Just learned my congressman, Bill Foster (D) ( Illinois 14),

[nevergiveup]

voted against the budget. I am usually very calm and collected but to be blunt, I am pissed. Foster (D) won Denny Hastert's old seat here last Nov. and I was expecting Foster to be fairly moderate since this has traditionally been a very Republican/conservative district but Obama carried this district and remains popular here. Foster is getting some terrible advice.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. The end result is that it didn't matter

Saint Dennis is worshiped because of his strong stance against anything that he doesn't believe in.

However, if the President needed Rep. Kucinich's vote, he would have it.

[Cha]

2. I just learned via moveon in my inbox

that my congressman, Michael Arcuri-24th District, New York.. voted for the budget as they gave me his number in DC and asked me to thank him..which I will on Monday.

Sorry about your congressman.

[Kittycat]

3. I hadn't heard about this yet. I did read this AM that he felt the Prairie Pkwy...

was a waste of money, and the funds could be better used on other projects.

I'm a little pissed now.

[KharmaTrain]

4. He's Still Has A Target On His Head...

I'm one district over (the 8th), met Bill at YKOS, donated to his campaign and phone banked for him. When he began his campaign, no one gave him an icecube's chance of hell of not just beating Hastert (before he resigned) but the Cow Nazi as well. Bill ran a very smart campaign. Yes, he's a Democrat and Obama was the first Democratic Presidential candidate to win Kane and Kendall counties in my memory (or lifetime)...he also knows that he won against a deeply flawed candidate twice (Oberweis) and that the GOOP will be gunning for him in 2010. The GOOP still maintains a voter registration edge and Bill is trying to keep the moderates happy. In short, his vote was a CYA one that insulates him from attacks of being "tax and spend"...a mantra that still gets mileage in "purple" areas.

I felt the same way you did when we elected Melissa Bean...who many will still say is a "Blue Dog". She also won by beating a flawed candidate...it wasn't until last year that she had established enough tenure and fell off the GOOP radar that's she's voted more with the liberals and progressive wings and is a strong supporter of President Obama.

Give Bill time...he's a very good man and will serve you well. Get him re-elected a couple times and he'll have more wiggle room to vote a more Progessive/Liberal line.

Cheers...