Yesterday the House of Representatives unanimously approved HR 4261, the Prevent Deceptive Census Look-Alike Mailings Act. The short bill would ban fundraising letters like those the Republican National Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee sent last month, which gave the appearance of being official census documents. Those mailings were legal because they did not “use the full name of the U.S. Census Bureau or the seal of any government agency.” However, even Republicans have admitted that the tactic crosses a line, and no one in the House GOP caucus wanted to go on record opposing the bill yesterday.
On the other hand, it costs Congressional Republicans nothing to vote for this bill. Their committees are already cashing checks from this year’s deception, and the next census won’t roll around for ten years. If Republicans truly believe it’s wrong to raise money with a fake census letter, they should return all contributions from suckers they’ve duped this year.
2 Comments
I am really really tired of one side......
being soooooooo sanctimonious.
come on…did you get a good look at the Boswell campaign brochure we all got in the mail last week (paid for by taxpayers in very small print)????
the VERY thing Boswell got blasted on by the dsm register last year (abusing franking), he does yet again.
i’m tired of this pile of crap game played by both sides. it is time for new blood.
past time.
mirage Thu 11 Mar 7:41 PM
I have criticized Boswell
and other members of Congress for using their franking privileges to send out what are essentially campaign materials. Members of both parties play that game.
But that is VERY different from sending a fundraising letter that is designed to confuse people and make them think they are required to return the document with a donation. Only Republicans played that game in 2000, and only Republicans played that game in 2010.
desmoinesdem Thu 11 Mar 8:48 PM