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Name one member of congress you can count on.
It can be anyone in the House or Senate. Someone you can absolutely count on when it comes to fighting for your interests on health care. Or energy and the environment.
If you can't name anyone, then why did you vote for them?
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My second cousin.
June 12, 2009 6:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like my Senator Amy Klobuchar and my congressman
Jim Oberstar are two of the finest members of the United States Congress
Someday, Senator Al Franken will be there and will make the right decisions.
Others not in my district are much respected by me.
I like Barney Frank, Stenny Hoyer, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Webb, Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer...
I could go on and on.
I may disagree with regard to a particular vote sometimes Gary, but I see a host of fine leaders in Congress today. And I have the utmost respect for my President.
I do not know how this first step in the reform of our Health care system will go. There are varied interests at work.
I will continue to make my voice heard through the internet including the signing of petitions put forth my Moveon.Org etc.
I am not in that much despair over the situation right now. I am heartened by much of the legislation that has been enacted and that is being worked on at this time...what in the last five months.
June 12, 2009 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
That would be Senator Amy who told the StarTribune that universal healthcare is "unrealistic". I challenge you to decipher her current position from her web site. Don't call her office. When I asked them the answer I got is "I am not sure", i.e., Senator Amy hasn't determined which way the wind is blowing yet. But Amy has a future, yes she does. She knows how not to get pinned down on any tough issue. She knows how to pick little bitty issues that make her look like a nice mom. If you want to save a kid at the country club from a defective swimming pool drain, Amy is your gal. If you want to save a generation of endangered young people, well Amy is tough and will promise to lock them up. Amy was a tough prosecutor. Just ask her. She'll tell you over and over again. I expect Amy will go far. She is exactly what the Democratic Party wants.
Oberstar does get you roads. I prefer my Congressman Ellison, a real liberal.
Neither can hold a candle to Paul Wellstone.
Bernie Sanders might be the best of the bunch.
June 12, 2009 7:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You watch when Al gets in. Wellstone was his all time hero after Humphrey and McCarthy and Mondale.
Actually more so for Wellstone. Al will not let us down. I swear to it.
June 12, 2009 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Co-sign!
June 13, 2009 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I do believe Al has a very genuine passion about universal healthcare (if Amy doesn't lock him in a room and make him sign the Blue Dog compact).
June 13, 2009 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
It seems like Al Franken will be a Senator you can count on. We'll see.
I think we may be too easily sold on this idea that you have to set your ideals aside when you get to Washington. I mentioned this earlier but we are facing some era-defining issues.
On energy, for example. We can't even get an honest debate going in Washington. From the GOP American Energy Act:
-the term air pollutant shall not include carbon dioxide.
-the impact of greenhouse gas on any species of fish or wildlife or plant shall not be considered.
This isn't setting ideals aside for pragmatism. This is setting reality aside.
Regarding my question about who you can count on in congress; at the very least, I believe we need statesmen that are champions for truth and honest debate.
June 13, 2009 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's good you feel you can count on those people. Obviously, you'll have disagreements with them on some votes, but there are some huge issues right now like health care and energy that I believe represent defining moments in our history that we can't afford to continue to get wrong.
Baby steps toward progress on these particular issues, IMO, won't cut it. Watered down bills that end up compromising too much will be not only useless, but arguably even more destructive now than ever. The planet is in crisis. And our health care system is, in my estimation, one of the biggest embarrassments of modern civilization.
We need to make unwavering sweeping commitments right now.
And so that's why I'm asking--how many members of congress can we count on at this critical time in history?
June 12, 2009 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Steny Hoyer is my Rep. He is a pol but always looking out for us. Living in MD, we always have solid Dem representation. I miss Paul Sarbanes.
June 12, 2009 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sarbaines, Kate I forgot all about him, I mean with the new majority and everything. A fine fine man.
June 12, 2009 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just loved to hear the man talk.
