Olympia Snowe On Debt Ceiling Debate: 'I've Never Seen A Worse Congress'

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) talked to people in Saco, Maine about the debt ceiling negotiations Wednesday, and lamented the extreme partisanship that characterized the debate this summer.

“I’m embarrassed by all of us,’’ Snow said, according to the Associated Press. “I’ve never seen a worse Congress in my whole political life.’’

Polls conducted after the debt ceiling deal have showed that Americans hold an increasingly negative view of Congress. A New York Times/CBS News poll last week showed Congress' approval rating falling to 14 percent, with a record 82 percent of Americans disapproving of the way Congress is handling its job -- the most since the Times first began asking the question in 1977.

A CNN poll this week showed, for the first time in its history, that most Americans think their own representatives do not deserve reelection.

Snowe, who served as Maine's congresswoman from 1979 to 1995 and has been a senator ever since, is being targeted by the Tea Party for voting in favor of the debt ceiling deal despite the fact that it did not include a balanced budget amendment.

"Just 25 days ago, Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe told us she would vote for a debt plan with a balanced budget amendment," Scott D'Amboise, a conservative Republican who is challenging Snowe for her Senate seat, wrote in the fundraising letter just hours after the debt ceiling vote. "However, today Snowe betrayed us by voting with the Democrats for a debt deal that gives President Obama a blank check in exchange for only token spending cuts and no promise for a balanced budget amendment."

Comments

[vigoddess]

11:50 AM on 08/26/2011

I like the way Olympia Snowe tries to disassociate herself from the Congress,
when she also took a pledge to Grover Norquist to protect the wealthy, and
I think she should be thrown out for not voting for protecting the country during
a fiscal crisis, but going along with the herd.
This "worse Congress" is a result of these people who are more concerned with
special interest than the majority of Americans. She's very much a part of that
so when the oath of office surfaces to serve the people in her state, the
criticism should be directed to the way she voted on important issues for
the Republicans and not the people.

[MadeinUSAJOBS]

10:20 AM on 08/27/2011

Is this signing of tax pledge legal.???? I thought the constitution said: represent the people not minority wishes. I agree she does not think for herself anymore so she would be better replaced by a honest independent who analyzed each issue and voted for what the people wanted.

[CarlIII]

08:55 AM on 08/25/2011

How many times in the last year have we "counted on her vote"? Just to have her at the the very last minute vote in lock step with the Tea Party. She's a Hypocrite, a so called moderate who wields to much power in the Senate. No moderates allowed in Teapublican party. The GOP will purge her soon.

[tmispy]

11:50 PM on 08/24/2011

Admitting fault is the first step :) At least she has the balls to do it.

[Daniel D Coate]

03:35 PM on 08/13/2011

ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda ignorance propaganda

[vigoddess]

12:02 PM on 08/26/2011

What should be added to this is "ignorant belief in propaganda" because you need
people to attach to this problem.
Ignorance is rampart but hope is on the hill because people Are taking an interest in
who runs their government now. You have to be a victim before you start learning
how not to wind up a receiver of b.s. Whether you are Republican or Dem, or a
tea party person, the phase of "Do" is upon us.
No more tell stuff.
We are up the kazoo with "tell" from every candidate running for office and those
who are seeking free publicity off it so they can write a book.
We have entered the "do" stage.
Do it, and then the people can maybe start believing again
We want doers. Those that produce. The same as workers produce.
The same as parents produce. The same as farmers produce.
It's Show and Tell time in America.

[stonemann]

12:48 PM on 08/13/2011

Musicjock23, I hope you get to read this. Since for some reason I'm not allowed to respond to your last comment, your last statement was getting silly, is that all you've got? I won't stoop to that level, but if you ever want to grapple me on issues instead of exchanging mindless responses, if you’re capable that is, I’m easy to find, though you may have to find a way to untie yourself when we're done. Looking forward to schooling, no, hearing from you, friend.

[kezaezy]

08:53 PM on 08/12/2011

You know, this "All of us" thing gets old. WHO tied the debt ceiling to national debt? WHO refused a 3 to 1 ratio of cuts to revenue? WHICH caucus had the members who said to vote against raising the debt ceiling? I'll call the Dems on their BS, but this was, far and away, not their crisis. It is a bought and Teabagger-paid for GOP FUBAR.

