Congresswoman Blackburn May Be Suffering Memory Loss

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn may be a backer of Gibson Guitar and its CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, but she voted for — after initially opposing — the 2008 bill that led to last month’s raids on the company.

Blackburn sided with the majority in overriding a veto from then President George W. Bush of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, a massive agriculture bill that mainly dealt with farm subsidies but also expanded the trade law that Gibson is alleged to have violated. Blackburn has criticized the Obama administration for upholding and enforcing the law by raiding Gibson’s facilities in Memphis and Nashville in search of rare imported woods.

It seems as though she may have caved into peer pressure when she blocked the veto.  But, to change her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms does not show good leadership qualities.  Also, how can the Obama administration be at fault for laws that were enacted under the previous administration?  As a member of Congress, she should know the procedures for repealing a law.   I am assuming complaining to the media and blaming the President are part of the process (I am feeling very sarcastic today).

Blackburn did oppose the farm bill when it first went through the House of Representatives. But her stated reasons for doing so did not include the bill’s expansions of the Lacey Act, which bans the importation of endangered species.  The Lacey Act also led to last month’s raids on Gibson Guitar.