Walter Minnick
Walter Minnick was a Democratic representative of the 1st District of Idaho. He was defeated in November 2010 by Republican opponent Raul Labrador.
Campaign finance summary
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Voting record
Frequency of Voting with Democratic Leadership
According to a July 2010 analysis of 1,357 votes cast from January 1, 2009 to June 16, 2010, Minnick has voted with the House Democratic leadership 76.4% of the time.[1] That same analysis reported that he also voted with party leadership 79.4% of the time in 2010.
Washington Post Analysis
A separate analysis from The Washington Post, concluded that he votes 71.3% of the time with a majority of Democrats in the House of Representatives.[2]
Specific votes
Rep. Minnick voted in favor of the "Cash for Clunkers" bill.[3] According to a June 2009 Rasmussen Reports poll, 54 percent of likely U.S. voters opposed Cash for Clunkers, while 35 percent supported it.[4]
"Taxpayer Hero"
The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) called Minnick a “Taxpayer Hero” for his 2009 efforts "to cut wasteful spending and reduce taxpayers’ burden." Of those cited by CCAGA, Minnick is the highest ranked Democrat with a score of 83 percent.
“Minnick is the first Democratic Taxpayer Hero since 2006 and deserves special recognition for this achievement,” CCAGW president Tom Schatz said in a news release. “His vote rating shows that is it not impossible for Democrats to vote to cut wasteful spending, reduce the tax burden, and make government more accountable to taxpayers.”
Minnick rated behind Republican Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, scored above 90 percent in CCAGW’s analysis. Minnick’s 83 percent was higher than Rep. Michael Simpson’s 34 percent for last year.[5]
Federal match for Medicaid extension, 2010
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $26 billion plan that will give money to states help pay for Medicaid and school districts' teachers salaries. The plan will save Idaho $68 million of a fund used for anti-drug programs.
Rep. Minnick supported the measure, while Republican Michael K. Simpson joined members of his party in opposing it.
This spending plan extends the federal match for Medicaid for six more months, amounting to $16.1 billion. It provides $10 billion to school districts. Supporters say this will save 161,000 teachers' jobs. The federal government is cutting food stamps starting in 2014 and removing a foreign tax credit often used by businesses that ship jobs overseas, as well as other reductions, to pay for the new plan.
Idaho budgeted for not getting the Medicaid money.[6]
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ A Line of Sight, July 2010
- ↑ The Washington Post analysis
- ↑ US House Clerk, "Roll Call 314," June 9, 2009
- ↑ Rasmussen, "54% Oppose “Cash for Clunkers” Plan To Spur Purchase of Greener Cars," June 23, 2009
- ↑ "Minnick lone Dem called ‘Taxpayer Hero’ by CCAGW," Idaho Reporter, August 11, 2010 (dead link)
- ↑ ,"" Idaho Reporter, August 11, 2010