Todd Platts Taxpayer Funded Newsletter

I received Todd Platts' full color newsletter, which, as the dislaimer notes, "was prepared, published, and mailed at taxpayer expense."

Platts' Republican challenger, Mike Smeltzer rightly attacked Platts for using taxpayer funds for what is clearly a political mailing.  Smeltzer notes the number of "townhall meetings" Platts is having in the coming weeks, and remarks that Platts had no such meeting with consituents during the heat of the health care debates, when other members were meeting with constituents, but only now, in the midst of a tough reelection, is he reaching out to constituents/voters.

I don't think Smeltzer went far enough in his criticism.

1) Newsletters are ostensibly to inform constituents of information they need. Platts' newsletter has 6 pictures – Platts appearing with troops, Platts appearing with veterans, Platts giving an award to a retiring cop, Platts with high school students, and Platts at groundbreaking ceremony. Is this information I need, or just campaign propaganda?

2) The newsletter features an article defending Congress's pay and benefits. Again, is there any relevant information for citizens in there? No, just an article that could be titled “Todd Platts is not such a greedy bastard.”

3) Finally, and most importantly, Platts ideas for a jobs stimulus reads thus: “tax relief for small businesses and families, funding for necessary transportation infrastructure projects, and extended unemployment and COBRA health benefits.” NO NO NO!!! Enough with the spending, and stop SUBSIDIZING UNEMPLOYMENT!

Todd Platts gets a C+ on NTU Rating

NTU - the National Taxpayers' Union - released their report card for the 2009 session.  Todd Platts got a C+ for voting for the taxpayers 60% of the time (it is graded on a curve apparently).  Platts ranked 166th - which means there are 165 members of Congress more fiscally conservative that Platts. 

How's Mike Smeltzer sounding now?

Election Year Again - Will Platts Take Phony Anti-Earmark Stand?

Jim Demint is launching a renewed effort to end earmarks, calling for members of Congress to support an earmark moratorium.

Expect Todd Platts to sign on, after all, it is an election year, and he supported such a ban on earmarks in 2008 noting how corrupting the process is. Of course, in 2009, he flip-flopped and then got $132 million in earmarks from taxpayers.