary that has racked the Cypriot Iraqi and Hellenic American communities for the past 33 4 ½ years.

Mr. Speaker, even though the tragic events of the Turkish U.S. led invasion of Cyprus Iraq took place so 4 ½ long years ago, the pain and suffering of this tragic occasion still ripples throughout the Greek Iraqi and Cypriot American communities.

This anniversary is a time for America to solemnly remember the Turkish military U.S. led invasion of the Island of Cyprus Iraq, to mourn those who lost their lives, and to condemn the continued occupation.

On July 20, 1974, March 20, 2003, in blatant violation of international law, Turkey the U.S led coalition violently invaded Cyprus Iraq and captured the northern part of the island declared “Mission Accomplished on May 1, 2003. As a result of the invasion, approximately 5,000 Cypriots 60,000+ Iraqis were killed and more than 1,400 Greek Cypriots, including four Americans of Cypriot descent, who still remain missing along with 3632 American soldiers.

Since the invasion, Turkey the Bush/Cheney Administration has established a heavily-armed military occupation that continues to control nearly 40 percent of Cyprus is failing to control the civil war in Iraq. Forced expulsions of Greek Cypriots on the occupied land, have left more than 160,000 displaced persons. An estimated 1.6-2.0 million people have fled Iraq.

Another tragic result of this 33 4 ½ year occupation is the divisions among Greek Sunni and Turkish Cypriots Shi’a factions who since have forcibly lived their lives separated along ethnic lines are also targeting and killing brave American troops. This cracking of the Cypriot Iraq nation is a crime against society and the people of Cyprus Iraq that can only be resolved by ending this occupation.

Since the invasion, international governing bodies and human rights groups have condemned Turkey’s the Bush/Cheney Administration’s flagrant abuse of international law and violation of Cyprus’s Iraq’s national sovereignty. Mr. Speaker, 33 4 ½ years is just too long.

The international community and the American people have expressed their support for has helped shepherd a peace process and settlement that will unite the island, its people, institutions and economy. The United Nations Security Council, the European Union and the United States have all played key roles in trying to bring a practical and fair resolution of this 33 4 ½ year nightmare.

On the occasion of this anniversary, America needs to take a long and hard look at its own commitment toward helping the Turkish Cypriot Sunni-Shi’a crisis factions reach a lasting and enduring peace – free from occupation, division and oppression.

As a new member of the European Union, the Republic of Cyprus has proven a committed and America and Iraq must reach out to influential partner neighboring countries in Europe the Middle East. Despite having a Because a large portion of its land is illegally occupied, Cyprus’s Iraq’s successful social and economic integration into the European Global community is a testament to its focus and dedication to democratic values and regional cooperation has been violently deterred.

The Republic of Cyprus has also worked alongside its European neighbors to bring about a stronger integration of Turkish and Greek Cypriot interests for the good of the Island. This has included a partial lifting on restrictions of movement across the cease fire line that continues to forcibly divide Cyprus.

As a result, since April 2003, more than 13 million Greek and Turkish Cypriots have crossed without incident. Additionally, the per capita income of Turkish Cypriots has nearly tripled in the last three years because of an aggressive integration policy by the Republic of Cyprus and its European neighbors.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that because of this continued integration civil war between Turkish Sunni and Greek Cypriots Shi’a factions, and the economic and political successes failures of the democratically elected Iraqi government, that the Republic of Cyprus so readily wants to share with its neighbors, it is possible to we must bring closure to this 33 4 ½ year occupation.

Indeed, according to: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/07/15/10139330.html, on July 8, 2006, the President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed to formally begin consultations with the ultimate aim of a peaceful reunification and an end to Turkey’s military occupation.

the White House appeared resigned to the fact that the Iraqi parliament is going to take August off, even though it has just eight weeks to show progress on military, political and economic benchmarks prescribed by the United States.

My understanding is at this juncture they're going to take August off, but, you know, they may change their minds,

White House press secretary Tony Snow said on Friday.

You know, it's 54 degree Celsius [130 degrees Fahrenheit] in Baghdad in August,

he said, sympathetically.

