Last Thursday, as the U.S. House of Representatives worked to wrap up business before the two-week Independence Day break, 19 roll call votes were held on a variety of issues ranging from a resolution congratulating the Government of South Africa on its first successful convictions for human trafficking to legislation extending unemployment benefits.
Included among the votes was a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the political situation in Thailand be solved peacefully and through democratic means. In part, the resolution called for the restoration of peace and stability throughout Thailand, urged all parties to renounce the use of violence and supported the goals of the roadmap for national reconciliation in order that free and fair elections could be held.
In perhaps the strangest vote of his term and in what can easily be described as Sali-esque, Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick was just one of four members voting against it—the only Democrat to do so.
While Minnick, along with the Idaho Education Association, touted his vote that day to provide additional funding for public schools as an "invest[ment] in our children ... without adding to the deficit" (after earlier voting against even bringing the legislation up for consideration), he remained silent on his vote against extending unemployment benefits—the second time in three days—and understandably so. Which sane person would tout a vote against investing in struggling families and pumping $7 million a week into a struggling economy?
He also remained silent on his vote against supporting peace and stability in Thailand making the question: Which sane person would cast such a vote?
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