2007.02.18: February 18, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: Iraq: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rep. Jim Walsh wants his constituents to know he got their wakeup call when they nearly sent him packing in November
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Nepal:
RPCV James Walsh (Nepal) :
Special Report: RPCV Congressman James Walsh:
2007.02.18: February 18, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: Iraq: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rep. Jim Walsh wants his constituents to know he got their wakeup call when they nearly sent him packing in November
Rep. Jim Walsh wants his constituents to know he got their wakeup call when they nearly sent him packing in November
Since returning to Congress last month to begin serving his 10th term, the veteran Republican lawmaker has become an outspoken critic of President Bush's plan to send 21,500 more American troops to Iraq to serve in a war that has become hugely unpopular in his Democratic-leaning district. He was among the 17 Republicans who voted Friday to pass a nonbinding measure opposing the Bush plan. Congressman James Walsh of New York served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal in the 1960's.
Rep. Jim Walsh wants his constituents to know he got their wakeup call when they nearly sent him packing in November
Near loss spurs new Walsh
Onondaga Republican strikes more moderate pose in Congress
Erin Kelly
Gannett News Service
(February 18, 2007) — WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Walsh wants his constituents to know he got their wakeup call when they nearly sent him packing in November.
Since returning to Congress last month to begin serving his 10th term, the veteran Republican lawmaker has become an outspoken critic of President Bush's plan to send 21,500 more American troops to Iraq to serve in a war that has become hugely unpopular in his Democratic-leaning district. He was among the 17 Republicans who voted Friday to pass a nonbinding measure opposing the Bush plan.
Walsh, of Onondaga, Onondaga County, also has reversed his longstanding opposition to strict gas mileage standards for automobiles in response to a message from upstate residents that he needs to take the lead on national environmental issues.
And he has voted for nearly all the Democrats' early legislative priorities, from a higher minimum wage and lower drug prices for seniors to greater investment in renewable energy and cheaper loans for college students.
Those votes came after Walsh voluntarily stepped down as a Republican whip — a member of the GOP leadership team charged with rounding up votes for his party's side. He said he didn't want to have to organize support for bills he sometimes doesn't like himself.
On top of all that, Walsh this month will reach out to his constituents in a way he hasn't in years — by holding town hall meetings throughout the district this week when Congress is on break. The schedule includes meetings in Webster and Penfield.
"During the campaign, the Democrats spent $2 million trying to portray me as a clone of the president," Walsh said in a recent interview. "I'm not. I've always felt that I can and should be independent. But I wasn't vocal enough about it. That's going to change."
Now that he is in the minority party in Congress, Walsh said he believes he and other moderate Republicans are freer to vote the way they want.
His transformation from low-key moderate to outspoken maverick is what political science professor Robert McClure of Syracuse University calls "a testimony to why elections matter."
"Jim Walsh heard what the voters had to say and he's responding," said McClure, who teaches at the university's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. "That's what representative democracy is all about. The voters disciplined Jim Walsh in the last election. Jim's no dummy. He got the message."
Walsh said that doesn't mean he's given up his principles. The Irish Catholic congressman remains adamantly opposed to Democratic efforts to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, which he sees as the destruction of human life.
"I have certain very basic conservative principles on things like abortion, embryonic stem cell research and gun control that I feel very strongly about," Walsh said. "You have to be true to your values."
However, Walsh acknowledged that voters convinced him to come out strong against the Iraq troop buildup and reverse course on stricter standards to make cars and SUVs go farther on a gallon of gas — an action that can help reduce global warming. Walsh is co-sponsoring a bill to require cars, pickups, minivans and SUVs sold in the United States to increase their average miles per gallon from 25 to 33 within 10 years.
Walsh said he opposed such efforts in the past because he has a company in his district — New Venture Gear of East Syracuse — that makes transaxles for SUVs, which generally get poor gas mileage. Most SUV makers oppose mandatory fuel efficiency standards.
"I tend to be fairly parochial, so I felt I was just looking out for a local company," Walsh said. "But by doing that, I wasn't putting any pressure on Detroit to do something to affect climate change. People told me I needed to look at the bigger picture. And they're right."
Environmental groups have cheered Walsh's conversion, but not everyone is happy about his more liberal bent.
"If the congressman is making a switch to the left because he had a tough time in the election, he could wind up alienating his conservative base," said Michael Long, chairman of the Conservative Party of New York State. "He runs a high risk of causing himself trouble in the future."
On the flip side, Democrat Dan Maffei, who narrowly lost to Walsh in November, said he is glad to see Walsh opposing Bush's Iraq policy and voting for minimum wage. But he is still skeptical.
Maffei, who may run again in 2008, said Walsh should vote against giving Bush the money to send more troops to Iraq. Walsh said he isn't prepared to cut off funding at this point.
"He clearly heard the voters' message, but now he's got to do more than just talk the talk," Maffei said. "We'll be watching."
EKELLY@GNS.Gannett.com
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: February, 2007; RPCV James Walsh (Nepal); Figures; Peace Corps Nepal; Directory of Nepal RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Nepal RPCVs; Politics; Congress; Iraq; New York
When this story was posted in February 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan On his first official trip since being confirmed as Peace Corps Director, Ron Tschetter (shown at left with PCV Tia Tucker) is on a ten day trip to Morocco and Jordan. Traveling with his wife (Both are RPCVs.), Tschetter met with volunteers in Morocco working in environment, youth development, health, and small business development. He began his trip to Jordan by meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and discussed expanding the program there in the near future. |
| Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments. |
| He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor. |
| Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process. |
| The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace. |
| PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come. |
| History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Nepal; Politics; Congress; Iraq
PCOL36240
87