My Congressman (Courtney, D-CT) explains his vote against the bailout:

[femmedem]

”At the end of the day, you have to decide,” Courtney said. “Can I tell people in my district that we can spend the equivalent of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on a plan that I don't think is going to work?...

"...In a phone interview after landing in Connecticut, as Congress takes a two-day recess for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, Courtney said he and others simply didn't think the plan would address the underlying insecurity of the nation's housing market, despite the efforts of Dodd and other Democrats to require more assistance for homeowners than had been sought by the Bush administration.

”To only take care of the investment banker part of the system, by leaving the housing market really untouched, we're going to be in a position of throwing good money after bad,” Courtney said. “I'm convinced of that.

”The rate of foreclosure is accelerating right now, and what that signals is that the value of these mortgage-backed securities (that the government would buy in the bailout) is going to continue to tank. The hope that the investor is going to be able to recoup value, in the absence of any mechanism to stop bleeding in the real estate market - I was not convinced.”

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=a0bee98f-a133-4615-a98a-b0644437a758

[jonnyblitz]

1. he's my congressman also and I am GLAD he voted NO.

:thumbsup: thanks for posting this, I have a bad habit of NOT following local news. :hi:

[newfie11]

3. Send him an email thanking him. Thank him for me too.

I am a long way from his district but I appreciate his no vote.

[femmedem]

4. I'm going to call his office this afternoon

and I'll pass that along. :)

[snot]

2. k&r'd

for the appearance of integrity.

[femmedem]

5. It took a lot of courage for him to go against Pelosi, I think,

because he is a freshman. And it wasn't to protect his seat, either: last time around, he very narrowly beat his encumbant opponent by less than 100 votes. But this time around it appears his seat is secure.

I've met him a couple of times. He's one of the good guys--regardless of whether or not history proves his vote on this right or wrong. (And I am hopeful this no vote will enable Congress to pass something better.)

[OakCliffDem]

6. Your Congressman has courage

My Congresswoman, Bernice Johnson, is a go-along-with-the-crowd representative who voted for the bailout.

I wish I had another Democrat to vote for.