Two Decades is long enough
Do you remember everything that every federal, state, county, and city politician did or said in the last 20 years? Me, neither. Which is why, I started researching John Cornyn.
With 2020 being an election year, I’ve been researching candidates, making sure to know everything they stand for and who they are. Most agree it’s important to know what representatives are doing and saying. So, I’ve been looking at bills the Senior Senator from Texas voted on, voted against, and sponsored.
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Y’all.
Half of the things John Cornyn did, I forgot about.
There’s no doubt, there are some in Texas who’s ideology falls right in line with good ol’ boy, John Cornyn. However, those people have become a minority. Texas is now a shade of deep purple. #TurnTexasBlue is catching on. Right now, it’s more important than ever.
Tea Party Extremists like Cornyn do not represent us. He panders to special interests and works against the greater good. It is time to vote him out.
While the Democratic primary is headed for a run-off between MJ Hegar and Royce West, I know for certain who I won’t be voting for.
As a Texas native, John Cornyn does not represent me or my values, or the values of anyone I know. He has a long history of discrimination, voting for bills that have hurt Texans, Veterans, women, children, old people, poor people, immigrants, and nearly every other group you can think of.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]This is why I came up with the 26 reasons why Cornyn needs to be voted out. This list isn’t based on his campaign promises or his ideas. Instead, it’s based on his actual voting record, what he’s done, and why he’s done it.
One – He’s spent his entire career fighting against women’s rights.
Women’s rights in Texas is a battle we have been fighting way before many of us even existed. As the senior senator in Texas, he is supposed to be representing the majority of Texans. Yet, here is where we are at.
The majority of Texans support Roe v Wade. Only 15% of Texans think that abortions should be outlawed completely.
Senator John Cornyn has spent his entire career fighting to stop women from making their own choices. From the time he joined congress, he was making that his number one goal. His first year in congress, 2003 he sponsored a bill banning both partial and late birth abortions, as well as voted to prohibit late-term abortions again in 2015.
This despite the fact partial-birth abortion has NEVER been a medical term and late-term abortions account for 0.2% of all abortions, usually taking place when the fetus is not viable or the mother’s life is at risk.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Why is John Cornyn spending our tax dollars sponsoring bills for things that don’t exist?
In 2009, Cornyn co-sponsored a bill to prohibiting federally funded abortions. Then he voted for the same thing in 2018. He voted again for prohibiting federally funded abortions in 2019.
Yet, there are no federally funded abortions in America, and it’s been that way since 1976.
He didn’t stop there. In 2006, he voted for a bill that made it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to travel across state lines to get an abortion. (This was around the time Texas was trying to close down all of the abortion clinics…but I think they’ve always been doing that).
Then in 2019-2020, he voted for requirements to care for infants born after a failed abortion, the born-alive survivors’ protection act, and the Pain Capital Unborn Protection Act. Why was he doing this? Because Donald Trump started saying that abortion doctors were birthing babies when a woman is 9-months pregnant, and then executing the baby. Yes, he said this.
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To think, anyone would actually be stupid enough to believe that.
Trump’s base believed it.
Cornyn believed it, Ted Cruz believed it, Greg Abbott believed it. They believe it without proof or evidence.
Cornyn has wasted countless dollars champion imaginary talking points from conspiracy media.
Even though Texas already has one of the lowest abortion rates in the nation, Cornyn has continued to fight against women’s rights.
Ironically, as hard as Cornyn has worked to protect fetuses, he also voted against the protection of disabled people.
Here are the facts. When women can’t access abortions:
- They face significant financial distress, including higher amounts of debt and increased rates of bankruptcy and eviction.
- The children born have a greater chance of living below the poverty line, living in a food-insecure house, or being homeless.
While John Cornyn was making sure our tax-dollars were hard at work fighting for imaginary causes and to impoverish young women:
- Texas has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy.
- Texas’ rate of reported rape is higher for teens than the national average.
- And even though young people account for half of new STD infections…
- Yet, in Texas, 87% of teens have never been tested for HIV.
Along those lines, in 2006 Senator Cornyn voted against grants that would provide sexual education to teenagers to prevent teen pregnancies and teen STDs.
But surely, John Cornyn is against violence against women…
Nope. In 2012 he voted against the reauthorization of the violence against women act and again in 2013.
