Short list of things I need to address: ** Ross' 'mixed' record of votes on national budget ** Ross' liberal votes re higher ed free market checks/balances ** Extra Credit: Cruz' voting record on these 2 matters ** Cf: university study on power vs people * Ross (voting record, rankings) most conservative: integrity * committee removal: integrity * heavy hand letter response: integrity (My redaction wasn't published, but my blog entries were) * Navigation chart: Statements by Reps. Ross, Paul, misc. letter, related bills on higher ed * The Bubba effect: Statistics show people have a low view of Congress, but usually always keep returning their own rep or senator. * Adam Putnam bailout votes * "Economic 2nd Amendment" & other arguments... -- Is use of government monies to make or guarantee college loans even permitted by the US Constitution? -- Interest, late fees... (Thank you, BC Davis!!) -- Rich college presidents, coaches, building projects. -- I'm on IBR, and thus have no motive to change laws. ** Goal 1: Loan Equity (bankruptcy and ALL OTHER standard consumer protection) - scare off lenders ** Goal 2: End College Loans, and PARTIALLY replace them with grants (free education like other countries) - the difference will force colleges to live within their means. --- Ross' liberal votes re higher ed free market checks/balances --- Extra Credit: Cruz' voting record on these 2 matters H.R.3288 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 12/16/2009 Became Public Law No: 111-117 Passed in SENATE: 57-35-8 (1/2 Majority, e.g., 50% required) - Florida: LeMieux (R-FL), Nay ; Nelson (D-FL), Yea http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?&congress=111&session=1&vote=00374 Passed in HOUSE: 221-202-1(present)-2(no vote) (Dennis Ross was not yet in Congress then: According to http://dennisross.house.gov/biography/ Rep. Dennis Ross was not yet elected to the US House until 2010, which was after 12/16/2009, when it became Public Law No: 111-117 Note: Republicans opposed it, 0-174, with 3 no votes, and Democrats supported it 221-28 vote, with 1 present and 7 no votes. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll949.xml H.R.1473 - Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 04/15/2011 Became Public Law No: 112-10 Passed in SENATE: 81-19, Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea ; Rubio (R-FL), Nay http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?&congress=112&session=1&vote=00061 Passed in HOUSE: 260-167-6 (Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted against it) Note: Republicans supported it, 179-59, and Democrats opposed it with only 81-108 vote, with 3 no votes in each party (total 6) http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll268.xml H.R.2055 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 12/23/2011 Became Public Law No: 112-74 Passed in SENATE: 67-32-1 (3/5 Majority, e.g., 60% required) - Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea ; Rubio (R-FL), Nay www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00235 Passed in HOUSE: 296-121-16 (Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted against it) Note: Republicans supported it, 147-86, and Democrats supported it 149-35 vote, with 8 no votes in each party (total 16) http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll941.xml H.R.933 - Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 03/26/2013 Became Public Law No: 113-6 Passed in SENATE: 73-26-1 (1/2 Majority, e.g., 50% required) - Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea ; Rubio (R-FL), Nay http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00044 Passed in HOUSE: 267-151-13, on passage (6-Mar-2013) (Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted for it) Note: Republicans supported it, 214-14-3, and Democrats opposed it 53-137-10 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll062.xml Passed in HOUSE: 296-121-16, On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments (21-Mar-2013) (Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted for it) Note: Republicans supported it, 203-27-1, and Democrats opposed it 115-82-3 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll089.xml H.R.3547 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 01/17/2014 Became Public Law No: 113-76 Passed in SENATE: 72-26-2 (1/2 Majority, e.g., 50% required) - Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea ; Rubio (R-FL), Nay http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?&congress=113&session=2&vote=00013 Passed in HOUSE: 359-67-7 (Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted for it) Note: Republicans supported it, 166-64-3, and Democrats supported it 193-3-4 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll021.xml H.R.83 - Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 12/16/2014 Became Public Law No: 113-235 Passed in SENATE: 56-40-4 (1/2 Majority, e.g., 50% required) - Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea ; Rubio (R-FL), Nay http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00354 Passed in HOUSE: 219-206-10 (Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted for it) Note: Republicans supported it, 162-67-5, and Democrats opposed it 57-139-5 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll563.xml H.R.2029 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 12/18/2015 Became Public Law No: 114-113 Passed in SENATE: 65-33-2 (1/2 Majority, e.g., 50% required) - Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea ; Rubio (R-FL), Not Voting http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=1&vote=00339 Passed in HOUSE: 318-109-6, On Concurring in Senate Amdt with Amdt Specified in Section 3(b) of H.Res. 566 (17-Dec-2015)(Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted for it) Note: Republicans supported it, 241-3-1, and Democrats opposed it 77-106-5 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2015/roll703.xml Passed in HOUSE: 316-113-5, On Concurring in Senate Amdt with Amdt Specified in Section 3(a) of H.Res. 566 (18-Dec-2015)(Rep. Dennis Ross R-FLA-15th, voted for it) Note: Republicans supported it, 150-95-1, and Democrats supported it 166-18-4 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2015/roll705.xml -- gordon wayne Watts http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0310-collinge-student-debt-bankruptcy-20160310-story.html Even with all these liberal actions in a “very conservative” Polk, Fla. district, voters still overwhelmingly voted in Dennis Ross, but they were a clueless electorate, and the same thing happened when Adam Putnam, a VERY liberal Republican, voted for both the T.A.R.P. And Stimulus bailouts, both very unpopular in Polk County—because “the redneck vote” turned out and voted for him—without first inspecting his voting record. Observe: ** H R 1424: Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, aka the 'Mortgage Bailout': Passed 263-171 in the house, with apparently 1 vacant seat: Adam Putnam voted 'yea' : http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll681.xml and this passed into law: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/110-2008/h681 ** HR 3997: Financial Asset Purchase Authority (Establishes the Troubled Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) to allow the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase troubled assets from any financial institution (Sec. 101) = VERY unpopular in conservative Polk County, Fla.). Failed in the House 205-228, but Adam Putnam still voted 'yes' for this 'liberal' bill: http://www.gop.gov/votes/110/2/674 ; http://votesmart.org/bill/8060/22428/12913/financial-asset-purchase-authority ; http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/110-2008/h674