Our own US Congress plans to be on vacation from August 3 to September 4, 2007. Despite the early successes of what has since been known as the “July 8 Agreement,” and the best efforts of the Cyprus government, the Turkish Cypriots Our own government has have not followed through on their its commitment to continue this dialogue and path toward peace.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, only last week, President Papadopoulos attempted to jumpstart the Island’s reunification efforts and resume the July 8 Agreement process. Though he initially accepted this gesture, Turkish Cypriot leader Talat ended up cancelling the proposed meeting. the president of the United States, and this Congress, along with the Iraqi government, should demonstrate its commitment and support for the July 8 Agreement as a way toward ending the Turkish Cypriot divide on the Island of Cyprus our troops and the Iraqi people by voluntarily sacrificing any and all vacation time until a peaceful resolution has been reached. I have introduced legislation, H. Res. 405 Stop the Surge 3632, which expresses strong support for the implementation of the July 8 Agreement. ending the occupation in Iraq.



I urge all of my colleagues to act and help this body put our own stamp of support on the July 8 peace process by supporting this resolution.

Cyprus has long been a strong and faithful ally of the United States. It continues to work with us in the Global War on Terrorism and has supported our efforts in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Aside from providing over flight rights and port access, the government of Cyprus has joined only a handful of nations who have acted on their commitment to cancel Iraq’s outstanding debt.

Mr. Speaker, 33 4 ½ years is long enough. It is not impossible to conceive one-day having a Cyprus Iraq that is unified under bi tri-zonal, bi tri communal federation with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Cypriots Iraqis, but the Iraqi government must bring these factions to the table using diplomacy instead of violence and oppression.

America, a friend of the Cypriot Iraqi people, owes it to them to do everything in their power to support peace and an end to this illegal occupation.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl09_bilirakis/pr_statement_33rdanniv_turk_cyprus.html


http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees_of_Iraq

http://icasualties.org/oif/

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarian_violence_in_Iraq

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/28/mission.accomplished/

Grooming Cowards 101

Generation Chickenhawk: The Unauthorized College Republican National Convention Tour, Now On Youtube

Just posted it on Youtube. It’s yours:





http://www.maxblumenthal.com/

Bilirakis Blog open for business...PSYCH!

http://bilirakis.wordpress.com/2007/07/18/al-qaeda-continues-to-eye-us-targets/

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 18th, 2007 at 1:25 pm and is filed under DHS, bilirakis, counterterrorism, GWOT, homeland security, al-qaeda, terrorism. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

It is now 11:19 PM. Were any comments permitted?

While Gus tries to instill fear in his constituents, what is Gus afraid of?

Maybe he is afraid of a mother of 5 or maybe Dramatic Chipmunk found Gus in the shower...

Gus Bilirakis Thinks the Iraq War Is Worth More American Lives

In a 223 to 201 vote, the US House voted to begin redeploying our troops from Iraq within 120 days. Not surprisingly, Congressman Gus Bilirakis voted with the minority, proving once again that he cares more about protecting the Bush administration's failed policies, and a delusional president, than he cares about our American troops!

From the web site Congresspedia:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Responsible_Redeployment_from_Iraq_Act

The Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act (H.R. 2956) was introduced by Armed Services Committee Chair Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) on July 10, 2007. The bill, similar to the Levin-Reed Senate measure, would require that the U.S. begin redeploying troops from Iraq within 120 days of the bill's passage. It would also require that the U.S. have a "limited presence" in Iraq by April 1, 2008. President Bush would need to submit a report to Congress outlining the specific goals of the remaining troops in Iraq, along with timetables for their completion.

Bush enablers like Gus Bilirakis deserve to be forever haunted by their continued support of this pointless war.

We can only hope that the voters in FL-9 will see through Bilirakis' superficial acts of kindness to veterans, and in 2008 demand a Congressman who will give our military the real support it needs. Bring the troops home NOW, Gus!!

Dramatic Chipmunk is watching Gus!

Dramatic Chipmunk is not happy that Gus Bilirakis is voting against our troops.




Dramatic Chipmunk will continue to keep his eyes on Gus Bilirakis' votes.

