More on McIntyre flip flop

MCINTYRE FLIP FLOPS OWN POSITION ON PROTECTING NC TOBACCO INDUSTRY AND PROVIDING TAXPAYER BENEFITS TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS



RALEIGH—Congressman Mike McIntyre signaled that he is going to flip-flop and vote FOR the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) after having voted AGAINST the EXACT same legislation two weeks ago. North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves asked why McIntyre had completely reversed his position on protecting the state’s tobacco industry from new taxes and the American people from providing new benefits to illegal immigrants.



“After telling the people of North Carolina that he couldn’t support a dramatic tax on the state’s tobacco industry and after consistently voting to keep that promise -- Mike McIntyre has decided to vote for the exact same bill he voted against a few days ago,” said Daves. “The same exact bill that contained a tax that he called ‘unfair’ and the same exact bill that would relax eligibility standards for illegal immigrants. “

“All I want to know is what changed? Why was it unfair to pick on tobacco and give new taxpayer health benefits to illegal immigrants two weeks ago, and not now?”

On August 1, 2007, McIntyre voted NO to the SCHIP bill

On September 25, 2007, McIntyre voted NO to the SCHIP bill

Following the September vote, McIntyre defended his vote saying it was an “unfair tax, picking on one crop,” and also saying that it was “not fair to the American people” because “illegal immigrants could qualify under the bill's relaxed eligibility standards.”

“Tobacco is a convenient target,” McIntyre said last week. “Unfortunately, here in Washington , it’s a favorite whipping boy.”

McIntyre, chairman of the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture, said he didn’t mind breaking ranks with the Democratic leadership on the tobacco issue.

“This was an unfair tax, picking on one crop,” he said. (“Tobacco supporters oppose health bill” Fayetteville Observer, October 1, 2007)

A spokeswoman for Etheridge said the Congressman objects to paying for the expansion with a 61-cent increase in the tax on a pack of cigarettes, which he says would place a hardship on tobacco growers and their families. She said Etheridge does not support the bill as written and will not vote for an override.



McIntyre said he has the same concerns, and is also worried that illegal immigrants could qualify under the bill's relaxed eligibility standards. "That's not fair to the American people," he said. (“Bush veto threatens insurance for kids” News & Observer, October 4, 2007)

According to today’s Wilmington Star, “In an about-face, U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre said Monday that he will vote later this week to override the president's veto of a $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.” (“McIntyre reverses insurance position” Wilmington Star, October 16, 2007)

Said Daves, “Upholding this veto would force the Democrats in Congress to compromise with the President and hopefully, we could get a strong SCHIP bill that doesn’t attack North Carolina ’s economy. Why not support that approach?”