Meet 'conservative' Fred Upton

The American Spectator's James Antle has a great article today on Fred Upton, the "conservative" who's set to take control of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Antle details some of the grievances against the Michigan Republican:

Like many a Republican who lost a primary this year, Upton voted for the $700 billion TARP bailout. But he was one of just 18 Republicans to vote a year later for Rep. Barney Frank's (D-MA) bill to give the Obama Treasury Department wide latitude in spending the remaining $350 billion in TARP funds. In 2005, he was one of only three House Republicans to vote against extending the Bush tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. He was one of just 11 Republicans to subject tax cuts to a 60-vote threshold in the Senate. And he was one of nine Republicans who voted against substituting tax cuts for the $787 billion stimulus plan.

On spending, Upton was one of only 16 Republicans to vote for the Pelosi omnibus spending bill in 2009. He voted against slashing $355 billion in spending from the stimulus package. He has been a backer of the government SCHIP health care plan, the National Endowment for the Arts, and wasteful public subsidies for Amtrak. All aboard!

Upton is now trying to change his reputation. See how by reading Antle's full article.