Karen Shepherd has officially announced she is seeking re-election for Congress. She confidently states that she has made a change in Washington for the better. Let's review her latest voting record:
1. HR2518: fiscal 1994 Labor, HHS, Education. A second chance to vote down this welfare-state nightmare. $3.7 billion more than last year. Passed 311-115 on Oct. 7. Total cost: $256.3 billion. Average cost per household: $2,591.2. HR3400: spending cuts (Penny/Kasich amendment). An attempt to trim a little over 1 percent from the federal budget over five years. Rejected 213-219 on Nov. 22. Total savings: $90 billion. Average savings per household: $910. Shepherd voted against this savings package.
3. HR2519: fiscal 1994 Commerce, Justice, State. Packed with pork; an example: Legal Services Corp. up by 12 percent. Passed 303-100 on Oct. 19. Total cost: $23.4 billion. Average cost per household, $237.
4. S714: savings and loan bailout. Taxpayers nailed again to clean up the S&L mess. Government shouldn't be in the insurance business. Passed 235-191 on Nov. 23. Total cost: $18.3 billion. Average cost per household: $185.
5. HR2750: fiscal 1994 Transportation. Includes Amtrak, $1.6 billion for mass transit (up 70 percent), other unconstitutional spending. Passed 312-89 on Sept. 23. Total cost: $13.4 billion. Average cost per household: $135.
6. HR3450: NAFTA. Surrenders constitutional duty of Congress to regulate U.S. trade to international control. Passed 234-200 on Nov. 17. Minimum five-year cost: $4.5 billion. Cost per household: $45.
7. HR2295: fiscal foreign aid. A second chance to vote against the giveaway of money that we first must borrow. Passed 321-108 on Sept. 29. Total cost: $13 billion. Average cost per household: $131.
It looks to me that Shepherd has consistently voted for bigger government and higher taxes.
Michael Zufelt
West Jordan