[Waveskiboy]

08:02 AM on 08/12/2011

Another republican trying to appear rational, and sane, but who is too afraid of losing her seat in the senate to do the right thing, anything......

[nana4g]

07:54 AM on 08/12/2011

What has she done about it? Where has she been? I do not recall hearing her saying this as it was happening. What does she plan to do about it?

Useless to state the obvious. We didn't need her to tell us. We need her to do something about it. She can use her words to better effect than an after the fact statement of woe.

[ILuvFla]

09:45 AM on 08/12/2011

I agree. All she has to do is walk out to a waiting microphone and speak up. Whispering a bit, two weeks later, is ineffectual and a waste of time.

[Zutroy]

05:11 AM on 08/12/2011

You think THIS is bad? Wait til' your primary next year against the teabaggers.

It's only just begun, Senator Snowe.

[Vinzago]

12:51 AM on 08/12/2011

When is she going to flip already??

[Zutroy]

05:12 AM on 08/12/2011

Around the time of her primary next year. The teabaggers are coming for her.

[lovelygirl33]

11:29 AM on 08/12/2011

And so they will go the way of Alaska's Joe Miller.

[progressivestance84]

12:51 AM on 08/12/2011

I've never seen a worse Senator for Maine either.

[robraskin]

11:26 PM on 08/11/2011

Nevada voted for Harry Reid for yet ANOTHER TERM because BOTH candidates that could have defeated him lost to Sharon Engle, a Tea Party Candidate with ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE. Had the Tea Party NOT come to Nevada, Reid would not be in D.C. and "O" would have one less out-of-touch-because-he-has-his-own-agenda-lifetime-politician on his side.

[yweston]

05:54 AM on 08/12/2011

The people of Nevada spoke. Isn't that their privilege. America sent Pres. Obama to the WH and Baggers threw "tantrum after tantrum after tantrum". As if the rest of us aren't allowed to vote "OUR own best interest". However, when Baggers sent that bunch of obstructionist to Congress to "gum up the works" your side thinks we're whining because we expect to get something done in Washington and all Bagger Reps do is raise their hand NO, Since they hit Washington we have higher unemployment and a Credit Downgrade. Yet Baggers continue to deflect the blame. They offer NOTHING except "NO". However they have NO problem voting yes to Corporate/Billionaire entitlements.

[sshelly]

05:21 PM on 08/12/2011

well said yweston! f&f

[Bluegirl85]

12:00 PM on 08/26/2011

You are so dead on!!!

[sshelly]

05:21 PM on 08/12/2011

The people voted! so quit whinning sore losers.

[Bluegirl85]

12:00 PM on 08/26/2011

We are all losers with tea party ruling

[soapstix]

10:52 PM on 08/11/2011

I think the whole congress should be ashamed simply to be associated with some ot the most inhumane people around. Knock the "liberal's" all you want. At least the "liberal's" are not in favor of the constant relief for the rich people in this country. That would be the rich people making their money off the back of those who have not, and who don't count. I am sick to death of the idea that we spend trillions of dollars for "defense" that could be used for benifit for people right here. I am not saying defense is not important, but fighting for this country , and loosing our citizens in war, makes it all seem a waste of our soldiers, if we do not take care of the people who live here. What do the soldiers and their families have to look forward to in a country where the congress holds the president hostage?

[UTARebel]

11:13 PM on 08/11/2011

Constant relief for relief for rich people?
Is you only goal to make it to your next welfare check?
The president you speak of being held hostage had two years with both the House and the Senate in his Democrat pocket.... Why didn't he do something then?

So you want him to throw more of our hard-earned money away like the 'cash for clunkers' project which gave unknown millions to foreign car makers also? Why didn't he just make it 'Buy American' ?

The rich people you talk of are more likely Companies who supply JOBS for Americans, and if you start taking every tax excentive away from them - guess what. Those JOBS will go elsewhere, and then there will be plenty of company for the already stressed food lines.

Democrats need to find a viable candidate to run against Obama in 2012, else he will drag down the Senate in addition to the already taken House.