Gus Bilirakis Votes Against College Students & Middle Class Families

H R 2669 RECORDED VOTE
College Cost Reduction Act of 2007

QUESTION: On Passage

BILL TITLE: College Cost Reduction Act of 2007

VOTE PASSED
Bilirakis - NO

And, of course, the White House Threatens to Veto:

Student Loan Reform Still Faces Obstacles

By Kimberly Palmer
US News and World Report

Posted 7/12/07

With House passage of the 2007 College Cost Reduction Act, student loan reform has moved one step closer to reality, but significant obstacles remain.

The House bill approved Wednesday would increase the maximum Pell grant for low-income students by $500 over the next four years to $5,200 in 2011, cut interest rates on need-based federal loans to 3.4 percent from 6.8 percent, and provide tuition breaks for students who commit to teaching in high-need public schools once they graduate. It would also partly forgive loans of graduates who take public-service jobs, including nurses, first responders, and school counselors.

The bill is the biggest change to college education financing since the 1944 GI Bill, says its sponsor, Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat who chairs the House Education Committee.

The Senate is likely to vote soon on a similar bill, which got committee approval in June. The Senate bill, sponsored by Ted Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the Senate Education Committee, would raise the Pell grant an extra $200 by 2012 to $5,400 and doesn't include an interest-rate reduction on federal loans. Nor does it include tuition assistance for those who become public school teachers.

Both bills would cap the amount graduates pay on student loans each month at 15 percent of their discretionary income. Like the House version, the Senate bill would slash subsidies to lenders to pay for the changes.

Senate passage could land a version of the reform bill on President Bush's desk by September, but resistance to the proposed policy changes is growing. Bush's senior advisers said in a statement Tuesday they will recommend that the president veto the bill "because it fails to target the neediest students currently in college and creates new mandatory federal programs that are poorly designed and would have significant long-term costs to the taxpayer." The statement released by the Office of Management and Budget also says the proposed loan-forgiveness policies are an inefficient way to encourage graduates to go into certain professions.

America's Student Loan Providers, an industry group, opposes many of the reforms. It argues that the subsidy cuts would force lenders to wipe out interest rate discounts they now provide to borrowers. Kevin Bruns, the group's executive director, warns that the reduction in profits for loan companies would force some lenders to close up shop, reducing competition and options for students. Republican members of Congress have called the House bill fiscally irresponsible.

At the same time, student and other groups have backed the proposed reforms. The Project on Student Debt praised the House bill: "The combination of additional grant aid, increased availability of federal loans, and payment caps will help students avoid costly private loans and allow them to graduate from college less burdened by debt."

Gus Bilirakis Responds--Avoids Hypocrisy Charge!

From the St. Pete Times:

"I do not agree with President Bush's decision to fully commute Lewis Libby's prison sentence," Bilirakis said in a statement. "While commutation is perfectly within the President's constitutional discretion, Mr. Libby was tried by a jury of his peers and was convicted of a felony.

"The fact that Mr. Libby committed this crime while serving as a public official makes it all the more egregious. Excessive or not, Mr. Libby's sentence should be respected."

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/07/gus-bilirakis-s.html

I guess Gus Bilirakis was caught between a rock and a hard place on this one. I think that our phone calls brought it to his staff's attention that he couldn't support Scooter Libby's "Get out of jail free card" so soon after his no amnesty statement about immigration.

I applaud Gus for his statement about Scooter Libby even though he buffered it with a nod to Bush's ability to abuse the U.S. Constitution any time he wants to.

My Call to Congressman Gus Bilirakis' Palm Harbor Office

I just got off the phone with Patty in Congressman Bilirakis' office. I asked her if he had made a statement about George Bush's communtation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence. Her response was that he hadn't made a statement yet. She then asked me, "What organization are you with?" I replied that I was a member of many organizations but that I was calling as a resident of Congressional District 9. I told her that I would like a call back when he made a statement. She took my contact information and again asked, "So you are calling for yourself?"

I got the feeling that Patty was expecting the call. Please let us know what response you get when you call the congressman's office.

Gus Bilirakis and Double Standards

Here's a statement that Congressman Gus Bilirakis made about the failed immigration bill last week:

“As an American, I do not accept this line of thinking. The reality is that amnesty is not an answer to this complex and endemic problem. As a nation of laws and a nation of legal immigrants, it is simply wrong to reward unlawful behavior with amnesty.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl09_bilirakis/pr_070301_senill.html

I wonder what Gus Bilirakis thinks about George Bush commuting the prison sentence of Scooter Libby. Is there a double standard at play here? Is there one standard for those who break the law by entering our country to seek a better life, and another standard for White House cronies who have broken the law at the behest of the administration? I urge you to call Congressman Bilirakis' office tomorrow and ask him.

