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Comments from an AP history
and government teacher in Raleigh, NC.
e-mail betsynewmark AT gmail.com
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Good riddance
Ted Stevens lost his reelection bid, but he did lose it narrowly. It's interesting that he lost it with the absentee and early votes that may have come in either right before or just as the news of his conviction was in the headlines. Perhaps voters who voted later may have realized that a convicted Stevens couldn't continue to serve and so a vote for Stevens was actually a vote for a new election with a Republican candidate who wasn't also a felon.
It's a blessing to the Republicans not to have to defend this guy or have him in their caucus anymore. That's the good news. And representing a solidly Republican electorate as Alaska is, Senator Begich will not be a sure vote for every liberal idea of the Reid-led Senate. But he'll be for enough and he'll bring them one step closer to the 60 seats they need for a filibuster-proof Senate.
This whole sorry saga is a testament to Senator Stevens' selfishness. He could have retired at age 85 once he was indicted and given a chance for a Republican who was not accused of bribery to win the seat. Instead he was full of his own self importance and convinced not only that he would be acquitted, but that Alaska should be represented by a guy who would be 91 by the end of his term. It is no surrender for a guy who is 85 years old to retire. Obviously, he was thinking of himself more than of the ideals he claims to represent. Of course, what did the guy really represent but a powerful desire to shovel more federal dollars back to his state?
He thought he was so powerful and important that he was immune from having to obey silly little rules like not accepting $250,000 in gifts from oil company interest and then not reporting the gifts. Such hubris! And we know what happens to men with hubris. Senator Stevens deserves all the obloquy and punishment coming to him.
Unfortunately, we all have to suffer the additional punishment of seeing the Democrats within striking distance of getting vote after vote through. Even if Norm Coleman and Saxby Chambliss survive their recounts and new votes, it is likely that the Democrats can pick up enough liberal Republican votes on issues such as a Detroit bailout or government-run health care. While it's nice to see the end of the old sort of politics that Senator Stevens represents, it would have been nice if we could have gotten rid of him without increasing the Democratic majority.Labels: Senate
2 comments
Comments:
Ted Stevens lost his reelection bid, but he did lose it narrowly. It's interesting that he lost it with the absentee and early votes that may have come in either right before or just as the news of his conviction was in the headlines. Perhaps voters who voted later may have realized that a convicted Stevens couldn't continue to serve and so a vote for Stevens was actually a vote for a new election with a Republican candidate who wasn't also a felon.
It's a blessing to the Republicans not to have to defend this guy or have him in their caucus anymore. That's the good news. And representing a solidly Republican electorate as Alaska is, Senator Begich will not be a sure vote for every liberal idea of the Reid-led Senate. But he'll be for enough and he'll bring them one step closer to the 60 seats they need for a filibuster-proof Senate.
This whole sorry saga is a testament to Senator Stevens' selfishness. He could have retired at age 85 once he was indicted and given a chance for a Republican who was not accused of bribery to win the seat. Instead he was full of his own self importance and convinced not only that he would be acquitted, but that Alaska should be represented by a guy who would be 91 by the end of his term. It is no surrender for a guy who is 85 years old to retire. Obviously, he was thinking of himself more than of the ideals he claims to represent. Of course, what did the guy really represent but a powerful desire to shovel more federal dollars back to his state?
He thought he was so powerful and important that he was immune from having to obey silly little rules like not accepting $250,000 in gifts from oil company interest and then not reporting the gifts. Such hubris! And we know what happens to men with hubris. Senator Stevens deserves all the obloquy and punishment coming to him.
Unfortunately, we all have to suffer the additional punishment of seeing the Democrats within striking distance of getting vote after vote through. Even if Norm Coleman and Saxby Chambliss survive their recounts and new votes, it is likely that the Democrats can pick up enough liberal Republican votes on issues such as a Detroit bailout or government-run health care. While it's nice to see the end of the old sort of politics that Senator Stevens represents, it would have been nice if we could have gotten rid of him without increasing the Democratic majority.
2 comments
Ted Stevens lost his reelection bid, but he did lose it narrowly. It's interesting that he lost it with the absentee and early votes that may have come in either right before or just as the news of his conviction was in the headlines. Perhaps voters who voted later may have realized that a convicted Stevens couldn't continue to serve and so a vote for Stevens was actually a vote for a new election with a Republican candidate who wasn't also a felon.
It's a blessing to the Republicans not to have to defend this guy or have him in their caucus anymore. That's the good news. And representing a solidly Republican electorate as Alaska is, Senator Begich will not be a sure vote for every liberal idea of the Reid-led Senate. But he'll be for enough and he'll bring them one step closer to the 60 seats they need for a filibuster-proof Senate.
This whole sorry saga is a testament to Senator Stevens' selfishness. He could have retired at age 85 once he was indicted and given a chance for a Republican who was not accused of bribery to win the seat. Instead he was full of his own self importance and convinced not only that he would be acquitted, but that Alaska should be represented by a guy who would be 91 by the end of his term. It is no surrender for a guy who is 85 years old to retire. Obviously, he was thinking of himself more than of the ideals he claims to represent. Of course, what did the guy really represent but a powerful desire to shovel more federal dollars back to his state?
He thought he was so powerful and important that he was immune from having to obey silly little rules like not accepting $250,000 in gifts from oil company interest and then not reporting the gifts. Such hubris! And we know what happens to men with hubris. Senator Stevens deserves all the obloquy and punishment coming to him.
Unfortunately, we all have to suffer the additional punishment of seeing the Democrats within striking distance of getting vote after vote through. Even if Norm Coleman and Saxby Chambliss survive their recounts and new votes, it is likely that the Democrats can pick up enough liberal Republican votes on issues such as a Detroit bailout or government-run health care. While it's nice to see the end of the old sort of politics that Senator Stevens represents, it would have been nice if we could have gotten rid of him without increasing the Democratic majority.
Labels: Senate
Comments:
It's poetic justice that his own constituents threw him out, but I almost wish he'd won another term just to give conservatives the pleasure of seeing his 'esteemed' liberal colleagues twitter, prance and preen in mock horror before the evening news cameras as they stroked their chinny-chin-chins trying to decide what to do with him.
The mainstream media illuminati have nothing more to say about Stevens, he lost, it's over. Find something else to pick on the GOP with.
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