[shiningwater]

11:35 PM on 08/11/2011

Yeah, yeah. All of the middle class is on Welfare, blah, blah, blah. Do you EVER check any other news sources? Nope. Keep passing on your talking points. Even those of us in the upper middle class know that we have to stop the Republican menace if we don't want to become homeless. If those companies ever supplied living wage jobs to Americans, I'd care. However...giving jobs to 8 year olds for pennies a day in another country? SO not working for me. Get a clue.

[wordsalad12]

11:52 PM on 08/11/2011

so, if people are not millionaires, they are lazy people on welfare? Do you know how many working poor there are in this country? are you really way out there in batcrazy land? good luck coming back into orbit hen. Oh, and btw, the people who are supposed to be "jobcreators" have had the lowest taxes in history for the last decade - and outsourcing has gone through the roof to countries that have no labor laws, no worker safety, benefits or living wage requirements. Who are they kidding with that baloneysandwich? So, take that bunch of horsemanu.re and stuff it. Shove that justification for tax cuts, loopholes and other benefits to companies not being enough under some other suck.er's nose who is still clueless as to why he/she can't find a job even after all their effort.

[robraskin]

11:29 PM on 08/11/2011

Thanks for clarifying! For a second, I thought this was AMERICA, that it was a CAPITALIST country, and that people were suppose to aim to make millions if they could. But now I realize that if they do, they should pay more taxes to support all the illegal aliens that should never have been let in to the country, and all the people on welfare, and food stamps, and unemployment. Why not just put a cap on income? Let's let people open up a business, take all the risks, and be allowed to make $50,000 - and then all the rest goes to all the people who are less fortunate. Would you like that? Because this is EXACTLY what your President is trying to do - it's what he believes in. And 60 MILLION PEOPLE voted for him. I'll be AMAZED if he gets the Democratic nomination to even run again.

[wordsalad12]

11:56 PM on 08/11/2011

yes, the kind of America where people make millions and billions of the back of poor people in other countries that are desperate for a job and will work for below living wage, with no worker's safety, labor laws or any benefits. That is what we aspire to bring to America - the big dreams of a third world country where the rich are the feudal overlords. nice. Oh, and I assume you are not American, since you say "your" President. Last time I checked, he was the President of the entire country. So, if you are not american, you don't work or pay taxes here, voice your opinions where they actually matter.

[1LTUSMC]

02:07 AM on 08/12/2011

Get ready to be AMAZED!

[KenValpojd]

10:47 PM on 08/11/2011

Sen. Snowe's never seen a worse Congress? I have. It served from January 3, 2009, to January 2, 2011.

[yweston]

06:09 AM on 08/12/2011

Guess you overlooked the one that served from January 2, 2011 - present day that tried to push the entire nation into DEFAULT and managed to get the U.S. a credit downgrade. But then again Republicans are so out touch with reality that they think "I introduced a light bulb" Bill Bachmann with her crazy eyes is Presidential material.

[tolchocks]

10:47 PM on 08/11/2011

Re-elect no one.

[tolchocks]

10:53 PM on 08/11/2011

Don't re-elect the board if you are a shareholder,don't re-lect the stewards if you are in a union.Don't re-elect the treasurer of the garden club.Pull a Fightback on the Man.

Don't re-elect the dogcatcher,unless he's running against M. Vick.

[vigoddess]

12:23 PM on 08/26/2011

No - start changing the political profile and get off electing millionaires because
they use politics for power and money and have no idea of the needs of the
average working American. Most of them have 4th grade intelligence to begin
with, and wealthy families that bought their education and election.
Town halls in every state should start looking for a political candidate like
Bernie Sanders, one of the few Dems that fight for the everyday person.
They should look at firemen, social workers, educators, and real housewives
that deal with everyday life, and mainly people who still place a value on
people.
A smart young lawyer should get a petition out there to the Supreme Court
to repeal the law that was passed that gave carte blanche to millionaires to
spend anything they wanted to run for office. A signature with 2 million
names dumped on the Supreme Court steps would force them to take
note that the people still run the Constitution, and would stop flooding
the media with lobbyists.
At the local level, the seed should grow the tree.