Campaign supporters take pleasure in touting how their candidate “works hard” for the District (or city) and the elected officials of a candidate speak cheerfully about how they “know” the candidate. In addition, the candidates themselves joyfully articulate about how their supporters “know them”.  These generalizations make great sound bites in a campaign ad, but as little Toto pulled back the curtain to expose the real Wizard of Oz, the opportunity presents itself to explore a real definition  of “working hard” and “knowing the candidate” through various lenses.

For those of you in the “Sheila works really hard to bring home the bacon” camp, let’s look at the earmarks for 2009 associated with Sheila Jackson Lee, Gene Green and Al Green *. The first number represents earmarks the representative either sponsored or co-sponsored. The second number represents earmarks for which the member is the only sponsor:

Sheila Jackson Lee	19	$42.8 million	6	$1.1 million	$43.9 million
Al Green	12	$34.9 million	3	$970,000	$35.9 million
Gene Green	12	$43.3 million	2	$975,000	$44.3 million

Let’s contrast this to John Culberson, Ted Poe and Pete Olson.

John Culberson	23	$50.5 million	11	$13.1 million	$ 63.6 million
Ted Poe	12	$40.3 million	6	$2.6 million	$ 42.9 million

Pete Olson - no data found as of this writing

Through the lens of campaign fundraising*, let’s look at Sheila Jackson Lee and John Faulk, both “working hard” in the 2009 – 2010 election cycle to win their respective race:

• Sheila Jackson Lee spent $888,700 to win her race with 70% of the vote
• John Faulk spent $68,029 to win his race with 57% of the vote

Who was more judicious with your contributions to their primary?

For those who equate votes to “working hard” for the little guy, here’s some data on recent House Votes:

• Clean Estuaries Act of 2010 – Vote Passed (278-128, 24 Not Voting).  This was on funding for EPA estuary management. Sheila Jackson Lee voted Not Voting
• Continuing Extension Act of 2010 – Vote Passed (289-112, 29 Not Voting). This was to extend federal unemployment assistance. Sheila Jackson Lee voted Not Voting
• Disaster Relief and Summer Jobs Act of 2010 – Vote Passed (239-175, 1 Present, 14 Not Voting). This would have provided federal funding for disaster relief, summer jobs and small business. Sheila Jackson Lee voted Not Voting

Since John Faulk has no House votes to track, allow me to contrast Sheila’s votes with John’s positions:

• When it comes to the EPA & Big Government environmentalism, Sheila Jackson Lee voted in favor of “Cap and Trade”. John is against Cap and Trade, otherwise known as the manufacturing & energy tax imposed on people, their homes and their employers.

So which is it Sheila, are you in favor of EPA & Big Government environmental regulation or not?

• When it comes to the economy, John knows our economy will collapse with this Administrations’ $53 TRILLION DEFICIT.  John knows we must cut spending. Sheila Jackson Lee voted in favor of increasing the debt ceiling, voted in favor of the “stimulus” bill, and voted in favor of the bank bailout (TARP). Sheila has charged each person’s credit card with over $175,000 in Treasury borrowings. But she voted Not Voting when it came to federal funding for extending federal unemployment assistance.

So which is it Sheila, Voting or Not Voting?

*www.opensecrets.org

Where is that decoder ring from my cereal box? Working hard? You be the judge…