Notable Senators

[pplr]

I was just wondering.

Its election time here.... so can anyone here think of 5 US Senators (I'll be really impressed if people from outside the USA do) and what their opinion is of them.

If you don't know 5 then substitute House members but I'd like to see a mix of people you have good and bad opinions of (at least 1 of each).

[Chandos the Red]

pplr - Please don't take this the wrong way: They ALL suck. Really. The media keeps blaming Obama, but IMO, the Congress has not even been as useful as a doorstop. It's little wonder voters want to fire them all. This Congress and last 10 years of them, reminds me of what John Adams remarked:

"In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress."[3]

...And I thought the Dems would be an imporvement over the last useless bunch - man, was I wrong.... Here's the list of shame:

1. Joe Lieberman: liberal turned neocon. But does a good job of representing the insurance companies in his state.

2. Ben Nelson: "Give me enough money and I will vote for whatever program you like...."

3. Max Baucus: "Don't blame ME! The health care industry wrote the health care law." Here he is with his supporters

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/23/...contributions/

4. Jim "I'm a one-man government" DeMint:

As Collender notes, there’s a risk for the GOP here, in getting blamed for a government shutdown. Obviously DeMint doesn’t care, and probably sees it as a base-rallying maneuver for his Tea Party movement

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/09/...ment-shutdown/

5. John Ensign: "How much will it cost me to bang YOUR wife?"

On Tuesday, the day after Fox received the letter, Ensign abruptly admitted to a months-long affair with aide Cynthia Hampton. On Wednesday he resigned as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, a top Senate leadership position, after critics branded him a hypocrite for chastising others for their indiscretions -- including then-President Clinton, whom he called on to resign -- and then indulging in his own.

In his letter, printed Friday by the Las Vegas Sun, Hampton described the Ensigns as "lifelong friends." Their homes are in the same tony section of town; their children attended the same schools. The senator eventually hired both Hamptons: Doug as his administrative assistant, Cynthia for his campaign and his political action committee.

The extramarital affair began in December 2007, both sides have said. In February 2008, Hampton's letter says, he confronted Ensign at the senator's Washington home in front of a group that included Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.).

The same month, Cynthia Hampton's salary doubled, federal records show, though Ensign's camp has said she took on additional duties.

"Senator Ensign's conduct and relentless pursuit of my wife led to our dismissal in April of 2008," Hampton's letter says. "I would like to say he stopped his heinous conduct and pursuit upon our leaving but . . . his actions did not subside until August of 2008."

And people blame Obama???

[pplr]

Chandos

Let me thank you for responding. With the number of discussions that have taken place on this site relating to politics I'm surprised that more people couldn't have mentioned some.

You seem to be very upset these days. I get that times are tough and, perhaps worse, some of the agenda that has gotten the US in trouble looks to grow by a measure in its power.

That said is there any person in Congress you can find something positive to say about? I'm not trying to rip on your frustration but I was hoping to get a mix of good and bad.


Here are a few from me:

Russ Feingold-Despite quite possibly loosing his senate seat this year to someone who seems likely to be a mediocre senator (no matter which party he belongs to) and a climate change denier Feingold has been one of the strongest advocates for campaign finance reform in the US Senate. He gets credit for that.

Mitch McConnell-This Senator has been a money handler for his party in the Senate, powerbroker nationally (perhaps for the worse at times) but still around (despite the tea party folks taking his puppets down locally-I'm not saying that thy would be better just that this is something they accomplished).


Dave Obey-Congressman from Northwestern WI. Progressive and perhaps one of the hardest working Congresspeople from any state, he retires after this term.

Pelosi-sure she gets a bit of historical recognition for being the first Woman Speaker of the House of Representatives but (and more important than that) she gets some credit for getting the House to pass tough Bills (even if watered down some they went through while the dithering has happened in the Senate).

Dick Durban-midestern Senator who may replace Harry Reid as majority leader in the Senate if the former does not make it though his race.

Is there a GOP senator I that has done something responsible or worthwhile this year. I cannot think of one off the top of my head and don't want to be unfair because I suspect there may be one out there.... if there isn't then.... err.... I guess I'll have to put another negative in for the majority of the Senators (expressly including those GOP members who are not up to dealing with issues facing the USA in the 21st Century.

That was quasi-negative #2.

[Chandos the Red]

pplr - I am upset at both Democrats and Republicans. I believe the Middle-class has been targeted by both parties for extiction. And especially the Tea Party, which seems to be nothing more than a club of Obama haters. Their agenda? Balance the federal budget on the backs of the old and sick people. Nice bunch. However, I will look a bit at the dimly lit bright side.

