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April 29, 2008 at 11:23 pm #586852
JohnMMemberAnd that’s all I need to say. Just who does he represent? Not me. Nor will I will be contributing to pay his $million dollar fine. And I will continue to celebrate Christmas.
April 30, 2008 at 12:37 am #623363
JoBParticipantJohnM..
i am relatively new to the West Seattle political scene… so please tell me… why anyone but McDermott and what is the million dollar fine?
April 30, 2008 at 5:46 am #623364
JanSParticipantJoB…here’s a link to the story…
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i2iq-WpmHNvRKBX2M881UiIl_Q0wD90B49F02
April 30, 2008 at 10:34 am #623365
TrickParticipantI believe he’s won 10 terms in office and in 2004 won 80% of the vote.
He has a history of alot of support from this area.
JOB,
He was given a tape, from a Florida couple, of Newt Gingrich with other republican leaders (Rep John Boehner) discussing how to “spin” his guilty fine complaints over his use of a college course for political purposes. He was barred from dicussing it under the House agreement.
McDermott was the leader of the House and Ethics committee and leaked it to some papers thinking it was a case of “Whistleblowing” on Gingrich’s violation of the agreement. The Supreme Court rejected his appeal and he was ordered to pay $1 million to Rep John Boehner (R) for leaking an illegal taped conversation
The couple who taped it, was fined $500 :)
He’s was against the war
He founded a congressional global task force for HIV/AIDS.
He believes in Health care for all.
He’s a Navy Veteran
He’s got his Doctorate
last but not least…..
He’s also one of the strongest public critics of George Bush.
April 30, 2008 at 3:13 pm #623366
walfredoMemberHe was very good in Farenheit 9/11. He could have a better career in Hollywood then Fred Thompson imho…
April 30, 2008 at 7:40 pm #623367
JoBParticipantSorry JohnM…
it looks like McDermott represents my interests.. and not just because he is a democrat…
though i would still love to hear why he represents yours…
April 30, 2008 at 7:45 pm #623368
flowerpetalMemberI would like to see McDermott spend a little more time in his district. When not in session he just doesn’t seem to be around that much. When I look around the greater area I see and hear more about appearances from Adam Smith, and Norm Dicks, both who seem to be traveling back to their home district frequently.
April 30, 2008 at 9:04 pm #623369
SuitsarenotBoringMemberJay Inslee tries to come home almost every weekend. I think McDermott comes home pretty often
April 30, 2008 at 11:13 pm #623370
c@lbobMemberI see Jim on the streets and in stores often. The only people he isn’t much “there” for are the corporate welfare bums with their handouts for another government give away.
IMHO, he can be the Rep for the 7th District as long as the grass shall grow, or until he’s forgotten, just like treaties.
April 30, 2008 at 11:32 pm #623371
flowerpetalMemberClearly I will vote for McDermott again and again. I think it might make him sit up and do a few other tricks if there were a strong democrat who would challenge him for his seat.
May 1, 2008 at 3:11 am #623372
JulieMemberSorry, JohnM, I’d like to clone Jim McDermott! We need more like him.
May 1, 2008 at 6:53 pm #623373
SAMemberSometimes it does come down to one issue. McDermott was against the Iraq war from the beginning thus he has my vote for life. Ditto for Patty Murray.
May 1, 2008 at 9:33 pm #623374
KenParticipantJim speaks for me. We disagree sometimes but he listens to disagreement and responds with intelligence and thought.
He also comes home quite a bit and often shows up at local district meetings when the session is out.
He stays with friends here in WS when Therese is in Africa volunteering.
Joel Connoly has the details it seems.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/273021_joel07.html
The wingnuts can’t stand him. But lots of local moderate repubs and indys vote for him because he never backs down and you always know where he stands on an issue.
Any court but a stacked far right court would have ruled the other way. This is an example of why we dare not let McCain choose the next justice of the supreme court.
I will vote for the Dem no matter how drunk I have to be to fill in the oval.
May 1, 2008 at 9:42 pm #623375
KenParticipantAlso note for those who criticize his congressional “junkets” costs.
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/congtravel/member_report.php?member=7203
This list is as benign as it gets.
May 2, 2008 at 8:44 pm #623376
JohnMMemberOk Ok. I apparently raised an issue (that exists only in my mind, I guess) that has no support in a democratic West Seattle. I find some of his ideas “out there” and some of his actions embarrasing though I can’t find fault with some of the issues he support. So, onward, Mr Mcdermitt. I put my shades back on and will go back to sleep.
May 2, 2008 at 9:07 pm #623377
Tonya42MemberThey don’t call him Bagdad Jum for no reason..
May 3, 2008 at 1:08 am #623378
JanSParticipantwell, Tonya…we don’t all call him Baghdad Jim…sorry…I like the man.
May 3, 2008 at 1:45 am #623379
AnonymousInactiveTonya, I like how on several threads you just throw out something inflammatory and then disappear. I’m wondering if you’re married to House. It’s much easier to discuss opposing views if you add something to the conversation.
Ken, thank-you for that link. It made me like him even more seeing where he went and why.
May 3, 2008 at 2:36 am #623380
WSMomParticipantAny congressperson who’s willing to speak at a “punkvoter.com” meeting gets my vote!
May 3, 2008 at 3:27 am #623381
JanSParticipantJT…funny, I thought the very same thing…about the wife part – lol
May 3, 2008 at 4:27 pm #623382
BarkdustMemberDon’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.
May 4, 2008 at 5:12 pm #623383
JoBParticipantBarkdust…
Thanks for the info and the link.
Unfortunately.. it didn’t do much to discourage me. I actually liked some of the legislation that didn’t go anywhere…
Judging a politician solely by his “results” is often misleading. In a body like the house.. sometimes the best thing a politician can do is start or add to the conversation…
like this one…
“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”
What you see as a lead in to reparations… i see as a lead in to a conversation America needs to have.
Whether we like it or not.. we are living with the results of American slavery. It’s time we acknowledged it and figure out what to actually do about it… reparations are not the only option.
a commission studying the issue might come up with something useful.. and that would sure be spending my tax dollars more usefully than another political witch hunt…
New legislators often find themselves made the tool of someone else’s political game… i could count to republicans who have been equally foolish.
The measure of the man is whether he learned from his foolishness..
and his political survival would indicate that he has.
May 5, 2008 at 5:20 pm #623384
SuitsarenotBoringMemberMaybe an interesting way to take this conversation is who do we want to be our next 7th Congressional Dist Rep? McDermott probably will never lose his seat, but will retire at some point.
May 7, 2008 at 9:30 pm #623385
Tonya42MemberI actually work during the day and there are several sites I like to frequent. I don’t know House but have read some of his comments. I seem to agree with rational people so I will take what you said as a compliment.
I can see that you all spend a great deal of time on here, I am not able to do that. Wish I could but I work. I never mean to drop bombs persay, rather I inject my opinion. That is allowed isn’t it? Is there some head honcho I need to get clearance from before I get to join the hive?
May 7, 2008 at 9:54 pm #623386
JanSParticipanthey… a lot of us work…I’m just lucky to work for myself, and I work at home, don’t have a boss to answer to except for myself. I get it done.
Your opinion is always welcome…bombs not so much :)
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