Wolf Votes Against Tax Relief for Struggling Homeowners, Protects Us Against Italian Rail Cars!

From the Winchester Star:

On Wednesday, Mr. Wolf voted against H.R. 3221 (The American Housing Rescue & Foreclosure Prevention Act), which, among other things, included a a real property tax deduction for homeowners who do not itemize their federal income taxes.

By the way, this bill passed overwhelmingly (272-152) and was promptly signed into law by President Bush. Wonderful, the one time Wolf disagrees with George W. Bush, it's to go to Bush's political "right" - opposing tax relief to struggling homeowners. That's just great.

So, WHY did Frank Wolf vote against this bill? Check out THIS crazy explanation!

Dan Scandling, Mr. Wolf’s campaign chief, was quick to respond. Of that tax relief provision, Mr. Scandling said that if such a deduction had appeared as “stand-alone” legislation, Mr. Wolf would have voted for it in a heartbeat. But, as the measure in which it was embedded was essentially a “bailout bill” putting the taxpayer on the hook for $25 billion, the veteran congressman could not support it, Mr. Scandling said. What’s more, he added, the bill also contained a subsidy for foreign companies to build rail cars outside the United States, another provision Mr. Wolf could not favor.

What?!? Is this a joke? But no, it's serious. Believe it or not, Frank Wolf actually voted against crucial tax relief for struggling American homeowners because it had a provision for a Canadian rail car company to build a facility in Alabama. True, that's MUCH more important than helping homeowners in trouble. (ha)

By the way, since when did this free trader, Frank Wolf, become a protectionist? Hasn't he argued for years that free trade is good for our economy? And haven't we been buying Metrorail cars from other countries for years? So....since when did THIS become a big issue for Frank Wolf? Only when he wants to use it as an excuse to vote against tax relief for homeowners stuck in the middle of one of the worst housing crises this country's seen in decades (not to mention an economy teetering on the edge of recession)? What a hypocrite.

Yeah, you've got to hand it to Frank Wolf, he's sure got his priorities straight -- keep those foreign Metrorail cars, the ones we've been buying for decades now, out of the country, even if it means Americans losing their homes. Obviously, the Metro car represent a threat to all we hold dear (like our homes, perhaps?). Or something.

Here's a suggestion: call Frank Wolf at (202) 225-5136 and ask him why he voted against a bill that was supported overwhelmingly, even by President Bush who signed it into law. While you're on the phone, you might also want to ask him why he won't tell his constitutents - who have been deluging his office with faxes and phone calls - what his position is on a timetable for getting out of Iraq. Who know, maybe they'll tell you it has something to do with foreign Metrorail cars? Ha. :)