June 13, 2009 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm from Michigan and I have total respect for my Senator, Carl Levin and our rep, Bart Stupak. Both honest and thoughful men. I agree with Debbie Stabenow some but not all of the time.
I like what I've heard from Ed Markey. I think Ted Kennedy, a millionaire's son, understands the plight of working people very well. Sheldon Whitehouse is fast becoming a favorite. Claire McKaskill "gets it"".
I'm sure there are others but that's all I can come up with at the moment.
June 12, 2009 7:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whitehouse may make a great headline one day. "WHITEHOUSE WINS WHITEHOUSE"
June 13, 2009 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Someone you can absolutely count on when it comes to fighting for your interests on health care. Or energy and the environment. If you can't name anyone, then why did you vote for them?"
Hi TPMGary - I understand your point, and I'm not unsympathetic, but let me comment on it from a different perspective.
If I thought someone was fighting for MY interests on health care, energy, or the environment, I almost certainly would not vote for that candidate. I already have excellent health care that I'm well off enough to pay for, and I could also afford to buy a gas-hungry SUV. It would pour an inordinate quantity of CO2 into the air, but I don't live near a flood-prone coastal area that might be a victim of future global warming.
My real point is this: Isn't the problem that too many of our representatives are fighting for SOME
June 12, 2009 7:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
"too many representatives are fighting for SOME".
Fred, too many representatives are fighting for "SOME" if what you mean by SOME is corporate interests.
If it makes it easier for you, maybe you can think of whether or not your representatives are fighting more for corporate interests than the interests of average Americans.
June 12, 2009 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry the above was sent unfinished. Here's another shot at it.
"Someone you can absolutely count on when it comes to fighting for your interests on health care. Or energy and the environment. If you can't name anyone, then why did you vote for them?"
Hi TPMGary - I understand your point, and I'm not unsympathetic, but let me comment on it from a different perspective.
If I thought someone was fighting for MY interests on health care, energy, or the environment, I almost certainly would not vote for that candidate. I already have excellent health care that I'm well off enough to pay for, and I could also afford to buy a gas-hungry SUV. It would pour an inordinate amount of CO2 into the air, but I don't live near a flood-prone coastal area that might be a victim of future global warming.
My real point is this: Isn't the problem that too many of our representatives are fighting for SOMEONE's interests instead of EVERYONE's? Or more bluntly - aren't we the problem because we vote for them?
June 12, 2009 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fred, there is a difference between "your interests" and "your own selfish interests".
For example, "my interests" include seeing that everyone in this country receive fair and equitable and affordable access to great health care.
June 12, 2009 8:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I knew exactly what you meant, tpmgary, and I agree with you. The problem as I see it resides in the substantial number of candidates whose experience tells them that the way to get elected is to appeal to the selfish interests of constituents.
Would that such appeals were unrewarding, but unfortunately, they work, which is why they are a norm in politics.
Ironically, even public officials whom I believe genuinely wish to serve the public interest often feel compelled to defend their positions on narrower grounds of constituent interests. One example that I find compelling is the advocacy for alternative energy development primarily as a means of relieving our dependence on foreign oil. That's a laudable objective, to be sure, but the far greater public good, worldwide, will derive from climate change abatement. Unfortunately, the two goals, while concordant in most circumstances, conflict when it comes to offshore oil drilling, or drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. How a candidate addresses that conflict tells me something about his or her commitment to what is truly best for all of us.
June 12, 2009 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
The question of my post is not a complicated question, Fred. You can parse it, make it complicated, and as difficult and ambiguous and seemingly hard to answer as you want, and you've certainly done that.
To answer the question, though, what you'll need to do is ask yourself what you look for in a member of congress, what you expect from a member of congress-what issues do you feel strongly about and wish to see championed with unwavering commitment? (Feel free to make your own mental list of what you expect from a member of congress.)
Once you've figured that out, simply name the member or members of congress you can count on to deliver on that list.
June 12, 2009 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe you and I share many of the same sentiments regarding the public interest, and my only point was that there's a difference between fighting for constituent interests and fighting for the common good. Unfortunately, many elected officials base their successful candidacies on serving their constituents with insufficient regard for the larger community.