If that wasn’t appalling enough, he voted against protecting women from corporate interference as it relates to healthcare.
In laymen’s terms, he thinks a woman’s employer should have the right to choose whether the woman gets birth control or not with her health insurance.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Two – Federal dollars spent unnecessarily.
In 2009, the senior senator in Texas voted no on prohibiting government contractors and subcontractors from using federal funds for arbitration when one of their employees is accused of sexual assault or sexual harassment.
Simplified, Democrats wanted to prevent government contractors from using our tax dollars to fight employment-related sexual misconduct. John Cornyn was not OK with that, so he voted no. However, he has spent a career fighting to make sure women’s healthcare didn’t receive federal dollars.
Three – Cornyn does not believe in the Constitution of the United States of America.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” That’s from the Establishment Clause, of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Or as Thomas Jefferson said, “The separation of church and state.”
There is no way those words could be twisted. John Cornyn works for us, for the Texans that elected him. No one voted to send Cornyn to DC to trample all over our constitutional rights. (Well, maybe a few. And that’s why we all have to vote.)
Four – The Senator made it easier for businesses to take advantage of consumers.
2010 was a big year for Senator Cornyn. He voted to end the consumer protection bureau, then he voted to block states from setting a max on credit card interest rates. You know, so the credit card companies could continue to charge whatever interest rate they chose.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Here are some facts:
- Texans have among the lowest credit scores in the country.
- The average Texan has more credit card debt than the national average.
- The average student loan debt in Texas is $26,250.
That means while millions of Texans are saddled with debt and struggling to pay bills; our elected representative was voting to make it harder for Texans to get by.
John Cornyn voted against Dodd-Frank (regulation of the financial industry, which caused the 2008 recession). Then, in 2018 he voted to rip it apart.
FIVE – Tax Havens
Way back in 2010, Democrats introduced a bill that closed a tax loophole allowing companies to file for tax deductions, losses, and credits for transactions that result from moving business operations outside of America.
Unsurprisingly, John Cornyn voted against it.
A similar bill came up again in 2012, Senator JC voted against it again. Then, once more in 2014.
Democrats wanted to pass a bill in 2015 which prohibited immunity from corporations that break privacy agreements with their customers. Yep, John voted against it.
Six – He Constantly has Voted Against Employees.
For example, in 2015 he voted against a bill that allowed Americans to earn paid sick time. And was also against the American Jobs Act of 2011.
In Texas, 46% of people who work for private companies, do not have paid sick time. In total, that’s 4.6 million Texan. Most of these people are also low-income workers. If they get sick, they can’t pay their bills.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]John Cornyn voted to keep 4.6 million Texans in economic hardship.
Where I’m from in Texas, we don’t kick people while they’re down. Which is one of many reasons why Cornyn doesn’t represent Texan values.
In 2004, he was against extending unemployment benefits. When a similar bill came up in 2009, he also voted against it. And again in 2010. Once again, it’s about kicking Texans while they’re down. Why? John Cornyn is working for big business, not the citizens of Texas.
Like most Republicans, John C. from Texas voted against union organization in 2008.
Seven – John Cornyn has a History of Class-Warfare Against the Poor.
Knowing the statistics of what happens when a woman gives birth to a child she doesn’t want or can’t afford, y’all would think, perhaps John Cornyn would want to improve economic conditions for women or people in poverty.
Nope. In 2009 he voted against appropriations to agriculture programs, rural development programs, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.
In laymen\s terms, he voted against Food Stamps. He then voted against Food Stamps again in 2012. And again in 2013. Once more, he said no to Food Stamps again in 2014.
In 2012, he also voted against giving fresh food and vegetables to school-age children. While I’d like to think there was a sound reason why Cornyn didn’t want little kids to eat healthy food in a state where childhood obesity is 15.5%. There wasn’t. He was against it because it was Michelle Obama’s initiative. We all remember how much the GOP hated the Obamas.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Going along with his business-first platform, Cornyn had also voted against food safety regulations. No big deal, right? Who cares if there are poisons, glass, rat droppings, or bugs mixed in with our food? This is one more time our Senator was not looking after Texan’s best interests.
Eight – A fair and living wage.
Don’t hold your breath, JC doesn’t want either one of those for Texans either. He voted against raising the minimum wage in 2005. And again in 2006. In 2014 he voted again, against raising the minimum wage.
