Staffer lies for John Kline in Red Wing Republican Eagle

The Red Wing Republican Eagle's letters to the editor have seen a back and forth between supporters of Steve Sarvi (DFL) and John Kline (R) concerning the MN-02 race. On June 4th, Paul Drobs wrote a letter criticizing John Kline entitled "Kline’s credibility vanishes on war." So John Kline had a staffer respond. This next bit will surprise nobody.

Yelena Vaynberg, Legislative Director for John Kline, lied about John Kline's record.

Ms. Vaynberg wrote claiming that she wanted to "set the record straight." Here's her first lie:

SCHIP: Congressman Kline has consistently supported the renewal and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Accordingly, Kline voted for legislation last fall that would provide an 18-month extension of the current SCHIP plan.
(Red Wing Republican Eagle)

He voted against the bill on 8/1/07. He voted against the bill again on 9/25/07. He voted against the first veto override on 10/18/07. He voted against the bill itself on 10/25/07. He voted against the second SCHIP expansion override on 1/23/08.

How is this supporting SCHIP? She isn't lying when she uses the word consistent, though. John Kline has consistently opposed SCHIP.

Ms. Vaynberg continued:

GI bill: Kline is the father of a son serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, the husband of a retired Army nurse, and a 25-year Marine Corps veteran himself. He considers it a priority to ensure the government keeps its promises to our veterans.

Kline currently is a co-sponsor of four GI Bills, including Senator Jim Webb's (D-Va.).
(Red Wing Republican Eagle)

Kline may have co-sponsored four bills, but three of them were weaker, Republican versions and he voted against Sen. Webb's bill which would have guaranteed Iraq and Afghanistan vets no tuition if they seek a degree from a state university. John Kline has repeatedly stabbed the troops and the veterans in the back. From bills like this one to armoring our troop and their vehicles to slashing the VA budget to overlooking the substandard living conditions of vets, John Kline has been working against the best interests of the men and women who currently serve or who have served our country.

John Kline has been ignoring the Marine motto "Semper Fidelis" (always faithful) and for reasons I cannot understand has a voting record unbecoming a retired officer who sits on the House Armed Services Committee. Conversely, he has remained faithful to the Bush Administration and the Republican agenda even at the expense of our troops and our vets.

Ms. Vaynberg wasn't done:

Energy bill: With gas prices continuing to rise, Kline believes we need to explore all of our energy options. He voted against the Democrats energy bill because the plan further increased our reliance on Middle East oil. Additionally, this bill turns its back on promising alternative energy sources like the waste-to-energy incineration facility in Red Wing and nuclear power.

Kline believes Congress needs to examine ways to explore long-term energy solutions; encourage new technologies such as wind, solar and biomass; expand energy sources like oil refineries, cleaner-coal technology, renewables, and nuclear; and advance a real energy plan that increases American supply in all forms.
(Red Wing Republican Eagle)

First I'll deal with the lies in the first paragraph about Energy. The Democratic bill actually did reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

The House on Wednesday [Feb. 27, '08] approved a bill to extend more than $17 billion in tax credits and other incentives to encourage the production of energy from solar, wind and other renewable sources, and to promote energy conservation. The bill would be financed by ending tax incentives for oil and natural gas producers.

Democratic leaders in the House hailed the legislation as a step toward energy independence and a moral victory for protecting the environment, by encouraging production of clean alternative fuels. But the White House threatened to veto the bill, saying it would be a mistake to increase the tax burden on American oil companies.
(NY Times)

Next, incineration and nuclear power are not alternative energy. Waste-to-energy is what the marketeers came up with to describe incineration in a way that sounds better. Incinerators produce negligible energy compared to how much they consume burning your garbage. Furthermore, they only concentrate toxics which must be landfilled anyway. Nuclear never has been nor ever will be alternative energy unless you talk to a Republican who receives campaign contributions from the Nuclear Lobby like Kline does.

So Kline remained faithful to the Bush Administration head-in-the-sand energy policy. A policy that seems to have one intent: providing gargantuan tax rebates for oil companies.

If Kline believes in encouraging the alternative energy industry, why did he vote against the Alternative Energy Tax Incentives bill?

What the last sentence in the second paragraph shows is Kline's real intentions. He will only be for alternative energy if Big Oil, Big Coal and the nuclear industry continue getting their fat tax rebates ... in other words ... he only does what his corporate donors want him to do.

John Kline has been one the best Republican Congressman that corporate donations can buy.