By THE WATCHDOG • May 12, 2010
Dennis Byrne’s latest editorial takes aim at those Illinois lawmakers who last week turned their backs on 30,000 poor black children and their chance at a better education.
Assigning blame is fine, even needed. We do it.
But while Dennis Byrne rightly takes the GOP House Caucus to task, he then inexplicably singles out its leader Tom Cross for praise.
Dennis, do you really believe Tom Cross deserves “immense credit for attempting to gather the 30 votes from each party needed to pass the legislation?”
Just 30 votes?! First of all, only 26 House Republicans ended up voting “yea.” 22 Republicans voted “nay.”
Cross should have been able to put ALL 48 House Republican votes on the school choice bill. Support for vouchers is supposed to be a no-brainer for any Republican.
For crying out loud, Cross put 25 House Republican votes on a bill last year which not only raised various sales taxes and fees, it legalized video poker for bars and taverns.
As Doug Ibendahl asked yesterday:
Where were the letters to the editor and op-eds from Cross & Company urging passage of SB2494? Where were the email blasts with calls to action? Where were the press conferences? Where was Cross’ floor speech prior to the vote calling on his Republican members to hold ranks for the good of the kids?
All Tom Cross did was push a button on his voting console. Yes, he personally voted “yea” – but at the same time he knew his fellow Republicans were going to keep the teachers unions satisfied.
Dennis Byrne criticized the contributions received by some House Republicans from the teachers unions. But he failed to point out that Tom Cross is the largest GOP recipient of teachers union cash in the House, by far.
Tom Cross doesn’t deserve credit Dennis. He failed to lead. Tom Cross shares the blame for depriving those 30,000 children of a better education.
END
TWITTER
