Monday, September 19, 2005
Protecting Pedophiles
Does Mike Conaway believe big government is bad for pedophiles?
I certainly won't be sending my little sister to trick-or-treat at my Congressman's house this year.
Republican Mike Conaway, from the 11th district of Texas, voted against the Children's Safety Act of 2005. I haven't bothered to ask his office why, but I suspect he'll trod out the usual Republican mantra of something about big government.
It's worth noting that everybody's favorite Texas Congressman, Tom DeLay, voted for the act. Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert (whom I still consider a rat bastard) praised its passage.
In a press release from his office, Hastert said:
"In recent months, we have seen far too many cases of children victimized in their own neighborhoods. And in the last week, we have been alarmed to learn that the whereabouts of many sex offenders living in the Gulf States are unknown as a result of Hurricane Katrina. It's a crisis within an already tragic situation. This bill closes the loopholes that sexual offenders have used to repeatedly prey on innocent children. It strengthens sex offender registration and notification programs so that states and communities can know who the sex offenders are and where they live. Sex offenders who fail to register and comply face stiffened penalties.
"The Children's Safety Act gives local law enforcement and parents the information they need to protect their children. Our children are the most vulnerable in our society, and we must do everything we can to shield them from danger."
Conaway joined a number of other Texas Republicans in shirking their responsibility to children. The others voting against the act are Rep. Henry Bonilla (District 23), Rep. Louis Gohmert (District 1), Rep. Sam Johnson (District 3), Rep. Ron Paul (District 14), and Rep. William Thornberry (District 13).
Rep. Joe Barton (District 6) didn't show up to vote. I wonder what he considered more important.
All of the Democrats in the Texas House delegation voted for the measure. Even Chet Edwards, who Conaway supporters in my hometown decry as anti-family, voted for the act.
