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Editorial: Was Rep. Young bullied into switching his LGBT vote? [Des Moines Register]

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Iowans will respect a congressman who doesn’t always vote their way as long as that congressman has done his homework and is doing what he believes is in the best interests of Iowa and the nation. But they won’t tolerate a congressman who allows himself to become a tool of either special interests or the party leadership. That’s true of both conservatives and progressives.

It could be that Young, still in his first term representing Iowa’s 3rd District, voted the way he did because he needs the support of party leaders if he’s to be re-elected in the fall. But for Iowans, the question is no longer whether Young can get re-elected; it’s whether he deserves to be re-elected.

Editorial: Was Rep. Young bullied into switching his LGBT vote?

Des Moines Register

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/05/24/editorial-rep-young-bullied-into-switching-his-lgbt-vote/84859774/

Rarely has the congressional sausage-making looked uglier than last week when a group of Republican members of the House strong-armed their colleagues into changing their votes on an anti-discrimination measure.

It happened last Thursday, as the final votes were being tallied on a bill amendment that would have barred federal contractors from discriminating against members of the LGBT community.

At least seven Republicans reportedly changed their votes, including Rep. David Young of Iowa.

Baglien didn’t respond to calls and emails this week asking whether she or the congressman would be willing to elaborate on what transpired.

If Young was truly opposed to the measure, he should have no problem defending his position, which matches that of Iowa’s other Republican House members, Reps. Steve King and Rod Blum, both of whom voted against the amendment from the outset.

As it stands now, however, it appears that Young voted his conscience in initially supporting the amendment, only to be beaten into submission by party leaders who opposed the measure. If so, he caved to pressure from individuals who don’t represent Iowa and who were willing to run roughshod over the House rules in order to get their way.

Iowans will respect a congressman who doesn’t always vote their way as long as that congressman has done his homework and is doing what he believes is in the best interests of Iowa and the nation. But they won’t tolerate a congressman who allows himself to become a tool of either special interests or the party leadership. That’s true of both conservatives and progressives.

It could be that Young, still in his first term representing Iowa’s 3rd District, voted the way he did because he needs the support of party leaders if he’s to be re-elected in the fall. But for Iowans, the question is no longer whether Young can get re-elected; it’s whether he deserves to be re-elected.

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