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To Those Who Question Obama's "Legislative Accomplishments"
When MSNBC's Chris Matthews lit into Barack Obama supporter (and Texas State Senator) Kirk Watson during Tuesday night's election coverage for not being able to list Obama's "legislative accomplishments," you would have inferred from his ferocity that Matthews was on the verge of cracking a major story.
While Matthews stopped short of waterboarding Watson to get a response, he kept at him no less than eight to ten times over the next few minutes, sneering "You have to give me his accomplishments. You've supported him for president, you're on national television -- name his legislative accomplishments."
Clearly without experience in appearing with Matthews and obviously without sufficient background on the recent dynamics in the United States Senate, Watson did indeed look more nervous than Mike Huckabee at a Planned Parenthood rally and failed to respond both in answering the question and, on behalf of the Obama campaign, shutting down the very premise.
No doubt, Watson -- and anyone acting as an Obama campaign surrogate -- should be able to rapidly list the important issues that the Illinois Senator has championed. This includes the Lugar-Obama legislation that has helped decrease the threat of old nuclear, biological, and chemical weapon in the former Soviet Union and the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 which Obama co-authored and that led to USAspending.gov, which keeps Americans better informed on government spending.
Obama has also been very active in legislation to end the Iraq war and the much-heralded Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, which passed in July of 2007 and addressed the hideous treatment received by Veterans under the Bush administration, began its legislative life as the Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act, introduced by Obama earlier in the year.
But here's the thing that any person going on television to represent Obama should repeat without end -- and that should also be a part of the Obama campaign's standard playbook: No Democrat, including Senator Hillary Clinton has been able to do one hell of a lot that meets the accomplishment benchmark of "passed legislation" in a time of unending, record-setting Republican obstructionism.
Obama has been in the Senate for three years, two of which were spent with a Republican majority that would not even let legislation sponsored by Democrats reach the floor for a vote and, on the few occasions where Bill Frist granted such a luxury, Republicans shot down most Democratic initiatives with extreme prejudice.
In the current (110th) Congress, the Republican minority has blocked everything but the Senate chaplain's morning prayer and is on pace by a wide margin to filibuster more legislation than any Senate in U.S. history.
And there's the answer that the Texas state senator should have given on Tuesday night in response to Matthews' badgering. He should have been able to list just a few of Obama's legislative efforts but, far more importantly, he should have been in tune enough with the national legislative scene to say "Chris, have you been watching the U.S. Senate the last few years?"
He could then have gone on to discuss how Republicans have had a significant Senate majority for most of this young century and, during the brief periods Democrats have held a razor-thin edge, the GOP has made damn sure that the Democratic side of the aisle has no "legislative accomplishments" to hang their hats on in election years.
As for the Obama campaign, I support your guy and I'll give you this statement for free as you will certainly need it when Republicans begin lobbing charges of zero legislative accomplishments that will make Matthews look like an Obama groupie.
"Senator Obama knows that the American people are smart enough to see that the Republican party has become committed to doing nothing but blocking legislation that would help the American people and restore our nation to a place of esteem in the world. And they'll further reject Republican claims that any Senator has not passed enough legislation when the GOP has made it their life's work to see that no legislation is allowed to pass.
"More than anything, this demonstrates why a new kind of politics is necessary in Washington and why the American people are ready to turn the page and see all of us begin to accomplish more."
Lather, rinse and repeat.
Oh, and you may want to give a copy of this to your campaign's supporters before they appear on national television.
You can read more from Bob at The Agonist.
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HONEST ABE
Obama Snubs The State of the Black Union In New Orleans here thousands suffered during Katrina: Is it about winning or being there for your fellow Americans.
http://rightvoices.com/2008/02/23/obama-snubs-the-state-of-the-black-union/
Your Words " his words- PLAGIARISM: be honest (check out the words)
http://www.youtube.com/user/wtmv
Obama reneges on his word to use public funding
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080215/ap_on_el_pr/mccain
People in glass houses: was it poor judgment? You be the judge: Obama wrote letters for Rezko a friend , who was indicted last fall on federal charges
http://mediamatters.org/items/200706140007
Obama"s Iraq Platoon Story Spin at the Austin Tx debate:
http://southernledger.com/ap/98571/Fact_Check_Obamas_Iraq_Platoon_Story
And Obama wants to hold hands with these same rethugs.