Washington DC Office
ph: 202-225-5755

Temple Terrace Office
ph: 813-985-8541

Palm Harbor Office
ph: 727-773-2871

Gus Bilirakis Update - Blocking the Road to Homeland Security

H R 2638
YEA-AND-NAY
15-Jun-2007

QUESTION: On Passage

BILL TITLE: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for FY 2008

H.R. 2638:
making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes

Vote Passed
Bilirakis - YES

Here's How Gus Voted Down Both Party Lines:

(Bold = Voted With Democrats/Against GOP)
(Italic = Voted Against Democrats and GOP)

Date	Vote	Position	GOP opinion	DEM opinion
6/15/07	Vote 491: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	No	Yes
6/15/07	Vote 490: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 489: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 488: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 487: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 486: H R 2638	No	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 485: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 484: H R 2638	No	No	No
6/15/07	Vote 483: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	Yes
6/15/07	Vote 482: H R 2638	Yes	No	No
6/15/07	Vote 481: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 480: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 479: H R 2638	No	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 478: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 477: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 476: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 475: H R 2638	Yes	No	No
6/15/07	Vote 474: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 473: H R 2638	No	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 472: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 471: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 470: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	Yes
6/15/07	Vote 469: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 468: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 467: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/15/07	Vote 466: H R 2638	No	Yes	No
6/13/07	Vote 465: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	Yes
6/13/07	Vote 464: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/13/07	Vote 463: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/13/07	Vote 462: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 461: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 460: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 459: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 458: H R 2638: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fy 2008	Yes	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 457: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	Yes
6/12/07	Vote 456: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	Yes
6/12/07	Vote 455: H R 2638	Yes	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 454: H R 2638	Not Voting	Yes	No
6/12/07	Vote 453: H R 2638	No	No	Yes

Stem Cell Round 2 - Another Chance for Gus Bilirakis to Help Veterans - And Gus Votes No

S 5
YEA-AND-NAY
7-Jun-2007
QUESTION: On Passage
BILL TITLE: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act

Vote Passed
Bilirakis - NO

S. 5:
to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research

Is Gus Bilirakis for Human Cloning?

H R 2560
2/3 YEA-AND-NAY

QUESTION: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
BILL TITLE: Human Cloning Prohibition Act

Vote FAILED
Bilirakis - NO

H.R. 2560:
to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit human cloning, and for other purposes

Gus Bilirakis Has a Blog!

It's true! Here's the link to a post on the JFK terror plot:
http://bilirakis.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/hillblog-bilirakis-comments-on-thwarted-jfk-terror-plot/

So far, I am underwhelmed.

I've been meaning to write about Gus' co-sponsorship of a VERY IMPORTANT BILL. I'll have to come back later with the particulars, but for now just know that Gus is on the case. Is he trying to help bring the Iraq War to an end? NO! Is he trying to help the people of the Gulf Coast as they continue to struggle nearly two years after Katrina? NO! Is he trying to solve our healthcare crisis? NO! Is he working to fix No Child Left Behind or improve the dropout rate in American schools? NO! What is it that is so deserving of Gus' attention? Turns out the new dollar coin has "In God We Trust" on the side instead of on the face, and that, my friends, is what is bothering your rubber stamp Congressman. Heaven help us.

GusWatch spots Gus on Memorial Day

Susan S. and I attended Curlew Hills Memory Gardens Annual Memorial Day Service on May 28, 2007. We attended the memorial service to honor our military, especially those who gave their lives while serving our country. We attended with thoughts of Andy Aviles, who was killed in action on April 7, 2003. We were also thinking about Andy's grieving parents, Norma and Oscar Aviles and how easily we could be in their tragic position. Andy was the same age as my oldest daughter. He would be just 23 years old if he were alive today.

I was also thinking about my military family members and how thankful I am that even though my brother in law only gets to see his 5 month old and 6 year old sons via a web cam once a week, at least both he and my sister are alive and well.

