How do you solve a problem like Senator Dean Heller? He was elected on a conservative platform, touting conservative values and the moral high ground. But, since he was elected, his voting record tells a different story. It’s a common tale in the United States, politicians tell us what we want to hear to get in office and play the game to stay there. Nevada, which was one of the few states that went blue in the 2016 election, has a challenge finding conservative voices. Unfortunately, it seems as though even our state’s conservative voices find themselves speaking liberal-ese while in office.
Senator Heller seems to be fluent in both conservative and liberal-speak and it’s clear he tailors his speech to the crowd he’s in front of at any given moment. However, one look at his history of voting as a senator tells the true story of Senator Heller’s leanings. Since 2012, nearly half of his votes have been pro-liberal. According to the right-leaning Conservative Review, which has created a score-card for conservatives in office, Dean Heller receives a grade of “F” for his record of voting.
Senator Heller has misled his conservative base in Nevada on multiple issues including gun control, healthcare and immigration, among others. In one of his first votes in office, he voted to advance gun control legislation. The vote furthered Harry Reid’s gun control proposals and laid the groundwork for a future gun registry nationwide.
More recently, Senator Heller voted “yea” on the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the largest healthcare reform since the Affordable Care Act’s passing in 2010. The bill made changes to Medicare reimbursements, filled in a funding gap and extended a children’s insurance program (CHIP). Unfortunately, it’s also expected to increase the nation’s debt by $500 billion over the next 20 years. The bill’s efforts to fix healthcare could be compared to trying to use a bandaid to fix a gunshot wound. In essence, the bill was hobbled together as an answer to our healthcare problems but in actuality fixes very little and costs way too much.
As yet another example of the Senator’s left voting record, he voted to affirm President Obama’s executive amnesty for immigrants, despite remarks against the action previously. In 2014 Senator Heller said, “What I don’t agree with is the use of the executive order nor do I agree with the Administration bypassing congress.” At the end of that same year, Senator Heller voted against an order that would have declared President Obama’s decision to cut Congress out of the lawmaking process unconstitutional. Then, in 2015, he voted to fully fund the executive amnesty action he supposedly didn’t “agree” with.
These are just a few examples showing Senator Heller’s propensity to vote Democrat, leaving Nevadan’s with virtually no conservative voice in the national arena. I think it’s far past time we had a balance to the liberal shouting that has originated in the Silver State.
Call to Action: I’m sure you’ve noticed, we have an election in November of 2018 and it’s time for a change. Senator Dean Heller has had since 2012 to show Nevada that he means what he says and says what he means. It’s clear that isn’t the reality with this senator. Let’s elect a conservative voice that actually follows through on what they say they believe. It’s time for Senator Dean Heller to find another job.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) “If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Defeating a U.S. Senator in a primary is virtually impossible. It’s the reason for election of them by state legislatures is a good idea. But reverting to the system that worked well for more than a century is equally impossible because sitting senators would never disturb their source of wealth and power. What’s needed is a convention of state legislatures to repeal the 17th Amendment.
I personally think Heller is a nice guy. He will be replaced, you can count on that. He is the only Republican running for Senate reelection in a state Clinton carried in ’16. Heller won’t loose because he is too liberal, he will loose because he isn’t liberal enough. Plus, Heller belongs to the wrong party for midterm’18, especially in Nevada.
If you decide to support him, you can count on liking 50% of his votes if he gets reelected, Otherwise you will be sad 100% of the time.
Sorry.