The Curious Myth of Hillary Clinton's Senate Effectiveness
Frankly, I'm tired of listening to Senator Clinton portray herself as being in the solutions business -- as boasting a nice, fat resume of accomplishments -- while mocking Barack Obama for being a rhetorical empty suit.
Is she truly a beacon of experience? Because I couldn't think of a single piece of legislation that has her name stuck proudly on the front of it, no equivalent of McCain-Feingold, for example, I headed straight for her campaign website to see what glorious aspects of her vaunted experience I was missing.
Actually, I was missing nothing. There is not one single example of any legislation with her name appended to it. In fact, the page devoted to her Senate biography is a mush-mash, a laundry list of good intentions. When she talks about "sponsoring" and "introducing" and "fighting for" legislation that obviously hasn't passed, that's a smokescreen for failure. By introducing all that legislation that never makes it out of committee, she's guilty of what she accuses Senator Obama of: confusing "hoping" with doing.
Consider these examples:
• "...{she} worked with her colleagues to secure the funds New York needed to recover and rebuild."
• "...she fought to provide compensation to the families of the victims."
• "She is an original sponsor of legislation that expanded health benefit to members of the National Guard and Reserves."
• "Some of Hillary' proudest achievements have been her work to ensure the safety of prescription drugs for children, with legislation now included in the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act." (What in God's name does that mumbo-jumbo mean?)
Yes, it's true that for many years, she was in the minority. But if she is the effective legislator she claims to be, she'd be able find co-sponsors across the aisle who share her commitment to specific issues, in the same way that John McCain found his doppelganger, Russ Feingold.
But an inability to get legislation passed is just the beginning of Senator Clinton's shallow record. For many of the bills she introduced, she couldn't even get a cosponsor in her own party!
Below are some perfectly fine, liberal, progressive bills that she introduced, but was unable to attract a cosponsor of any party, according to the Library of Congress.
Note that while her website proclaims that "She is an original sponsor of legislation that expanded health benefit to member of the National Guard and Reserves", she wasn't able to rustle up a single cosponsor for legislation that would have extended military retirement credit for National Guard Members called up after 9/11.
So Senator Clinton is right when she claims to be the experienced candidate, although it's not the experience she would like us to believe. It's a track record of legislative failure and futility.
89. S.4065 : A bill to direct the Attorney General to conduct a study on the feasibility of collecting crime data relating to the occurrence of school-related crime in elementary schools and secondary schools. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 11/16/2006) Cosponsors (None)
88. S.4029 : A bill to increase the number of well-educated nurses, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/29/2006) Cosponsors (None)
90. S.4103 : A bill to prevent nuclear terrorism, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 12/7/2006) Cosponsors (None)
77. S.3909 : A bill to amend the foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for developing countries to promote quality basic education and to establish the achievement of universal basic education in all developing countries as an objective of United States foreign assistance policy, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/18/2006) Cosponsors (None)
59. S.2993 : A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a temporary oil profit fee and to use the proceeds of the fee collected to provide a Strategic Energy Fund and expand certain energy tax incentives, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 5/23/2006) Cosponsors (None)
26. S.1144 : A bill to provide military retirement credit for certain service by National Guard members performed while in a State duty status immediately after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 5/26/2005) Cosponsors (None)
50. S.2260 : A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to make improvements to payments to Medicare Advantage plans and to reinstate protections in the Medicaid program for working families, their children, and the disabled against excessive out-of-pocket costs, inadequate benefits, and health care coverage loss.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 2/8/2006) Cosponsors (None)
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Hopefully this will start to catch on, I'm disgusted by how the media (the same media that is supposedly sooo horribly anti-Clinton) has given her a free pass on all of her claims of experience and effectiveness. The same thing happened last night with Chris Matthews, he lets the Clinton support read off the talking points about her accomplishments, listing not a single specific, and then turns to the local Obama supporter and asks him to list off specific legislation on the spot (which I could have done, but seriously, double standard much?). I'm glad a few people, at least on the blogosphere, are starting to speak out. Keep it up!
http://the
CLINTON:
Has served 6yrs. authored/passed into law - 20 pieces of legislation.
Library of Congress www.thomas
1. Establish Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2. Support goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3. Recognize Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
4. Name courthouse Thurgood Marshall.
5. Name courthouse James L. Watson.
6. Name post office Jonn A. O'Shea.
7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8. Support goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9. Honor life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on bicentennial of his death.
10. Congratulate Syracuse Univ. Lacrosse Team on winning championship.
11. Congratulate Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team winning championship.
12. Establish 225th Anniversary of American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost lives on duty.
16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response 9/11
18. Assist landmine victims .
19. Assist family caregivers accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in wilderness preservation system.
OBAMA:
Obama served 8 years of elected service in Illinois legislature Obama sponsored over 820 bills introducing:
233 regarding healthcare reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control bills,
6 veterans affairs bills and many others.
