Arkansas U.S. Rep. Marion Berry's Two Faced Actions Questioned

In a letter to the editor appearing in the Saturday, July 18 issue of the Jonesboro Sun, a Jonesboro, Arkansas man expressed his disdain for the lack of leadership demonstrated by Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR Dist 1) with respect to cap-and-trade legislation which recently passed in the U.S. House. Berry received kudos from a number of businesses in a co-sponsored ad that appeared in the July 5 issue of the Sun. In this letter, not only is Berry called out for his lack of leadership, so too are the sponsors of the ad for engaging in what appeared to be a partisan political endorsement.

First, in summary, this is what really happened in Washington D.C.: Lap Dog Berry voted for cap-and-trade to get it onto the floor of the U.S. House. Why didn't Berry kill it right then and there by voting against it in committee? It was all a charade. After voting for the bill, Nancy Pelosi patted lap dog Berry's behind and allowed Berry to vote against the bill on the floor since his vote no longer mattered. I guess Speaker Pelosi believed that Master Berry's Arkansas plantation "people" made up of poor "Delta river and Ozark mountain folks" wouldn't even notice the bait-and switch. Well we are not as ignorant as Pelosi thinks -- We noticed! While some of the member cooperatives attempted to play politics with money from their members, many of us wondering "what in the sam hill" were they doing. David Hundley is to be commended for his standing tall with his letter addressing Berry's bait-and-switch on cap-and-trade. Representative Berry can we trust you to be straight on anything?

Here's Hundley's letter:

Dear Editor,
While some Arkansas businesses (evidenced by the full color ad that ran in Sunday's Jonesboro Sun) have rushed to pat Congressman Marion Berry on the back for his “leadership” on climate change legislation, two important factors have been grossly overlooked and understated.

First, and most obvious: the negative outcome. If you recall, the cap-and-trade measure passed the House and is now in the hands of the Senate. At best, this tax in disguise does nothing but raise energy costs by an estimated $1800 per family at a time when they can ill afford added expenditures.

Second, and perhaps less obvious: the duplicitous method. Mr. Berry voted FOR the measure in conference. Only after Speaker Pelosi had secured enough votes to safely pass the bill was Congressman Berry given a pass to protect his standing in the First District. Berry's no vote on the floor had no impact on the outcome of the bill and accomplished nothing other than a well placed piece of PR that landed in the Jonesboro Sun this past Sunday.

Leadership? Hardly. Had Mr. Berry taken a leadership role in conference, perhaps this over reaching, over taxing bill might never have made it to the floor. It's becoming increasingly more obvious that Mr. Berry is content only to occupy a chair in Washington, and nothing more.

If that's the Berry brand of leadership, I'll pass, and I would appreciate it if member cooperatives would do the same.
David Hundley, Jonesboro, AR

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