Then, in 2008, he voted against equal pay and voted against the Lily Ledbetter Equal Pay Act in 2009. As well, he voted against paycheck fairness in 2010. And again in 2012.
This bill came up again in 2014, he didn’t vote at all then.
In Texas, nearly half a million wage-earners earn minimum-wage or less.
Nine – Cornyn’s class warfare trickled over to Education.
Mr. JC voted to appoint Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education. As a reminder, DeVos was an unqualified candidate, who bought her position from Trump. Since elected, she has worked diligently at tearing down public and higher education.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Then, Cornyn voted against reinstating student loan forgiveness for educators in 2020. In line with that, he also voted against an amendment that limits interest rates for student loans. What would make Cornyn thing that Texans would want higher interest rates on student loans?
It wasn’t the first time he voted against education, in 2006 he voted against funding education.
Ten – His crusade against the poor sees no end.
In 2006, he voted against giving low-income homes energy assistance. Then the same bill came up in 2008 and he voted against it again.
If that wasn’t bad enough, in 2006 Cornyn voted against federal aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Cornyn didn’t want to help out social security recipients, either. He voted against a bill in 2009 which would have given them an extra $250.
After the housing market crash in 2008, Cornyn voted against foreclosure assistance programs. Then, two years after that, he voted against regulating the mortgage industry.
But, he’s always been about further enriching the already rich.
Cornyn voted against increasing taxes on individuals who made over $1 million per year in 2011.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Eleven – He has a History of Bigotry.
We shouldn’t be too shocked here, he voted against a bill in 2013, which prohibited employment discrimination based on the real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of a person.
Then, he voted yes on a bill that allows religious institutions to be exempt from being prohibited on employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. (Once again, church and state.)
No, that’s not all.
In 2004, he voted for a constitutional amendment which states marriage is only between a man and a woman. Then he voted for the same thing again in 2006.
Here’s a big shocker for you. Cornyn voted against repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2010.
He isn’t just a bigot towards the LBGTQ community. Despite being from Texas, John Cornyn voted to make English the official language of the United States in 2006. Then, the very next year, he voted for it again.
Twelve – Cornyn Wants to Destroy the Earth.
Cornyn has always hated the environment. In 2003 he voted against a bill that would block drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and then in 2012 he voted to block the federal government from taking aerial pictures of agricultural operations.
Remember a couple of years back, when everyone was talking about farmers polluting the rivers by dumping cow poop in them. Essentially, Cornyn voted yes for pollution in our waterways.
Cornyn has received plenty of money from the Texas Agriculture Industry. Which is why he’d rather protect polluting farmers, than American waterways.
While Cornyn is willing to stand up for farmer’s rights to dump cow poop in our drinking water, he’s also voted against requiring labels on food, when the food contains GMOs.
Speaking of GMOs, in 2012 he voted against prohibiting the sale of genetically modified fish which didn’t meet environmental standards.
Senator Cornyn voted against federally protecting land and water twice in 2009 and then voted to disapprove the Department of Interior putting restrictions for hunting on wildlife refuges in Alaska. In 2008, he also voted to increase federal spending to drill for oil on public lands. To top it off, he voted against funding for natural resources and environmental programs.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]In 2015, he co-SPONSORED a bill to repeal the carbon dioxide emissions guidelines set by the EPA.
Then, the senator voted against tax credits for clean energy and clean energy requirements for utility companies. He also voted against the clean air mercury rule. But you know what he did vote for? Drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
We all know how that turned out.
Unsurprisingly, in 2019 he voted against the Green New Deal and then voted to repeal the emissions guidelines for greenhouse gas. He already had a history of voting against funding the EPA and opposing the EPA
Senator Cornyn is one of the senators who voted for the Keystone Pipeline in 2012. As well, he co-sponsored a bill that repealed the Clean Water Act in 2015.
JC voted to confirm anti-environmental crusader, Scott Pruitt as Administrator of the EPA. As well as a coal lobbyist, Andrew Wheeler, to Deputy Administrator of the EPA.
Thirteen – Senator Cornyn Cares More About Texas Oil, Than Texas People.
No one can be surprised that a Texas Republican would have Texas oil in his pockets. Aside from voting against blocking drilling in the Arctic Life Refuge, later that year he voted against recognizing revenue from oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The same year, he voted to increase federal energy spending by $150 million.