Oh, and what about NAFTA Expansion (since HuffBO is not reporting it)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/breaking-obama-says-he-w_b_67780.html
No legislation at all would be preferable to what the Republican-controlled Senate has passed since coming to power in 1994. And while the Republicans lost control of the Senate in 2006, the Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities. Therefore, I think it is totally unreasonable to expect Barack Obama or any other Senate Democrat to have a long list of what Chris Matthews calls "accomplishments". In a broader sense, Democrats accomplished a lot just by PREVENTING the Republicans from doing as much damage as they would otherwise have done. Thanks to Republican "accomplishments", we have the conquest of Iraq, the ruination of New Orleans, the mortgage mess, the recession, and waterboarding. We don't need any more "accomplishments" like that. At least Obama voted against the conquest of Iraq. It's a case where quality is more important than quantity.
Apparently due to a glitch on the site, my post was accidentally deleted.
Here it is again, in full.
"Oh, so Obama was no more incompetent than the rest of Democrats in Congress. Fabulous. How inspiring.
Need I remind you that the Dems in Congress campaigned on ending the war in Iraq, were given power, had countless opportunities to end it, and balked? Need I remind you that the Dems in Congress have roughly an 18% approval rating?
If I were an Obamaphile I wouldn't be tying Obama back to the competence of Congressional Dems under ANY circumstances, but whatever floats your boat."
Duh. Did you not read the article? What part of Republican filibustering did you not understand? The Dems weren't given the power in Congress. They still don't have the 60 votes necessary to override. Obama's coattails will hopefully bring enough in to finally get a working majority.
Still smarting from the slapdown Mittsy took?
Legislative accomplishments of Clinton vs. Obama:
In five years as the most influential Democrat in the Senate, Hillary has managed to get the following 20 (twenty) laws and resolutions enacted:
1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site
2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month
3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor
4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall
5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson
6. Name post office after John A. O'Shea
7. Designate August 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day
8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day
9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death
10. Congratulate the Syracuse University Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty.
Only five of Clinton's bills are, according to Morris, "substantive":
16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11.
18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.
19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the Wilderness Preservation System
Concludes Morris and McGann: "In the face of Hillary Clinton's reputation as an effective U.S. senator, this record of paltry accomplishment is sobering. As much as Alexander Hamilton, Harriet Tubman, and the American Revolution deserve our recognition, one thinks the voters of New York may have expected more of their junior senator."
The list of Obama"s legislative accomplishments is too substantive to post.
During the first 8 (eight) years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 (eight hundred twenty) bills. He introduced 233 (two hundred thirty-three) 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,
6 veterans affairs and many others.
His *first year* in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 (one hundred fifty-two) bills and co-sponsored another 427 (four hundred twenty-seven).
These included:
1. **The Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law,
2. **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law,
3. **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act - passed the Senate,
4. **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law,
5. **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill - in committee,
6. and many more.
In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 (eight hundred ninety) bills and co-sponsored another 1096 (one thousand ninety-six).
An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public.
He's not just a talker.
He's a doer.
Respectfully, I would like to write a summary of senator Obama's goals.
AS a first step, by the ability to move the masses, inspire and huge voter turnout get a majority of Democrats elected to senate breaking the bind the democrats are in.
Giving Tax breaks to companies who create jobs in America.
Increasing teachers pay so it attracts more intelligent worthy individuals.
Expand the congressional health care plan to all and creating a big enough pool to make it possible for all people to buy those with no exclusion for preexisting conditions, and making healthcare portable.
Make health care, portable. So we are not tied to our jobs enabling us to realize our potential in a true capitalistic way.
