Obama's Legislative Record: Finding the Beef, Courtesy of Helenann

All of us prone to stagefright or whose IQs tend to drop doing public speaking can now have a moment of silence for poor Texas State Senator Kirk Watson (D-TX), whose mind went blank while being interrogated by Chris Matthews. Kirk issued a gracious statement saying what he could surely have said during any of the other 23.75 hours that day.

Free of the pestering Mr. Matthews, my friend Helanann on dailykos has compiled a boatload of valuable information on Senator Obama's work and legislative record, including 570 bills he has sponsored or cosponsored in the U.S. Senate. (Such lists have their limitations, of course. Ted Kennedy is more effective than any such list would indicate. Then again, he's had a 35-year head start.)

The link has the delightful title "Found the beef." A lot of valuable research went into that posting. Tips to Helenann.

Note added in postscript: This one is good, too. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

I write this as both candidates are acquitting themselves well in the debate. Makes you proud to be a Democrat.

Comments

[tbone99]

10:08 AM on 02/22/2008

Thanks for the info.Though I have not been one of the converted this is helpful in making a decision I have only a little while longer to make, as the Texs primary is coming up.

[vernonbc]

06:08 AM on 02/22/2008

There's also another excellent diary on Kos which compares the type of work Obama and Clinton did in the Senate and who was the most effective in working with other senators in getting bills to the floor and committees and even passed (hint - his name starts with an "O"). Obama tended to work on more substantive issues while Clinton's efforts were directed to children and health.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807

[HAP]

11:01 AM on 02/22/2008

Thanks...

[gtt]

05:13 AM on 02/22/2008

I was truly embarrassed for our x-mayor, now state senator, Kirk Watson. How could any politican be so disinterested or short on curiosity so as not to have read information about Senator Obama's legislative history?
He didn't even know about the ethics reform bill that Sen. Obama sponsored and got passed into law recently. I was yelling at my TV trying to pass information to poor Kirk, anything to shut up Chris Matthews.

I love you man, but how stupid can you be? Chris really eat your lunch.

Keep Watson off TV and out of sight until the primary is over.

[HAP]

11:03 AM on 02/22/2008

Many people were trying telepathy... I myself don't watch Matthews. So I missed the cringe moment.

[SeanGardner]

10:18 PM on 02/21/2008

Also, if anyone wants to check out what Obama did in the Illinois State Senate, they can check out a chart put together by the NEW YORK TIMES that summarizes the more than 800 bills Obama co-sponsored from 1996-2004. Check it out here: http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html

Here are a few of Obama's notable successes in the Illinois State Senate:

Helped pass a 5 percent earned-income tax credit for low-income working families in 2000; made the credit permanent in 2003.

Voted for having Illinois endorse embryonic stem cell research. (2004)

Successfully sponsored the Health Care Justice Act, a study of ways to implement a universal health care system statewide. (2004)

Voted against restrictions on public funding of abortion. (2000)

Successfully co-sponsored a prescription drug discount buying club program for seniors and the disabled. (2003)

Successfully sponsored requirement that law enforcement videotape interrogations of suspects in some serious crimes. (2003)

Successfully sponsored law enforcement study of the race of people pulled over for traffic tickets. (2003)

Helped pass an overhaul of the state's troubled death penalty system. (2003)

Unsuccessfully co-sponsored ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. The measure became law after Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate. (2003)

Successfully sponsored move to shield Illinois workers from federal rules that threatened overtime pay for some employees.

[Themo]

10:47 PM on 02/21/2008

Illinois Senate: 8 years - 820 pcs of legislation = ~ 1 every 3.5 days. US Senate: 3years - 579 pcs of legisaltion = ~ 2 days. This guy is awsome or ?

[HAP]

11:03 AM on 02/22/2008

Cool thanks...

[Ides]

10:16 PM on 02/21/2008

I thought the suit was empty. Found out it was lined with gold.

[SeanGardner]

10:14 PM on 02/21/2008

Good post. Thanks for that link. I knew where to go myself, but it seems strange when all of these haters post comments claiming they don't know anything about Obama's legislative record.

Also, Obama's first law in the US Senate was passed with Senator Tom Coburn, which allows everyone to go online and see how and where tax dollars are spent. Here's the link: http://www.usaspending.gov