In 2008, Senator John Cornyn voted against increasing taxes on oil companies. So far, out count is +1 millionaires, +1 oil companies, 0 Texas citizens.
Money has always been involved. Check out this excerpt from the Texas Observer:
“Along the way, Cornyn ensured that his friends in the Texas oil and gas industry who have lavished him with more than $3.5 million in political contributions over his career would get their fair share. Seventeen major oil and gas corporations, most based in Texas, would receive a combined one-time jolt of $25 billion. Republicans promised that money would trickle down to average Americans through pay increases and bonuses, but that hasn’t happened.” Texas Observer
Plenty of Cornyn’s oil friends pocketed tons on Trump’s 2017 tax cut for the rich. Houston energy companies got $9 billion in stock buybacks. Yet, many of them reported the money did not affect employee wages, bonuses, or investment plans.
In 2018, he revived more contributions from pipeline companies than any other senator. Cornyn also has a history of voting against the use of renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, ocean energy, and natural gases.
Fourteen – The Senior Senator from Texas Doesn’t Want Americans to have access to Healthcare.
You know if he has oil in his pockets, healthcare was probably there, too.
In 2003, he voted against prescription drug relief benefits for seniors and again voted against reducing drug pricing, in 2005.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Fact: In recent years, 42% of Texans stopped taking prescription drugs because of their high costs.
in 2009 he voted against prohibiting insurers from not insuring pre-existing conditions, (meaning no-insurance for you if you have a pre-existing condition).
Fact: 23% of Americans have a pre-existing condition.
Cornyn voted against reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) back in 2007, and again in 2009.
He voted to repeal parts of the Affordable Healthcare Act in 2015. But, he doesn’t discriminate randomly, though. He picks and chooses from the most disadvantaged, like when he voted against expanding Tricare coverage for autism therapy. Then when he has the chance, in 2016, Cornyn voted against expanding medicare.
JC voted against increased funding for the Veterans Healthcare Administration in 2006. That same year, he voted against funding for drugs for AIDS patients.
In 2012, he voted against allowing people to import drugs from Canada. You better believe he’s got the pharmaceutical industry in his pockets, too. That’s why he also voted against prohibiting drug companies from delaying the release of generic drugs.
Fifteen – He has Corrupt the Election Process.
In 2010, Cornyn voted against requiring a politician to disclose messages, such as “I am whoever, and I approve this message.” Two years later, he voted against a bill requiring organizations to disclose anyone who had donated over $10,000 for political advertising.
Senator John Cornyn voted against regulating Congress regarding lobbyists and donations in 2007. And in 2014, he voted against setting reasonable limits of money which entities could contribute to a campaign.
Sixteen – Senator John Cornyn has fought against government transparency.
In 2006, he voted against having oversight of the CIA as it pertains to interrogation and detainment. That same year, Democrats tried to strike out language that prevents judges from considering a writ of habeas corpus against people detained by the military. Cornyn voted against it.
The same year, Democrats wanted to create a special committee that investigated the practice of military contracts being awarded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our senator voted against it. Then he voted against a similar bill again that year.
Cornyn thinks a president can conduct military operations in secret in foreign nations. Which is why he voted against a bill requiring the president to report military operations to congress.
Seventeen– Cornyn has worked on infringing on individuals’ constitutional rights.
In 2007, Cornyn voted on a bill that would require police departments to demand to see suspected immigrants’ papers.
Democrats wrote a bill in 2012, which prohibited the military from imprisoning a US citizen without a trial during wartime. You guessed it, John voted against it.
Eighteen – His voting record on crime, law, and policing is appalling.
Ol’ John voted against expanding benefits for public safety officers who were injured in the line of duty and against expanding benefits to their family if they died in the line of duty.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]What happened to back the blue?
Most would agree it would be bad for American businesses to have a parent company or subsidiary that was involved in funding terrorism. In 2005, Democrats proposed a bill that would hold the US entity liable. They called it the Trading with the Enemy Act. John Cornyn voted against it.
Smack dead in 2006, when America was still in its terrorism panic; our Senator voted against a bill that increased funding for rail security, Amtrak Police, and R&D for bomb detection technology.
In 2017 Cornyn voted to confirm Jeff Sessions as Attorney General of the United States. Then, in 2019, he voted to confirm William Barr as the Attorney General.
