Representatives... OF THEMSELVES

I know it’s a matter of big picture and this is just one thing, but it’s the kind of stuff that really ticks me off….

Kyng's political rant for today: Infuriating things about our legislature and our Congressional ‘old boy’ network…

And yes, this is MERELY 10 million dollars, but it exemplifies the disgusting way things are done “on our behalf” by elected officials.

If you look at the vote below, I highlighted where both RI Senators spinelessly voted the bill down. The average person has NO time to wade through the convoluted reports and websites JUST to find out how their own reps voted on bills. In fact, it appears to be purposefully made extremely difficult to research such things. Obtaining this information took at least 15 minutes. And this is ONE highly publicized bill that was voted on yesterday. You could NEVER keep track of how your rep voted on key issues on a regular basis.

It’s disheartening and disgusting.
And, from such a Democratically entrenched state as RI, such “go along” behavior is to be expected.

And then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid addressed the issue of this amendment/bill, saying “I’ve been here going on 27 years,” he said. “No one should come and lecture me on what my role is as a member of Congress.”

REALLY???? ACTUALLY, YES THEY SHOULD, SIR. YOU ARE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE, AND THAT ATTITUDE BELIES YOUR ARROGANCE. YOUR ROLE IS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TO ACT RESPONSIBLY ON THE PEOPLE’S BEHALF, AND TO LISTEN TO THE OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS OF OTHER SENATORS AND YOUR CONSTITUENCY.

From the Washington Post:
…The Senate approved $10 million in funding yesterday for clients of the PMA Group, "a now-disbanded lobbying firm that is under federal investigation for alleged fraud in political contributions to members of Congress…”



U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 1st Session
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate
Vote Summary
Question: On the Amendment (Coburn Amdt. No. 623 as Modified )
Vote Number: 80
Vote Date: March 4, 2009, 06:07 PM
Required For Majority: 1/2
Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 623 to H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009)
Statement of Purpose:
To prohibit taxpayer dollars from being earmarked to 14 clients of a lobbying firm under Federal investigation for making campaign donations in exchange for political favors for the group's clients.

Vote Counts: 43 YEAs; 52 NAYs; 4 Not Voting

YEAs ---43
Alexander (R-TN)Barrasso (R-WY)Bayh (D-IN)Bennet (D-CO)Bennett (R-UT)Bond (R-MO)Brownback (R-KS)Bunning (R-KY)Burr (R-NC)Chambliss (R-GA)Coburn (R-OK)Cochran (R-MS)Collins (R-ME)Corker (R-TN)Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)DeMint (R-SC)Ensign (R-NV)Enzi (R-WY)Feingold (D-WI)Graham (R-SC)Grassley (R-IA)Gregg (R-NH)Hatch (R-UT)Hutchison (R-TX)Inhofe (R-OK)Isakson (R-GA)Klobuchar (D-MN)Kyl (R-AZ)Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)Martinez (R-FL)McCain (R-AZ)McConnell (R-KY)Murkowski (R-AK)Nelson (D-FL)Risch (R-ID)Roberts (R-KS)Shelby (R-AL)Snowe (R-ME)Thune (R-SD)Vitter (R-LA)Wicker (R-MS)

NAYs ---52
Akaka (D-HI)Baucus (D-MT)Begich (D-AK)Bingaman (D-NM)Boxer (D-CA)Brown (D-OH)Burris (D-IL)Byrd (D-WV)Cantwell (D-WA)Cardin (D-MD)Carper (D-DE)Casey (D-PA)Dodd (D-CT)Dorgan (D-ND)Durbin (D-IL)Feinstein (D-CA)Gillibrand (D-NY)Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)Inouye (D-HI)Johnson (D-SD)Kaufman (D-DE)Kerry (D-MA)Kohl (D-WI)Landrieu (D-LA)Lautenberg (D-NJ)Leahy (D-VT)Levin (D-MI)Lieberman (ID-CT)McCaskill (D-MO)Menendez (D-NJ)Merkley (D-OR)Mikulski (D-MD)Murray (D-WA)Nelson (D-NE)Pryor (D-AR)Reed (D-RI)Reid (D-NV)Rockefeller (D-WV)Sanders (I-VT)Schumer (D-NY)Shaheen (D-NH)Specter (R-PA)Stabenow (D-MI)Tester (D-MT)Udall (D-CO)Udall (D-NM)Voinovich (R-OH)Warner (D-VA)Webb (D-VA)Whitehouse (D-RI)Wyden (D-OR)