Senator Scott Brown a turncoat?

Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass) is facing some heat over his stance on Wall Street reform. People must remember Brown was elected only because he was the 41st vote against health care in the Senate -- NOT because he was a conservative!

But this serves as a perfect example of why it is important to put faith in our values and not politicians.

From New Patriot Journal (via Politico) --

In January, he broke the Democrats’ lock on the Senate.

On Thursday, he gave it back.

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) effectively became the 60th vote to cut off debate on Wall Street reform Thursday – a far cry from when Republicans were hailing him as the 41st GOPer who was going to stand up to the Democrats’ agenda. Brown also voted "yes" on final passage.

Brown’s vote allowed Democrats to move swiftly toward final passage of one of President Barack Obama’s top legislative priorities, a day after he was accused of breaking his word by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who said Brown had promised to vote yes Wednesday.

By Thursday, though, Brown switched from no to yes, after a talk with Reid and a full-on sales-pitch from Democrats in the Massachusetts delegation, including Sen. John Kerry, who made the pitch that the bill is good for the state. Brown met Kerry at the Democrat's Georgetown home at 6 a.m. Thursday for a bike ride where they discussed the pending bill extensively, Brown said.

“I spoke at length over a 40 mile bike-ride with Senator Kerry about it,” Brown said exiting the floor after casting his vote Thursday. “It was this morning, and he’s a very good athlete.”

Kerry, who had hip replacement surgery in January, rode with Brown all the way to Great Falls, Md., an aide to the Democrat confirmed to POLITICO.

House Financial Service Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) also talked to Brown – telling him that his concerns about the impact on home-state financial firms such as Fidelity and State Street would be addressed.

It wasn’t simply home-state pride. Democrats needed Brown when it became clear that the ‘no’ votes of Democratic senators Maria Cantwell of Washington and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin couldn’t be flipped.

The vote – and perhaps even his long conversation with Kerry – seem sure to give Brown trouble with the government-wary Tea Party movement that backed his candidacy to take Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat. Grassroots supporters who once heralded Brown responded to the senator's vote immediately on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, accusing him of being a "liar" and "Republican in name only." Read more....

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) introduces the European Bailout Protection Act

From the Tea Party Patriots "New Patriot Journal" Blog --

After a week of preemptive attacks on a possible IMF bailout of Greece, Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) introduces the European Bailout Protection Act, aimed at preventing taxpayer dollars from going to a rescue plan.

"This legislation would require that countries like Greece cut spending and put their own fiscal house in order," says Pence, backed up by other members of the House GOP, "instead of looking to the United States for a bailout. We face record unemployment and a debt crisis of our own, and American taxpayers should not be forced to bear the risk for nations that have avoided making tough choices."

The full release is below the fold, with the detail that the bill "does not permanently prohibit the IMF from lending" to the troubled counties. Nevertheless, Ezra Klein is not a fan of this proposal.

(Thanks to my colleague Ben Pershing.)

U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, joined Conference Vice-Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee Rep. Jerry Lewis, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, and Rep. Kay Granger in introducing legislation today to stop U.S. tax dollars from being used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for bailouts for European countries. Rep. Pence released the following statement today as the European Bailout Protection Act was introduced:

“The American people are fed up with taxpayer-funded bailouts and deserve to know we are bailing out Greece and possibly other European countries. If the Obama Administration has its way, the U.S. will contribute to a nearly trillion dollar bailout of European countries with economic crises that are a direct result of wasteful government spending.

“This legislation would require that countries like Greece cut spending and put their own fiscal house in order, instead of looking to the United States for a bailout. We face record unemployment and a debt crisis of our own, and American taxpayers should not be forced to bear the risk for nations that have avoided making tough choices.

Background

The European Bailout Protection Act would:

1) Prohibit any funds that have yet to be drawn by the IMF from being used to provide financing to any EU countries until all EU nations are in compliance with the debt to GDP ratio requirement in their own collective growth pact.

2) Require the Treasury Secretary to oppose any IMF loans to EU nations until all EU countries are in compliance with their debt to GDP ratio requirement.

The bill does not permanently prohibit the IMF from lending to these nations; it simply prohibits the U.S. from participating in the proposed European bailout.