Try to negotiate with world instead of trying to bully the world and hence making even the Europeans call us the biggest threat to world peace.
Provide consensus building leadership, so that the Russians, Chinese and Indians do not feel compelled to form an alliance to protect the rest of the world from American tyranny.
Try to make college more affordable.
Inspire us to serve our country and rise above our selfish no fulfilling motives of making money.
Try to decrease the influence of Lobbyist (idealistic goal and probably unattainable as Senator Obama explains in his book with brutal honesty).
Try to bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans by emphasizing our common themes rather than dwelling on the differences.
Try to keep Medicare and social security solvent unlike the republicans who want to eliminate them ( under the slogans of privatization, budget busting, and have deliberately got us there by busting the budget, warmongering, overspending on defense so people would have no choice but to voluntarily accept the cuts )
Try to prevent the country from becoming the slaves of faceless corporations, serving ever more powerful billionaires.
Try to bring together and start a dialogue between the religious and secular elements of society ( not by giving in and start praying more but by conveying that it was the Baptists on whose insistence the separation of Church and State was added in the constitution )
Redefine Liberalism as a noble desire to work towards a common ideal of taking care of each other as demonstrated by social security, police service, fire departments, Medicare, unemployment insurance, retraining programs, and adding means to make college more affordable, working towards eliminating homelessness ( not a minority only issue anymore but middle class issue now that millions loose homes, veterans with PTSD and brain injuries homeless ), reinstating a new GI bill, funding the VA hospitals better . To the cynics I say YES WE CAN just like we will be able to afford another 100 years of war if McCain in elected.
If Senator Clinton cannot inspire, cannot get a sweeping republican rout, cannot win but in populous union dominated states, how will she accomplish any of her goals? How will she begin the world together by continuing the Bush foreign policy of not talking to foes?
I suggest you call Seth Swirsky - good lord Huffpo 2 blogs with 2 completely opposing set of facts on the same day. How extraordinarily democratic of you.
Why does Obama lie?
http://www.politicalgateway.com/main/columns/read.html?col=747
And why does the MSM not investigate?
OMG Nic...what a lame reference. I wouldn't investigate it either.
Interesting article.
Thanks for the link.
Obama supporters reading this: please give me one concrete example of leadership he has shown SINCE Congress took over the Senate in 2006 on any of the following issues:
Censure of bush (Feingold's motion)
Impeachment of bush
Getting us out of Iraq - voting to get troops out, voting against funding
Protecting the Constitution and restoring the constitutional rights that have been eroded.
No fair responding with "What has Clinton done?" I don't support her and don't believe that she has taken any leadership either.
Anyone? Anyone?
What has Clinton done? The world is not fair.
Think of Obama sponsored lobby reform legislation as an effort to break the neo-con lock on Congress.
Think of the Obama sponsored nuclear non-proliferation initiative as preventing the next war.
Think of Clinton voting to give Bush the prerogative to attck Iran. To be fair though, Obama abstained.
The DNC is responsible for letting the war continue, a political gambit to let the R's dig themselves deeper. Was it worth it?
The DNC is not responsible, you dim bulb. Harry Reid, Rahm Emanuel, Nancy Pelosi, and Steny Hoyer have to take a heaping helping of the blame. The rest goes to the Democratic Senators and Congresspersons, with a few outstanding exceptions.
You did not answer my question.
Obama has shown profound leadership in the Senate.
In a time when the Congress is still bitterly divided along party lines, Obama has bridged the partisan divide by sponsoring legislation that is cosponsored by Democrats, Independents and Republicans, alike.
Do your homework, take a look at Obama's legislative record and compare it with Clinton's.
http://thomas.loc.gov/
If you require play-by-play analysis:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633
Obama practices what he preaches on the stump. He says he can bring together Democrats, Independents and Republicans. Well, his legislative record shows just that.
This is the concrete leadership America needs right now. Obama has shown that he can and will provide it.
