SA Congressmen Divided On Bailout Plan

Members of the San Antonio Congressional delegation are as divided as America over that $700 billion Wall street bailout that went down to defeat today, and several of them crossed party lines to register their concerns, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

Even though Democrats pushed the bill, and House Speaker made an impassioned and highly partisan speech before the vote urging her fellow Democrats to support it, San Antonio area Democrats Ciro Rodriguez and Henry Cuellar voted 'no.'

"I could not in good conscience support a blank check to those who were irresponsible and got us into this position in the first place," Rodriguez said.

He criticized the bill for not reigning in 'million dollar a month' salaries for incompetent Wall Street executives, for not doing enough to protect middle class taxpayers, and for allowing 'tens of billions of dollars in handouts to be given to foreign investors.'

While Rodriguez and Cuellar were bucking their Speaker and voting 'no,' San Antonio Republican Lamar Smith bucked his fellow conservatives and voted 'yes.'

"This was not about bailing out Wall Street, it was about protecting American jobs, the financial security of families, and the financial future of our nation," Smith said. Smith said taxpayers stood to reap profits made by the investments when the market rebounds and the real estate backed notes begin to regain value.

The other Congressmen in the San Antonio area went more along party lines, with Republican Michael McCaul voting 'no' and Democrat Charles Gonzalez voting 'yes.'