Jim McDermott votes against Christmas to protest Bush
Published 10:55 pm Thursday, December 13, 2007
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim McDermott says he’s no Grinch, even though he voted against Christmas.
The veteran Seattle Democrat voted against a House resolution recognizing the importance of Christmas, but called it a protest against President Bush’s veto of a children’s health care bill.
“While the Republicans are passing a resolution celebrating Christmas, the president was vetoing health care for children. There’s a little bit of irony going on around here,” McDermott said Thursday.
Earlier this year, McDermott voted in favor of resolutions honoring Ramadan and Diwali. Ramadan is an Islamic holiday, while Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and others.
“There’s 10,000 kids in my state that won’t have a health care plan” because Bush vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have expanded government-provided health insurance for children, McDermott said. The veto was the second time Bush rejected a bipartisan effort in Congress to dramatically increase funding for the popular program.
“I guess I’m the only guy left in Congress who still gets angry, but there are some things that are just not right,” McDermott said.
On that last point, at least, Republicans agreed. They reacted furiously to the vote by McDermott and eight other Democrats who opposed the Christmas resolution.
McDermott said he knew he would take some political heat for his actions, but said if it forces a discussion of Bush’s veto, “then it was a good protest vote.”