The only other point I would make is that I greatly admire many Senators and Representatives, but there is none whom I could "absolutely count on" to reflect my views on every aspect of the important issues you cite. In an imperfect world, I tend to think more lenient criteria are adequate to distinguish the "good guys" from the less good.
June 13, 2009 12:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm certainly not surprised, since your views go all the way around robin-hood's barn! A little anal, huh?
June 13, 2009 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have never voted for Don Young, our state's only Rep. in House. (R. Alaska)
I voted for Sen. Mark Begich (D. Alaska)and did not vote for Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R. Alaska). Begich is new and so far extremely disappointed in his responses to Alaskan's communiques (either no response or months later to address issue). Time will tell - better than Stevens (in my opinion).
Who do I trust? Hmmm. No one I can think of all the time. Some on specific issues. But, that's not sayin' there isn't one or two that are trustworthy most of the time that I don't have factual data needed to base my decision.
Thanks for this. Interesting post and of course, your underlying message is on point - what does this say about We, the People?!?
Rec'd.
June 12, 2009 9:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Aunt Sam. My intent is really just to provoke thought, one way or another. It's possible that when we each think in specifics about politics, (as opposed to the usual generalities about Dems vs Repubs)--when we think about the people we actually voted for, and align them with issues we most care about, then we may in fact realize that we have people we feel we can really count on.
On the other hand, we may feel we don't have people we can really count on.
Some may ask, well, count on to do what?
And that question, in and of itself, is important to answer.
Because if we want to hold any of our elected officials accountable, we have to hold ourselves accountable.
June 12, 2009 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
'Hold ourselves accountable!'
Interesting. Sadly, I'm not sure the majority will ever subscribe to this creed. Easier to bitch and moan about the politicos and or the 'other side'. This seems to be the way of the populace. (And not limited to only politics.)
June 12, 2009 10:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barbara Mikulski.
June 12, 2009 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jan Schakowsky. She was my congresswoman when I lived in Chicago. Now I have Joe "At least I'm better than Chocola" Donnelly. I voted for him once. I won't be voting for him again. The only difference between Donnelly and Chocola is that Donnelly solicits me for donations.
June 12, 2009 10:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I voted for Rosa DeLauro but I really wanted to vote for the green candidate that year. Why?
I promised her I would if she voted on something that seemed important at the time. I tend to keep my promises.
I think, even if we like our reps we should hist vote against them
Things are so farqed up and they just aren't working hard enough. Bought and paid for, the lot of them. Cheaply, too.
June 12, 2009 10:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Therein lies the problem. Most of our elected officials like the idea of having it both ways. They especially like the money from the deep pocket crowd and the future rewards catering to their needs will bring.
Assume for a moment that campaign finance reform isolated our representatives from this influence. That would mean they would actually have to work for a living and truly represent the people and forego the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Fat chance.
Joke.
Q. How do you know if a person is an idiot?
A. They believe politicians who say they are
going to reform the system of campaign
finance.
June 13, 2009 6:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ummm?
June 12, 2009 11:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bernie Sanders
I wish he were more of a publicity hound. He's the most honest and the best representative of the people we may have ever had.
June 13, 2009 12:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dick Durbin is my senator. I really like his stances on many issues. I noticed, however, that while he supports "health care reform", his website doesn't say anything about "government single payer".
Which is why I had to send him a strongly worded letter. :)
Thanks for this post. Made me light a fire under my senator's bum.
June 13, 2009 1:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
THEE Progressive Senator is mine Sherrod Brown!
8 years from now I am going to be asking you to elect him President!
You can count on Sherrod Brown! And besides, he is married to Connie Schultz Pulitizer Prize winner from the Cleveland Plain Dealer!
"Sherrod Brown - 2016"
June 13, 2009 2:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I had been out of country for several years. Two good things I noticed, early on, politically were Sherrod Browns ascension and Barack Obama's candidacy. Being a former Buckeye I was no stranger to Sen. Browns talent and character.
