SIERRA CLUB CLAIMS RENACCI VOTED FOR DIRTY WATER. RENACCI SEES THE VOTE (HR 2018) AS BEING FOR "STATES RIGHTS." HMM?

It may be that freshman Congressman Jim Renacci (Republican - Wadsworth) is piling up a voting record that is going to be hard to defend, if he is to be re-elected in November, 2012.

Not long ago he signed on to Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan's A Roadmap for America's Future which is widely seen as a bill that would put the burden of the cost of reducing the cost of Medicare on the backs of already financially strapped senior citizens who have not received a cost of living adjustment in their Social Security checks for two years.

On Wednesday he voted for a bill (HR 2018 - an amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act) to get the Environmental Protection Agency out of the business of protecting the purity of America's water supply.

Coming up in the next two weeks will be a vote on a bill to extend the United States debt ceiling.

Some are saying that if the ceiling is not raised, it could throw the U.S. and, indeed, the entire world into a severe economic downturn.

If Renacci votes against raising the ceiling as part of a majority, then he will have created for himself a huge hill to climb in order to be reelected.  Moreover, should he vote against a raise in the debt limit even as a minority vote, he will have to defend having put America in economic/financial jeopardy.

On HR 2018, the pro-environmentalist Sierra Club has already begun a political attack via email on congressmen (including Renacci) who voted for the amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, to wit:

For his part, Renacci undoubtedly takes the stand that his vote is for standing up to the federal government and its excessive regulation which stifles economic development and impinges on the ability of states to manage their natural resources.

Here is how the bill was described in its preamble:

Just a few weeks ago Congressman Renacci ran into a buzz saw at Malone University in Canton at a town hall meeting over the Medicare issue.

Apparently, "the honeymoon is over" for Congressman Renacci and "realpoltik" has settled in.

In light of his voting record (which is 100% in support of Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner - remember he lambasted former Congressman John Boccieri for his 94% support of Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi), the question of whether or not Renacci will be able to retain his seat should becoming a real concern for him.