Nineteen – Cornyn has fought against immigration and keeping immigrants safe.
Despite the facts about sanctuary cities, Cornyn co-sponsored a bill to stop sanctuary cities in 2015. That same year, he voted to impose a maximum sentence of 10 years to an immigrant who entered America without authorization. In 2018, Cornyn voted against sanctuary cities again.
Fact: Sanctuary Cities have a lower crime rate.
In 2006, Cornyn sponsored a bill requiring employers to provide documentation they cannot fill a position with an American worker before hiring an immigrant with a Visa.
The same year, he voted against a bill that gave undocumented immigrants a chance to earn legal status.
Funny enough, considering everything Republicans have stood for in the age of Trump… In 2006 Senator Cornyn voted against border security. Then in 2007, he voted against increasing border patrols and building fences on the border.
The DREAM Act was introduced in 2007, JC voted against it.
Twenty – John C. has a close relationship with Donald J.
Fact: John Cornyn votes in line with Trump’s positions 95% of the time.
Senior Senator John Cornyn voted against The Impeachment of Donald J. Trump. At the same time, as well as voted against charging Trump with the Obstruction of Congress and abuse of power.
Although Donald Trump has and is completely out of control, Cornyn voted against restricting Trump from taking military action unless authorized by congress.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Ironically, while fighting against limiting Trump, he tried diligently to limit Obama during his term. He voted against allowing Obama to appoint czars and against every appointment Obama named.
In 2017, JC voted to confirm Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as Secretary of Treasury.
When Trump declared a national emergency over his border wall, Democrats filed a bill to repeal it. Cornyn voted against that bill.
Twenty-One – Cornyn has a terrible voting record related to foreign policy.
In 2010, our Senator voted against the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia, which would govern the reduction, monitoring, and inspection of each country’s strategic offensive arms.
He also voted against global funding to fight HIV, malaria, and tuberculous.
Recently, he voted against stopping the President from committing acts of war without congressional authorization.
Twenty-Two – The Texas Senator’s record on guns is horrifying.
Senator Cornyn started is senate career voting against an assault weapon ban in 2004. Then, in 2005 he voted against the Child Safety Lock amendment, requiring secure gun storage. That was also the year he voted to provide liability protection for manufacturers, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition products for harm caused by criminal or unlawful misuse.
Then, again he voted against an assault weapon ban in 2013.
This one always baffled me… In 2015 he voted against a bill that would prohibit firearm sales to suspected terrorists. Yeah, really. How asinine is that?
In 2009 Cornyn voted to make it legal to transport guns across state lines. (Yet, he voted against a rule which limited interstate transport of emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide.) 2009 was also the year Cornyn voted to allow guns in national parks.
In 2013 he voted for the authorizes certain individuals to carry a concealed firearm in any state. The same year, he voted against background checks for the sale of firearms and voted against prohibiting the manufacturing of high-capacity magazines. Once more, he voted against background checks in 2019.
Twenty-Three – John Cornyn hasn’t helped our national debt.
In 2011, he voted against a balanced budget amendment. Later that year, he voted against legislation that prohibits the federal government from spending more than its revenue.
So much for that stupid debt clock, huh?
Twenty-Four – Our Senator likes to help the tobacco industry.
Democrats proposed a bill in 2013 which would prohibit premium insurance for tobacco crops. John Cornyn voted against it.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Twenty–Five – 9/11, first responders, and survivors.
Impossible as it may seem for Senator Cornyn to sink any lower; in 2011 he voted against a bill that establishes the World Trade Center Health Program for responders to and survivors of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and extends coverage under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
The Department of Homeland Security was formed after 9/11. In the early years, there were plenty of bills and amendments related to Homeland Security. One of those bills required them to guarantee 100% of cargo containers coming into our shipyards were scanned. Senator Cornyn voted against it.
Twenty-Six – Trump’s Supreme Court Justices.
Senator John Cornyn voted to confirm both partisan right-wing extremists, Neil Gorsuch and Bret Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
Vote Him Out
If you aren’t registered to vote, go here.
If you’re already registered, and your registration is up to date, great! Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, especially the non-voting ones. Make sure they know how important this election is.
The clock is ticking for Texas Conservatives and it’s time for them to go.
Still Blue in Texas 