That said is there any person in Congress you can find something positive to say about? I'm not trying to rip on your frustration but I was hoping to get a mix of good and bad.

Bernie Sanders - Despite being a socialist, he's been in there fighting for the people. Generally, in the US, socialists are seen as antagonists, unlike in some other parts where socialists blend into the political spectrum. Heck, I can't even think of another one in Congress, atm. But Bernie has been more than reasonable.

Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said the president’s accomplishments during the past two years are “nothing to sneeze at,” but he has yet to stand “up for the American people the way we would like him to,” even though he campaigned on a “progressive agenda to expand the middle class.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories...#ixzz11M4h4a7S

Is there a GOP senator I that has done something responsible or worthwhile this year.

Surprisingly, Scott Brown, who was supposed to be the big Tea Party spoiler for Obama.

Sen. Scott Brown's last-minute support for President Obama's sweeping financial overhaul legislation has put him in the crosshairs of Tea Party activists
who have sharply criticized the bill and could dim his re-election hopes for 2012.

Brown announced Monday he would support the regulatory overhaul despite initial misgivings, joining fellow New England Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, a triple play that appears to give Democrats the required 60 votes to overcome procedural hurdles facing the legislation.

The Greater Boston Tea Party said it was "greatly disappointed" in Brown's announcement.

Yes, Brown was supposed to be the big "middle finger" to Obama, but he decided he had a more important job to do, which was to govern for the people of Massachusetts. Like so:

Despite his appearance at CPAC, where he alluded to his election as making "big government spenders...[not] feel good at all", Brown refused to rule out a vote for a Democratic "jobs bill" proposal, and has praised both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and senior Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts for indicating their willingness to work with him across party lines.[55] Scott was one of five Republican senators to vote for cloture on the jobs bill. The motion passed in the Senate 62–30 on February 22, 2010.[56] In an up-or-down vote on the bill itself on February 24, 2010, Brown voted for final passage, helping to pass the bill 70-28.[57]

It will be interesting to them whip Brown back into line, if they can.

[Morgoroth]

Sanders, Kerry, Udall, Webb, Franken.

I believe all except Sanders to be democrats and he's an independent who usually votes democrat. I could probably name five republicans too but that would be a bit more of a challenge. I tend to follow elections and election seasons in the US quite closely as someone who has political sciences as a minor and some interest in the US political system. I don't care that much about actual policy though other than foreign policy so I don't know much about the positions and voting records of individual senators.

[T2Bruno]

I really think there are some excellent leaders in the senate. It is unfortunate the few bad ones get so much press (including the majority leader).

Just off the top of my head:

I think Franken is a riot. He's shaking things up a bit (at times in ways that are not helpful, but they are entertaining). It will be interesting to see how he does over the next four years.

I think Dick Durban is fair and very well thought out. I voted for him and would be very happy if he took over for Reid.

Daniel Inouye is simply an amazing man. Period.

I've always liked Kay Bailey Hutchison, she's a stabilizing influence in the republican party (too bad she's not more of an influence). I was very disappointed to hear she's retiring. I would have loved to have seen her on the republican ticket in 2008 (or Dole for that matter).

Orrin Hatch. Mr Wysiwyg himself. Hatch is very dependable. I may not always agree with his positions, but he's a man of integrity and that counts a lot for me.

John McCain. I voted for him and would rather see him in the White House right now. Another man of integrity whose record is unparalleled by anyone in the last twenty or so years (other than Kennedy).

[Aldeth the Foppish Idiot]

I can certainly name a heck of a lot more than 5 senators. However, there is a problem with giving any type of new opinions on them. The Senators I am familiar with have either A) run for president or VP (like McCain, Kerry, Lieberman) or B) Made national headlines for all the wrong reasons (take your pick from Chandos' posts above). About the only ones I know who don't fall into those categories are Franken (but he is also a far more national figure) and the two senators from my state Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, and I'm happy with both of them. Mikluski is actually running for re-election this year, with a very high chance of being re-elected. On a bit more humorous note, I had already typed one of the names of Maryland's senators as "Paul Sarbanes" before backspacing over it. Sarbanes held the position before Cardin, and held the seat over the course of a few decades. It actually took me a couple of minutes to realize the mistake. Paul's son, John, is my rep in the House, and he has aspirations of running for Senator once either Ben or Babs retire.