You did not address my question. I asked about specific issues. I know he has co-sponsored legislation. I want to know what he has done about these specific issues. I want to support the person who has shown that he or she will stand up for the Constitution. How has he done that?
Okay, I followed your links. Neither address the issues I listed. Here is a question: Was the number of bills proposed/co-sponsored by Obama significantly more or less than your typical Senator? How does he rank overall in legislation co-sponsored?
And, again, how has he stood up for the Constitution?
The thing of it is that Obama will surround himself with excellent people...his cabinet perhaps:
- Biden for Sec of State
- Hagar for Sec Def
- HR Clinton for Sec Int
- Richardson for UN Sec
- Gen Clark for Sec of Homeland Security
- Warren Buffet for Sec Treasury
and so on....you know, real people who are smart, thoughtful and effective
They said the same thing about bushie in 2000. "Excellent" can be defined in different ways. That is NOT a reason to elect someone. Hillary would also surround herself with "excellent" people.
Agreed. This is what scares me the most. I am sure Senator Obama does not intend to be ineffective but his lack of experience heightens his dependence on advisors. This is not a good recipe for success.
Excellent journalism! Thank you for raising the standard of the public discourse in America.
His tenure in Illinois was nondescript as well. Face it. He's not done a lot except learn how to talk pretty.
Actually, he has: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633
AnninCA is a well known Obama basher. Not worth the effort.
LOL...Ann, my dear, you are hilarious. You still have not done the research that I have asked of you. Please print out a list of Obama's SUBSTANTIVE legislative accomplishments while in the U.S. senate and print one out of Hillary's. You will see that Obama's takes up a full page, while Hillary's may take up a post-it note. Now don't go including her legislation to rename post offices, etc. I'm talking about bills that help out regular U.S. citizens. Do it ANN. Go now. It's for the sake of your mental health.
exactly... He became state senator, then started running for US senator a feww weeks later and then started running for president a few months after that ... And remember if the Illinois repubs were not so pathetic and made Peter Fitzgerald decide not to run again Barack may still be in the Illinois senate
You sound like a 'fact checker' for rush limbaugh. Never let the facts or actual history stop your stupid argument!
There is nothing wrong with "talking pretty." More than we can say about the current president. It's actually an asset to be able to inspire other with words. Words bring change and Obama has shown that he delivers.
Blah blah blah is not delivering.
THANK YOU! This is the hard information and the type of story that I have been looking for every since our former mayor (of Austin) stepped into that Matthew's pile!
I sooo appreciate this kind of information - Sir, you are a Real Journalist, a rare breed in today hyperfluff world!
I, for one, do not question Senator Obama's legislative accomplishments, though his Iraq legislation does pale in comparison to another Senator's record on Iraq - that would be Joe Biden, in case anyone is wondering.
No, my concerns have more to do with a paucity of foreign policy experience, prowess and judgement. I am afraid, should he be the next POTUS, that he will be relying too much on his advisors. Of course, this is not a problem, per se, unless his advisors do not agree. What happens when there is a dispute over what should be US foreign policy and time is of the essence? How will a president who relys so heavily on his advisors break the gridlock?
I am afraid that we will find an Obama administration in a struggle with itself over what direction to take an any number of highly sensitive and dangerous foreign policy challenges. And that should sound disturbingly familiar to anyone who has been paying attention to these sorts of things over the course of the last eight years.
'relys'??? ... could we PLEASE get an after-the-fact edit function around here...for morons like myself?
You mean like how Mr. Biden also voted for the war?
But at least he has apologized for it, unlike another presidential candidate.
You betray a certain ignorance on this subject with comments like that, I am so very sorry to say.
LizM
Why couldn't everything you just said be said about anyone who has ever run for POTUS, or any other country for that matter?
The same republicans Obama says he will "bring together"
Could some real journalist ask him any of these questions:
- How is he going to bring republicans together with democrats to provide universal healthcare?
- How is he going to bring republicans together with democrats to repeal the bush tax cuts?
