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[Barkdust]

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Barkdust

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Don’t give up so easily, JohnM. You have some company in West Seattle. It’s true that just calling him “Baghdad Jim” doesn’t add much to the conversation. However, that’s how much of the rest of the country thinks of him. He took money that had been diverted from the UN’s Oil for Graft program to pay for a propaganda photo-op for Saddam at a time Saddam was firing missiles trying to kill American pilots enforcing a United Nations resolution. He diverted over $600,000 that had been contributed for his re-election to pay a court judgment against him for violation of privacy and wiretap laws.

Meanwhile, have a close look at what he’s been doing in Congress. I went to his website and looked at his list of bills he has sponsored in the 109th Congress. (That’s a two year period.) http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/legislative.shtml

There are 25 pieces of legislation on the list. Six of those are resolutions congratulating Anton Ono, the Seattle Storm etc. I was puzzled to see that he sponsored a resolution to congratulate a high school in Illinois for winning their state football championship. I suppose there’s a story there. Anyway, that leaves 16 bills and 3 amendments. None of his bills got more than 93 co-sponsors and all 16 bills apparently died in committee. Only five of his bills got more than 40 co-sponsors. His amendments weren’t much more effective. One of his amendments that would have prohibited prosecution of people violating the Cuban travel ban was withdrawn by unanimous consent. Another amendment concerned Katrina relief and was defeated on a point of order. The only piece of legislation sponsored by Rep. McDermott to pass in the 109th Congress was an amendment that requires a study of the effects of depleted uranium munitions. Frankly, that sounds like a good idea to me. However, that seems to be the only result to show for 2 years of work.

He also co-sponsored 848 pieces of legislation including some important legislation that did get passed. However, it’s not clear that he added much as one of over 200 co-sponsors on such a bill. He also has a fondness for projects like HR 40 which would have established a commission to examine the institution of slavery in the American Colonies and the United States from 1615 to 1865 and its continuing effect on living Americans and to make recommendations to Congress for remedies. We all recognize this as an attempt to create a Federally-funded platform to promote a reparations agenda. The bill gathered 35 other co-sponsors and, thankfully, was sent to committee to die.

It seems to me that he is ineffective at best. Is he viewed as an influential member of Congress or a buffoon? Is he viewed as able to gather the support of his own party and across the aisle to advance issues that are important to his constituents? I don’t think so. He has become too comfortable with his 80% vote margins, too distracted with his pet political projects and he needs to go.

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[Barkdust]

Don’t give up so easily, JohnM. You have some company in West Seattle. It’s true that just calling him “Baghdad Jim” doesn’t add much to the conversation. However, that’s how much of the rest of the country thinks of him. He took money that had been diverted from the UN’s Oil for Graft program to pay for a propaganda photo-op for Saddam at a time Saddam was firing missiles trying to kill American pilots enforcing a United Nations resolution. He diverted over $600,000 that had been contributed for his re-election to pay a court judgment against him for violation of privacy and wiretap laws.

Meanwhile, have a close look at what he’s been doing in Congress. I went to his website and looked at his list of bills he has sponsored in the 109th Congress. (That’s a two year period.) http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/legislative.shtml

There are 25 pieces of legislation on the list. Six of those are resolutions congratulating Anton Ono, the Seattle Storm etc. I was puzzled to see that he sponsored a resolution to congratulate a high school in Illinois for winning their state football championship. I suppose there’s a story there. Anyway, that leaves 16 bills and 3 amendments. None of his bills got more than 93 co-sponsors and all 16 bills apparently died in committee. Only five of his bills got more than 40 co-sponsors. His amendments weren’t much more effective. One of his amendments that would have prohibited prosecution of people violating the Cuban travel ban was withdrawn by unanimous consent. Another amendment concerned Katrina relief and was defeated on a point of order. The only piece of legislation sponsored by Rep. McDermott to pass in the 109th Congress was an amendment that requires a study of the effects of depleted uranium munitions. Frankly, that sounds like a good idea to me. However, that seems to be the only result to show for 2 years of work.

He also co-sponsored 848 pieces of legislation including some important legislation that did get passed. However, it’s not clear that he added much as one of over 200 co-sponsors on such a bill. He also has a fondness for projects like HR 40 which would have established a commission to examine the institution of slavery in the American Colonies and the United States from 1615 to 1865 and its continuing effect on living Americans and to make recommendations to Congress for remedies. We all recognize this as an attempt to create a Federally-funded platform to promote a reparations agenda. The bill gathered 35 other co-sponsors and, thankfully, was sent to committee to die.

It seems to me that he is ineffective at best. Is he viewed as an influential member of Congress or a buffoon? Is he viewed as able to gather the support of his own party and across the aisle to advance issues that are important to his constituents? I don’t think so. He has become too comfortable with his 80% vote margins, too distracted with his pet political projects and he needs to go.

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