Bachmann and Kline vote against home Foreclosure Prevention Bill

Big victory for American families today, for 400,000 homeowners who won't face foreclosure. Look at this, here's another reason why it really makes a difference that conservatives are out of power:

Help for strapped homeowners, mortgage giants sails through House after Bush drops opposition

By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS , Associated Press

July 23, 2008

WASHINGTON - Rescue legislation sailed through the House on Wednesday aimed at helping 400,000 strapped homeowners avoid foreclosure and preventing the collapse of troubled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

(continued)

The 272-152 vote reflected a congressional push to send election-year help to struggling borrowers and to reassure jittery financial markets about the health of two pillars of the mortgage market.

Hours before the vote, President Bush dropped his opposition to the measure, which now is on track to pass the Senate and become law within days.

...Only 45 Republicans — most from districts ravaged by the housing crisis and some facing tough re-election fights — voted for it.
(Associated Press)

But some Minnesota Republicans didn't vote for the bill--even though they're from districts where home foreclosures are going on, too.

I'm talking about Rep. Michele Bachmann and Rep. John Kline. According to a report from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, five of Minnesota’s top ten counties for foreclosure rates are in Rep. Bachmann's 6th District.

But the hell with the constituents and their problems, I'm taking big contributions from the lending and finance industry--not only will I do nothing to help these constituents, I'll vote against them if only I get the opportunity. Here's the Minnesota congressional roll-call vote on the bill:

Roll-Call Vote on Housing Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: July 24, 2008

The 272-152 roll call Wednesday by which the House passed a bill that aims to help homeowners facing foreclosure and to prevent mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from collapsing.

A ”yes” vote is a vote to pass the bill...

MINNESOTA: Democrats -- Ellison, Yes; McCollum, Yes; Oberstar, Yes; Peterson, Yes; Walz, Yes.

Republicans -- Bachmann, No; Kline, No; Ramstad, No.
(Associated Press)

You know--I don't what the Minnesotans of the Sixth District ever did to get Bachmann to hate them so much. Maybe they didn't elect her "Queen of Prom" back in Anoka or something, I don't know; but it's clear she using her office to take out some form of revenge on Minnesotans.

She hasn't been talking "home foreclosures crisis" on her personal blog these days, and that's understandable, given the fact that she doesn't give a damn about them (despite the fact that she asked for and received a seat on the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees lending and financial practices.) Instead she's talking loudly about a meaningless promise to get gas prices down to $2 a gallon again by drilling in ANWR.

She'd flipped on a Medicare funding vote after loudly opposing that legislation; I'd hoped she'd take pity on the poor suckers who voted for her and support the housing rescue too. But she didn't. Permitting the home foreclosures to go on, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to go under isn't just heartless, it's stupid and irresponsible because it hurts entire neighborhoods, entire localities, not just 400,000 homeowners and their families.

Hearing constituents claim that Bachmann represents them and their families, is like hearing a turkey tell you that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday.

As for Kline: I don't know, you tell me. Bachmann's my representative; I've got my own problems.