- How is he going to bring republicans and democrats together to get the troops out of Iraq?
Could the real journalists please stand up? Because the way this thing is going, if Obama wins the nomination and eventually the presidency, he will be heading for a 4-term presidency. He will not be able to deliver on his promises of changing the politics in washington.
John Edwards was right about Obama, he will not fight the fights that need to be fought.
It appears the MSM and Obamabots are worshiping in "The People's Temple" and drinking the Kool aid. In the final scheme of things, we elect the president we deserve. We elect the president we deserve. We elect the president we deserve!!!
John Edwards was talking about Hillary when he said that 'this has to be personal, not intellectual or you'll cut a deal instead of fighting for what's right'.
Hillary is a member of the DLC (aka Democrats Love Corporations) which was a major proponent of the Iraq invasion. And, her husband's presidency was based on compromising Democratic values and cutting deals with Republicans. NAFTA, Welfare Reform, the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act etc. Hillary surrounds herself with intellectual policy wonks. She doesn't work to get the support of the people, she dismisses activists instead of working with them. Her whole campaign has been about 'what I'll do for you' instead of 'what we can do together'.
Obama came from humble beginnings, grew up without a father. He's not a wonky insider like Hillary. He left a law firm with a big fat paycheck to become a community organizer and a state legislator. He's worked his way up from the bottom of the political machine. For Obama this is personal and he will fight.
But he also knows he has to build concensus to achieve results. His way is to work with the people, with the activists and leaders and get them behind the fight for it to be successful.
Obama was been named as one of the DLC's most promising politicians , after which he took his oppositon to the war off his website and continued to vote time after time to fund it.He would not be financed & running as a frontrunner if he had not been vetted by the DLC for supporting the military ( hence no offer to get us out of the war now), and their corporate policies over citizen concerns.He has his own intellectual policy wonks .. get a clue-THEY ALL DO!
Whichchange: If the Democrats win an overwhelming majority in the House and Senate, your dire predictions will not come true. If not, I believe Obama has the ability to finesse positive legislation.
One of the stories that's being underreported right now is Obama's ability to have huge coattails. He is inspiring people to get involved in politics again and will help sweep in like-minded legislators all across the country that will help him usher in a new wave of legislation that will clean up the mess Dubya and Cheney have left for us. It will take the bulk of his first term to do that, but I fully expect that by 2012 Obama will be on a roll.
Already, fans of the redoubtable Obama are starting up the mythology. There is going to be a Democratic tidal wave, but it would have happened regardless of who was running for President,
Perhaps it's not a matter of not knowing what we will get with Obama, but knowing what we will get with Hillary.
It's not Obama's style or words as much as everyone believes. It's not his calls for change that we crave.
It's that he's a chance to not have another crook administration in the White House. We don't know if he is or if he isn't. We know Clinton is.
I totally agree with you-it could be great or it could be horrible.Look at what Bush, another ,relatively untested by the public, candidate has wrought.
We are crossing our fingers here that it won't be worse.For all we know his presidency could be ineffectual under constant relentless repug racism and could really start a backlash setting racial relations WAY back.
I guess it goes to show how optimistic Americans really are or at least crave to be.
Moe, first of all I agree with you. I just want to add that it's all relative. All politicians take money and when it's from "special interests," it's bribery whether it goes toward one's campaign or in one's pocket. It's a matter of degree. Bill Clinton was a "taker" but nobody died (except for maybe Vince Foster and Ron Brown, who, incidently, was under investigation and about to give up Bill Clinton). George Bush on the other hand will go down in history as a "war for profit" president, responsible for the death of thousands of people and causing irreparable harm to the United States. I'm confident that Obama will be an outstanding president and do what's best for the American people, corruption notwithstanding. That may sound like a contradiction, but you know what I mean. My definition of an honest politician is one who takes but still does the right thing for his constituents and for America. George Bush's constituency is Halliburton, the oil companies and the defense contractors. The rest of us be damned.
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Posted February 22, 2008 | 11:02 AM (EST)