Is Russ Feingold a sellout?

[Hippo_Tron]

Russ Feingold voted for Condi Rice today. So I guess it's time that we stick him in the evil sellout category with everybody but the 13 senators that voted for Condi Rice.

Could it POSSIBLY be that Russ Feingold believes in the principal of Senatorial Courtesy. Could it POSSIBLY be that Russ Feingold has a habit of consistantly voting his conscience. Could it POSSIBLY be that Russ Feingold was the LONE senator who had the balls to stand up and vote NAY on the Patriot Act because he knew that it was wrong.

Oh yea BTW those 13 senators who voted NAY on Condi, surely we don't demonize them. Well actually make that 12 because Kerry conceded the election. Oh yea actually make that 2 because only Harkin and Boxer stood up on January 6th. But WAIT make that one because Harkin voted YEA on the Iraq War Resolution. BUT WAIT! Barbara Boxer isn't a saint either. She apparently supported the death penalty for a cop killer last year.

I love how votes like this are always used as a litmus test to determine whether a senator is a "sellout" or not.

I do admire those who chose to held Condi accountable, I believe that was important. I also admire those like Russ Feingold who casted a YEA vote for her because they PERSONALLY believed in a principal of Senatorial Courtesy.

[IronLionZion]

1. Uh Oh!!!

Somebody didn't pass the litmus test on one measly issue!!!

Attack!!!

/end sarcasm

yeah I know what you mean. If we keep this up, the Republicans will have 100 Senate seats and we'd all be in detention camps

[Hippo_Tron]

12. The US Senate will be replaced with 100 clones of Rick Santorum

Bush Wars Episode II "Attack of the Man on Dogs".

[Dookus]

2. Of course!

He's a DINO who must be defeated! And Wellstone voted for the Patriot Act - good thing he's gone. Kucinich voted anti-choice for years.... damned Republican.

WHERE IS THE PURITY!! WHERE?!

/sarcasm

[AllyCat]

3. At least he had a principle to follow which is more than we can

say for the rest of the lot. I didn't agree with Feingold's vote to confirm Condi, but as the day has gone on, I've come to understand what he did. But he has vehemently opposed Gonzalez which certainly goes in the plus column.

Edited to change grave writing error.

[KissMeKate]

4. Feingold folded for Condi.

whether he has a good voting record or not doesnt change that fact, and it wont change the fact that many of us are extremely dissappointed with his vote, and will continue to say so- publicly.

He had serious objections- he should have stuck to his guns.

Courtesy isnt warranted when it comes to telling lies to sell a war.

Courtesy is exactly what we as an opposition party dont need right now. Things are really going wrong in this country, and our democrats in congress need to get up off their knees (generally speaking, not referring specifically to Feingold in particular) and stand up for truth, human rights, and their constituents.

Newt Gingrich spoke for republicans when he said "Bipartisanship is date rape."

Feminists have a saying that goes very well with that sentiment and your "courtesy" pass.

It goes : Better Rude than Raped!

[LittleClarkie]

14. Go ahead and say so. Nothing wrong with that.

(Though I'm glad you can't vote for him one way or the other. I can though. And I will again, I reckon.)

I did more than vote for him this time. I worked for him. And Kerry. And Gwen Moore.

It's just this sort of herding mentality as we live and die by each vote, and change the Dem flavor of the week because of them, that starts getting old after a while.

How many were pissed at Boxer before Jan 6th because she voted for the Patriot Act. How many loved Feingold because he was the only one, the ONLY one, who didn't. Try being the ONLY one who goes against the tide. Not one of 13. One.

No one is stopping you from expressing an opinion. But some of us are also going to express our bemusement at the patterns of behavior around here at times. And that is OUR right.

Can't wait to see who the new flavor of the week is next week.

And I can wish that we'd use the energy we spend on our Dem Senators on fighting Bush Co. instead. It all seems so small and petty and ineffectual somehow, to write endless hate letters to the Senators who pissed us off, and love letters to the ones who voted right, at least this week.

[Hippo_Tron]

16. Democrats CAN'T stop fighting amongst each other!

Because if we did, then we might actually win elections.

[Tigress DEM]

25. United We Stand, Divided we falter...

[KissMeKate]

19. I think its a consequence of feeling

the DNC in general isnt listening, or responding. Plus, alot of people are sort of starting to wake up to whats going on, so we have some beginners coming in and realising they dont like somethings that are happening today, but they dont have the whole history (voting records, etc.)

I like Feingold. His overall record is stellar.

But for me, i want to ask the Dems to darw a line in the sand and say "no further!" I wish Condi had been that line. Perhaps Gonzales will be- sadly, I doubt it.

[LittleClarkie]

20. I hear where you're coming from

I'm a newbie too. But if there's one thing I know, it's that I don't know squat. Learning though, and mostly keeping my gun pointed at the ground until I've learned the ropes a bit better.

[Tigress DEM]

5. BUT he and all 8 DEMS on Judiciary Committee - Nay on Gonzales

http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/012705X.shtml

clip >
Editor's Note | Senator Feingold delivered the following statement today prior to a 10-8 vote sending the Gonzales nomination to the full Senate. All 8 Democrats on the Judiciary Committee voted against Gonzales

clip >
The Attorney General of the United States is the nation's chief law enforcement officer. The holder of that office must have an abiding respect for the rule of law.

((Well, you can guess where he was going with that comment.))