His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These include:
The Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 became law
The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act became law
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed Senate,
The 2007 Government Ethics Bill became law,
The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee
Barack Obama is responsible for web site that let's you check government spending:
http://www
elkabong,
Thanks! Very timely info after Senator Watson's deer-caugh
I'm not worried about Hillary's Senate record at this point. I'm worried about McCain's Senate record.
I just looked at his record on Wikipedia. A Senator since 1986, he has an endless list of accomplishments that even a clueless politician from Texas could remember. The Keating Five scandal is bad but so long ago nobody will care-- and he has redeemed himself with campaign finance reform (working with Feingold in the 1990s to limit "soft" money, as well as the more recent McCain-Feingold).
It will be tough for Obama to defeat McCain.
You might be right about the Keating 5, but I wouldn't dismiss it entirely. Some of the factors that have led to our current credit woes are closely related to the influence peddling that led to the S&L bailout. McCain was in it up to his eyeballs and then blamed it on his need to raise campaign funds.
McCain-Feingold doesn't absolve him of stupidity and "that's the way things were done" isn't a very good excuse.
Yeah, right. Sooooo tough to beat a candidate whose entire platform consists of:
1.) More wars
2.) More of the same wars we already have
3.) More of the same, period
Yes, it will be SOOOOO hard for the "candidate of change" to defeat "more of the same."
Yeah, sure. Clinton's experience in the Senate is thinner than Obama's. But I'm sure the voters will see all of McCain's experience and decide they don't want Obama.
Old war guy, with lots of DC experience.
Young anti-war guy, with some DC experience.
It will be a tough call.
Obama's got it. McCain barely makes sense anymore, and is out of touch with the wishes of the people.
Dodd - Clinton to Extend Family and Medical Leave for Wounded Warriors
As stated by HRC President, was the leader of striking down the Federal Marriage Ammendment in the Congress.
Was the lead protector of Title IX when the Bush Administration tried to derail it.
Farm to Fork & FOOD for a Healthy America Act
Protecting Plan B with Patty Murray
Launched Investigation into Benefit Claims from Wounded Veterans at Fort Drum. Pressed the Secretary of the Army for an Investigation into claims. Held hearings on the matter and is continuing to fight for the Vets. Led to the Heroes at Home Act.
These are important actions that fly under the radar. Clinton puts out the fires before they start.
I live in Illinois. No such business here. And that Racial Profiling Legislation is bunk. Otherwise, Sharpton wouldn't be threatening to boycott the IOC for considering Chicago. And Jackson wouldn't be spending the night in the Projects on the Southside to make a statement about Police Harrassment. On his healthcare in IL - it doesn't exist. Nice try. Our Governor is working hard for it. Obama is not. On ethics - is that the most important thing on the desk? If so, lobbyists can still eat standing up.
Hillary makes real change in real people's lives. Go talk to the NY Veterans, NY Farmers, New Yorkers in general. It's why she won all counties except for 1.
Hillary claims she was the leader against the FMA but there is no proof.
Hillary claims she protected Plan B w/Patty Murray but there is no proof.
Hillary claims the 'fought' to protect Title IX but there is no proof.
And what about the other senators? It wasn't just Hillary fighting for these things. We're talking leadership here. There are no real examples of her 'leading' in the Senate at all.
What the blogger illustrates is that when she did introduce legislation herself she couldn't get a Democrat to even support or co-sponsor her bill.
Of course no Democratic senators got any legislation passed while the Repubs were in power, I guess his point is that there is no proof she's been effective in the senate at all. All senators bring home some pork.
And please, Hillary beats out all of the candidates for lobbyist money. That's a fact.
Finally! My goodness I've been screaming about this for a whole year.
Looks like so much resume polishing, a platform to speak from but nothing more. It's like a lot of merit badges without any merit.
Adam,
Thanks very much for this important post. It's a tidy demolition of the myth of Hillary's "legislative brilliance
Yes- President Clinton said that his administration should be judged by what they did with healthcare. When it bombed, they dropped the issue like a hot potato and never picked it up again. I am taking him at his word; he did nothing for healthcare except make it more favorable to the insurance companies.
Chris Matthews on MSNBC created one of the most remarkable moments during this campaign when he asked a Texas State Senator what Obama's accomplishments were. The State Senator wasn't really able to respond. I guess the same question needs to be asked of Hillary Clinton.