I wasn't sure what to expect but I wasn't prepared for the pompous partisan package decorated to impersonate patriotism. I knew we were in trouble when the Master of Ceremonies, Colonel Jerry F. Custin USAF, (Ret) gushed about Congressman Gus Bilirakis' glowing accomplishments, when in reality, his power ranking is in the basement:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/overall.tt

So as I post this video of Gus Bilirakis reading the GOP script, his words ring painfully hollow as I heard that 10 more U.S soldiers were killed in action on Memorial Day. In my mind is the wounded Iraq War veteran who was interviewed by Anderson Cooper on Memorial Day. Although Anderson Cooper interviewed more than one wounded soldier, this one Iraq veteran's story was particularly heartwrenching. He was not expected to live, but survived in spite of losing most of his blood. His forearm is a mangled mess but he was only receiving a small percentage of his rightful disability benefits. He lost his home and was living in his car. Thankfully by the end of the show, CNN's influence had helped him finally receive the benefits he earned on the battlefield.

With that in mind, I give you the Congressman who represents the Republicans in my district:

Where's Gus?

When Gus Bilirakis was running for congress last year, we couldn't find him anywhere. We searched but we never were successful in our quest to actually hear him speak in person.

Then suddenly, last February, I accidentally stumbled upon Congressman Gus Bilirakis speaking on C-Span. Yep, I spotted Gus actually delivering a speech. Correction - I watched him read the White House talking points verbatim. At the time, he was reading the GOP party line against the resolution against the Iraq escalation.


I thought to myself, "Honestly, shouldn't he know them by heart now?"

Even though he should know them by rote, Gus read the usual Luntz speak and got louder as he climaxed with a list of terrorist attacks beginning with the World Trade Center in 1993 and ending with a big finale of September 11th. As Lil' Gussie read the usual crap, I was struck about how awkward and bizarre his delivery was. No wonder he was never available for speaking engagements before election day. Would any voter really have voted for him if they heard him read in person? Gus repeated a chopping motion with his hand as he read his script. Gus Bilirakis indeed voted no but I don't remember hearing about his service to our country. Where did he serve?

On Memorial Day, May 28, 2007, we finally spotted Gus in action. Susan S and I attended the Curlew Hills Annual Memorial Day Service in Palm Harbor, FL.

448 Soldiers' Deaths at the Feet of Gus Bilirakis

It's been one week since we posted the number of US troop deaths that can be directly laid at the feet of Congressman Gus Bilirakis since he was sworn into office on January 3, 2007. Today that number stands at 448. 30 more precious lives have ended because my member of Congress would rather protect the ego of George Bush and the tattered remains of the Republican party's reputation than accept the fact that the Iraq War and occupation have failed, and that remaining there will only result in the deaths of more of our troops.

This week, Gus Bilirakis voted with the majority to keep funding this disastrous occupation. Because his party (and some spineless Democrats) would rather prop up George Bush than make him accountable for the failures in the war, we will stand by helpless as more of our brave men and women die for nothing.

Keep calling Congressman Bilirakis' office to express your disgust with his rubberstamping of Bush's policies. Here are the numbers:
Here are the numbers:
1(202) 225-5755
1(813) 985-8541
1(727) 773-2871
(Casualty figures from www.icasualties.org)

418 Deaths on Gus Bilirakis' Watch

We here at GusWatch are fed up. Our congressman was sworn into office on January 3, 2007. Since that day, 418 precious American lives have been lost in George Bush's disastrous war in Iraq. (We can't even convey to you the number of Iraqi deaths because no one deems that worthy of an official count...Another reason to be upset!)

As a member of the 110th Congress, Gus Bilirakis has done nothing to end this quagmire. He is "rubber stamping" Bush's folly, just as his father did. It's time to DEMAND that Gus Bilirakis follows the will of the American people and not the will of George Bush. Please call his office and make your voice heard. DO NOT STAND BY AND ALLOW ONE MORE SOLDIER TO DIE FOR NOTHING. Gus needs to support the Democratic efforts to bring our troops home.

Here are the numbers:

+ 1(202) 225-5755
or
+ 1(813) 985-8541
or
+ 1(727) 773-2871