[KissMeKate]

8. kudos to him for that vote.

I congratulate his principled stand.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. LMAO "Respect for the Law"

But this statement confirms basically what I'm saying. He states very clearly that he supports a great deal of latitude with regards to cabient appointments. I mean, Russ voted Ashcroft out of committee on this principal. Of course * manages to find a guy that is SO BAD that Russ won't vote him out of committee. Go figure.

[Tigress DEM]

23. Thing is... Appointments are supposed to be shoe ins...

Business as usual says that if a President wants to appoint someone he has that right and these laws were made when men shook hands on most deals and they went through ok.

The checks and balances were supposed to make sure no one had so much power that it could get out of control.

If they were going to save up for a unanimous "Nay" vote, I'm more worried about Gonzales getting through than Condi. Boxer can take her!

[Tigress DEM]

24. Gonzales Nay>>> http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/012705X.shtml

Could it be that email I sent Ed Kennedy about Senator Boxer being the only Senator with "cajhones" enough to stand up on the Ohio vote deal actually gave him ammo to shame the rest with?

[latteromden]

6. Honestly, it's not RICE that's going to be the problem. It's what she'll

try to do - and he'll certainly speak out if she tries anything on us.

[IronLionZion]

9. What could she do to us as Secretary of State?

Tell the world we have wmds and must be invaded? :eyes:

[libertypirate]

7. Good cop bad cop....

I am not sure who is in bed with * Co. I know there has to be some Dems but I can't say exactly who.

Right now Diane Feinstein is looking more like a "Sellout" than anyone else, an honest person wouldn't profit knowing this war is bogus. I believe there is a theft of billions in US taxes overflowing and "poorly managed" just like how Bush works "poorly managing" his job. It's also why you overpay people so they won't ask about why they are being paid so much. They have the system set so the avenues of accountability are very thin.

[American Tragedy]

10. I was disappointed

but in the context of his entire voting record, which is easily one of the best in the Senate, I'm more forgiving than I would be of most others. He is one of my favorite Senators and we need him desperately.

There has never been anyone in the Congress with whom I always agreed on every single thing. I accept that the legislature is based on many uncomfortable compromises, although I think that they are unfortunately prone to capitulate when they really ought to stick.

[saltpoint]

13. My friends in Madison would walk the plank for Russell Feingold.

They feel that they would much, much sooner invest in his intelligence and instinct than to risk losing the seat to some corporate GOP chino glad-hander.

I wished he would have been #14 on the 'nay' list on Rice, but there's strong talk that he will oppose Gonzales, and we could sure use his vote for that.

[LittleClarkie]

15. That's the sense I got from his young staff

There was "Fiengold Brian" and a woman with short dark hair and glasses who seemed very, very committed to our Russ.

I think I will add him with Kerry to the "would have to be found grilling puppies on a hybatchi for the DLC establishment before I'd drop him" list. That makes two so far.

[saltpoint]

17. Great post, LC.

Loved that description!

[kentuck]

18. No. He's not a "sellout"...

He just made a mistake.

[zmdem]

21. Depends on what day you ask

DUers are fickle about democrats. One day Democratic Sen. X is a hero, the next day he is a goat. Makes it rough to be a Democratic officeholder. Maybe that's why there are less of them than there used to be.

Of course you are are correct about Sen. Feingold. He is a model for what a Senator should be.

[saracat]

22. What a stupid principle considering the people we are dealing with!

They wouldn't tender Senatorial Courtesy to any of our nominees! And the fact that Feingold knows better makes his vote worse. These people need to understand that this isn't politics as usual and there is no longer any bipartisanship. Condi is a mass murderess and you don't give courtesy to such people! And Bush doesn't deserve any respect for his cabinet choices.It isn't as though he has ever made any good choices and what it to respect?

[doodadem]

26. I'll buy the Senatorial Courtesy line

when the Repuglicans aren't trying to implement their "nuclear option" on Dem filibusters!
Seriously, Democrats are too polite. It'a a major failing......
I had been considering Feingold as a real possibility for a prez candidate in '08. Now........not so much.

[doodadem]

27. Biden

The guy I really have a problem with is Biden. He absolutely SLAMS Rice ad nauseaum, but then turns around and votes for her because he wants "to maintain a good working relationship". Now THAT is a sellout!
I am suprised that Reid voted against her.......is that Reid the minority leader from AZ, or the other Reid?

[Hippo_Tron]

30. It's not the minority leader Reid, it's Reed from Rhode Island

And BTW the minority leader Ried is from Nevada, not Arizona.

[Califooyah Operative]

28. NO. nt

[wheresthemind]

29. THANK YOU!!! -- I hate how reactionary we've become...

If Paul Wellstone were alive, even given his entire voting history of conscience, and he had voted for Condi, people would have tore him apart.

"DINO, republican-light, BLOOD SUCKING DEMOCRAT KILLER AND BUSH CRONIE!!!"

My god! I think even people who make votes that are contrary to what I believe can be principled people, making principled decisions.

Hell to come back to Paul he voted for the defensive marriage act... let the decimation of Wellstone begin...

I love how Evan Bayh is suddenly the hero of the hour... Why does the right think liberals are inconsistent again?

[Walt Starr]

31. It's a strike against him

If he continues doing things like this, he continues getting strikes against him.

That's how it works. Feinstein, for example, has a LOT of strikes against her. Boxer has far fewer.

:shrug:

That's how I judge a politician, anyway.