If you're going to use your experience as a reason for people to vote for you, you really should have accomplished something. She can't take credit for only the good things that her husband did while president. If she does, then she should also take the blame for his mistakes (NAFTA, DOMA, etc.)
I saw the moment you're referring to, and whether it's "remarkable" or not is debatable, at best.
Matthews clearly thought so, but consider the source. He was obviously pleased and proud that he had conjured up a profound, momentous development of enormous consequence.
Really? Is this discussion dominating the headlines and talking heads today? Hell, has it even rated a mention, even in passing, anywhere except here?
You say "remarkable?" I say it doesn't even rise to the level of trival.
From the American Heritage Dictionary
re·mark·a·ble (rĭ-mär'kə-bəl)
adj.
1. Worthy of notice.
2. Attracting notice as being unusual or extraordinary. See Synonyms at noticeable.
This whole thread is based on a remarkable event. If it wasn't, this thread wouldn't have existed.
It was actually a more specific question than that: it was "what has he accomplished as a US Senator? What legislation?"
I could answer that - The Comprehensive Ethics Reform Bill, but that's not why I'm voting for him. And I cannot think of a single corresponding law that Clinton has written or cosponsored, and she has four years on Obama, and she's my Senator. We don't know WHAT she does.
"I could answer that - The Comprehensive Ethics Reform Bill"
Are you referring to Obama's efforts to act as the point person "to require lobbyists to provide far more information about their dealings with lawmakers?"
Actually, when the vote was taken on the bill to "force the disclosure for the first time of indirect lobbying, such as grass-roots activities, and prevent registered lobbyists from paying for lawmakers' meals or giving them gifts such as sports tickets," Obama was one of the eight Senators to vote against it.
Notwithstanding his opposition, the bill passed in the Senate by a 90 to 8 vote.
http://www
Good story Adam.
Finally..S
Brief US Senate Biography - Obama
http://www
http://pro
From the Baltimore Sun -
But he does have some notable ones. My colleague Christi Parsons wrote this in a piece that ran in the Chicago Tribune on June 12, 2007.
"My job was to work and learn the institution," Obama said. "I'm somebody who generally thinks that listening and learning before you start talking is a pretty good strategy. It's like any other social setting -- a new job, a new school, a new town. People appreciate it if you spend a little time getting to know them before you announce that you are looking for attention.
One colleague who took note was the powerful then-chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, who later invited Obama on a trip through the former Soviet Union, inspecting projects to decommission Cold War-era weapons. The two ultimately worked together to pass legislation to control the spread of weapons.
"I like him, and I appreciate working with him," Lugar said. "It seems to me that he was adept in finding partners and coalitions and actually was able to achieve results."
In addition to a legislative accomplishment teaming with Lugar, the partnership gave Obama the added credibility he sought in an association across party lines. A former presidential candidate who has seen many fellow senators launch White House bids during his 30-year Senate career, Lugar offers unusually strong praise for Obama.
"He does have a sense of idealism and principled leadership, a vision of the future," Lugar said. "At certain points in history, certain people are the ones that are most likely to have the vision or imagination or be able to identify talent and to manage other people's ideas. And I think he does this well."
Within his own party, Obama gained the confidence of the leadership and soon took on a role as the Democrats' spokesman on ethics reform. A package that included many of the provisions he championed ultimately passed the Senate.
Obama has lengthy list of legislative accomplishments. Check his Illionis legislative record.
Excellent post.
Last night I saw Chris Matthews let Hillary's surrogate claim she has been a leader at getting health care for all Americans, etc.. - really vague stuff.
Then Chris asks Obama's surrogate (who was obviously ill-prepared to be representing Obama) what SPECIFIC legislative accomplishments Obama was responsible for.
Ethics reform would have been a good response, but I thought Chris was letting Hillary's surrogate talk in generalities and he was demanding specifics from Obama's pathetic surrogate.
Glad to see Olberman call Chris out on his questioning.
Anyway, good post, Adam!
Why didn't you post this weeks ago?
You JUST NOW tired of the "empty suit" line?
For extra credit it would have been nice to mention that Obama does have a legislative record worthy of mention including Obama-Coburn, Obama-Luger and his bill to expose earmarks with senator Bayh as cosponsor.
Why does the media just lap up and spit out the BS the Clinton camp dishes out?
It's what she voted for that bothers me.
She voted for the bankruptcy bill, that is so anti-democratic it makes your head spin, that alone has hurt alot of people and will continue to hurt people. And then there's the Kyle Leiberman debackle. And what about the Bush nominations she ok'd!
Thanks Adam Hanft for getting the list started.
Clinton voted for the original Bankruptcy Reform Bill of 2003, which failed passage. She did not vote at all on the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform Bill, which was passed.
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