Virginia Foxx: Crazy or Just Cruel?

by Sandi Behrns

Rep. Virginia Foxx, who has inexplicably represented North Carolina’s 5th District for four terms, met her Democratic rival Billy Kennedy Thursday night for their second debate in three days. Foxx got off to a particularly bad start when she attempted to disparage Billy Kennedy’s claim to be a regular working man. She smirked as she held up her own hands as proof that she works. The audience gasped. It seems everyone in attendance knew that Billy Kennedy lost the tip of his index finger in a workplace carpentry accident almost four years ago. Everyone, that is, except Mrs. Foxx.

The same woman who voted against aid for Hurricane Katrina victims and against the renewal of the Voting Rights Act; the same woman who claimed that Matthew Shepard’s murder wasn’t a hate crime, going so far as to call it a “hoax,” planted herself squarely in the realm of Tea Party candidates like Sharron Angle in Nevada. During the debate, Foxx called for zero federal funding for education, meaning we could kiss Pell Grants, student loans, and school lunch programs goodbye. (But, then again, she’s already voted against the lunch program.)

She called for an across-the-board 5% cut in the entire federal budget, including Social Security and Medicare, apparently with no regard for seniors and children in her district. Perhaps predictably, she praised the Citizens United ruling allowing corporations to spend unlimited amounts to influence elections, anonymously no less. And the icing on the cake came when she suggested that unemployment benefits make people lazy.

For his part, Kennedy came across as compassionate toward his potential constituents, maintaining his support for education funding, and vowing to not cut Social Security or Medicare. He also got in the best line of the night, when discussing the Citizens United decision.

“I’m all for individual rights.  When corporations can show us their birth certificates, then we can give them the same rights as individuals.”

Discussing energy policy was another highpoint for Kennedy and shows a stark difference from his opponent. (Also: listen to the crowd response.)

By: Sandi Behrns

Sandi Behrns is a noted policy nerd, new media & web developer, and consultant to progressive organizations and campaigns. She is a senior contributor to Liberaland, and the Executive Editor of Progressive Congress News.