June 13, 2009 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know, all our reps and Senators, Republican or Democrat, should be progressive, as all things are in a state of constant motion. It's just a matter of which path forward you want to take.
Paths backward or paths that purposely lead to stagnation are the most dangerous paths any of us can take, either as individuals or as a society.
June 13, 2009 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
My dear Senator: Joe Lieberman. I can always count on him to be...
June 13, 2009 8:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
...I think we can all fill in that blank, Hilary. Unfortunately:)
June 13, 2009 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dick Lugar is an honest man. A true conservative who puts his country first. Am I in agreement with his positions? Rarely.
June 13, 2009 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Loved you question, sadly, many are stuck with a least of two evils scenario. It's changing here in Indiana. You cannot imagine the pride I felt when Indiana (home of the KKK) turned blue. Furthermore, you cannot imagine the glee I felt when I found out the Hispanics of Indiana put President Obama over the top in this former bastion of hate. In closing, I hope you feel the confidence that I feel when I see our President.
June 13, 2009 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Teddy...
June 13, 2009 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in CA...need I say more?
I definitely agree that one of the problems is "whose best interest?" I am finally old enough that my own selfish interests are becoming less important to me, and I'm more concerned with the survival of the country.
Another problem is that, like w/ alcoholism and other personal problems, the country needs to hit rock bottom before we are willing to make wholesale changes. Things have to get so bad that the pain of staying where we are outweighs the pain of changing. Although we are getting there, we aren't there yet.
And yet another problem is that no matter how idealistic a politician is when they launch their careers, the deeply entrenched "rules of the game" are such that within a short period of time, their desire to do good is replaced with their desire to remain in office. Those 2 things are often at odds with each other.
Great, thought-provoking post...rec'd
June 13, 2009 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
thanks for your comments stilli. Rock-bottom, of course, is relative. And it does seem like a compelling topic for you to post about. "What constitutes the country hitting rock-bottom?" I'd love to hear what people think about that.
June 13, 2009 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oregon: I recently wrote to Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden re healthcare. They wrote back. Merkley is in full support of Single Payer and is pushing for it. Wyden has a bill for Private healthcare reform based on what the senators get for healthcare. I used to count on Wyden but not anymore. Merkley is new and a promising Dem but has little power or influence. Here is part of what Senator Merkley said:
It sounds to me like the people who care - like Merkley, have already given up due to “difficulty.” Really counting on anyone to change is exasperating. We can’t possibly get reforms of any kind without a large block of support in the senate. Most of them are already bought. I’ll be surprised if we get any “public option” (even though President Obama is endorsing it) without taking it to the streets.
June 13, 2009 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
that's one of my points. If we can't count on any of our elected representatives to fight for change with unrelenting resolve, then they shouldn't be able to count on us to support them with unrelenting resolve.
June 13, 2009 2:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, you can always count on Jeff Sessions to say something idiotic . . .
June 13, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
My senators are both new to the senate. One was appointed by the governor when Salazar left to work as Secretary of the Interior for the current adminstration. Mark Udall used to be our congressman and is now in the senate. Jared Polis, my congressman is for single payer and I don't know him really well but on this issue I think I can count on him.
It's not so simple and cut and dry as if I voted for anyone that I would be absolutely sure I could count on them with regards to health care
However, I think it's the american people I can count on because a majority of americans want a single payer system which means we will get it sooner... or later.
June 13, 2009 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can count on harry reid to be a wuss.
You can count on james inhofe to be an eejit. (he' my senator and I did not vote for him)
You can count on tom coburn to cut funding to your favorite program (See inhofe)
You can count on lieberman to be traitor.
You can count on ben nelson, evan bayh, and mary landrieu to vote with the republican caucus.
You can count on the republicans to just say no.
June 13, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) has never let me down.
June 13, 2009 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dennis Kucinich.
June 13, 2009 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink