A broken Washington finally grinds down Saxby Chambliss
A scandalous photo wended its way through Washington last week, documenting a furtive-looking meeting at a dark Capitol Hill bar in Washington.
In the photograph, U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Mark Warner of Virginia, one Republican and one Democrat, are engaged in close conversation. Possibly, theirs was yet another bipartisan discussion of D.C.’s terrible fiscal condition. They’ve been beating that drum for the better part of two years – to little effect.
Perhaps Chambliss was chewing over his decision to throw in the towel. According to the time stamp, the photo at The Monocle was snapped on Wednesday, 48 hours before he pulled the plug on a 19-year career in Congress and a third term in the U.S. Senate.
The sight of a Republican and Democrat engaged in civil discourse has become so rare that the moment — like two threatened pandas in a zoo — was worth capturing. In itself, that’s proof that Washington has become an incredibly sick place. A hothouse of suspicion, back-biting and cable news posturing. Or a playground for people willing to kick the economy and your 401(k) thither and yon. Take your pick.
According to the 69-year-old Chambliss, pure frustration, and the prospect of wasting eight more years in trench warfare, prompted him to announce he’d be leaving Washington when his term ends. “The debt-ceiling debacle of 2011 and the recent fiscal-cliff vote showed Congress at its worst and, sadly, I don’t see the legislative gridlock and partisan posturing improving anytime soon,” Georgia’s senior senator said in a statement.
Chambliss had long conceded that he would have primary opposition next year. Tea partyists, angered by his dalliances with Democrats and his talk of the need for increased federal revenue, had been urging the likes of U.S. Reps. Paul Broun of Athens and Tom Price of Roswell into the contest.
Chambliss had banked $1.4 million for 2014, but had declared he would put off any major fund-raising until next month. He’s never been known as a stellar fund-raiser, but his friends said that money wasn’t an issue. Apparently, Wall Street is pleased when you spend two years lobbying for fiscal reform designed to keep the economy afloat – and out of the reach of those counseling the sack cloth and ashes of austerity.
Deep pockets were ready to fund multi-million dollar Super PACs in Chambliss’ defense, we’re told.
The irony of Chambliss falling victim to a rabidly partisan and dysfunctional Congress, of course, is that his successful 2002 campaign against Democratic incumbent Max Cleland was considered – at the time – a new level of hyper-partisanship. It included a TV ad that featured photos of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, while attacking Cleland, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, on security issues in the aftermath of 9/11.
But in 2007, Chambliss – a consistent champion of Georgia agriculture – ran afoul of his own GOP base when he (and compadre Johnny Isakson) participated in early negotiations on immigration reform. At that year’s state Republican convention, Chambliss argued in favor of an adequate guest workers program, and was showered with boos.
Chambliss backed away from that fight. But he refused to do the same when it came to searching for a grand bargain to address a $16 trillion federal deficit with Virginia’s Warner. Over Thanksgiving, Chambliss took on anti-tax guru Grover Norquist. Only last week, the senator chided would-be challenger Broun.
“Not only do I understand our debt and deficit problem, I have gotten off the sidelines to try and find a solution. Those who vote ‘no’ on everything obviously don’t care about solving the country’s problems,” Chambliss said.
Contacted on Friday, Cleland declined comment.
But other Democrats weren’t shy about praising Chambliss’ two terms and his battle for the middle ground. “I congratulate Senator Saxby Chambliss on his service to the people of the great state of Georgia,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed – even as he ducked the question of whether he would join the stampede for Chambliss’ seat.
The Twitter post from state Sen. Jason Carter, grandson of the former president:
“I wish #Saxby the best, but his retirement is sad for the country. We need folks working together to solve the debt crisis….”
Washington’s dysfunction and the need for Republicans to redefine themselves are closely linked. On the night before Chambliss decided that a life of sipping whisky on back porches wouldn’t be so bad, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told GOP leaders gathered in Charlotte, N.C., “We’ve got to stop being the stupid party. It’s time for a new Republican Party that talks like adults.”
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has spent the last two weeks shopping a new Republican approach to immigration reform.
Georgia’s 2014 race for U.S. Senate will feature an army eager to please the Republican party’s tea party wing. But one unexpected name quickly surfaced on Friday – that of former Gov. Sonny Perdue, who during his eight years as governor often warned grassroots Republicans against volatile language and extreme positioning. Long before Chambliss, Perdue also tangled with Norquist and other anti-tax forces.
“The governor is really concerned about the current course of the country,” said a close adviser, who added that Perdue intends to think more about making the race next week.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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112 comments Add your comment
Buymadeinusjobs
January 26th, 2013
9:38 am
Sen. why not run as a independent so you can say and vote how you want issue by issue, that is what is needed I think. I did not like your behavior when you called disabled veteran Sen. Cleland a non patriot/weak on military or something similiar to that so I am sure you could beat a tea party opponent if you think that is problem.
Now Democrats if Sen. Chambliss does not change his mind, get behind strongest candidate now, register everybody to vote, educate them on what was in Ryan’s budget 2011 which all Republican Senators and House members voted for cut taxes for wealthy, cut benefits for veterans, voucherized medicare for seniors, cut medicaid/other benefits for disabled, seniors, low paid workers, unemployed.
Run a democrat in every local, state, federal race, get to know your voters[Koch bros/Alec other big money will lie about you , they will do anything to keep Repub. in power, get their legislation passed].
Make sure your voters have right ID, Vote in every election. Please start now.
Bob Loblaw
January 26th, 2013
9:49 am
Carter is correct. It’s sad for the country that a bi-partisan approach to our country’s debt crisis brings out the long knives from TEA party RINOs.
A Rasmussen poll says that the proportion of Americans identifying as Tea Partiers is down from 24 percent in 2010 to only eight percent now. The oft-quoted conservative blogger Erick Erickson at RedState.com concludes that the Tea Party “is in disarray.”
http://nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/21630-should-tea-party-embrace-or-distance-itself-from-national-groups.html#.UQPrtGc1CSo
lynnie Gal
January 26th, 2013
9:54 am
I was never a Saxby fan, being a Democrat, but I respect his efforts to compromise and find middle ground. When a solid conservative like Chambliss finds that his own party has become too toxic for him to perform his duties, it’s a real shame.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
9:55 am
It would be better for Saxby Chambliss to smoke marijuana and legalise is as a taxable cash crop for Georgia, saving money on prisons, jail, and policing, rather than inventing character assassination for Max Cleland. But I guess those hands in the dirt tax-paying marijuana farmers of the future would not be so keen to write nice big PAC checks to Senator Chambliss for some of that cut-n-run business as usual from outside the state of Georgia.
Jbill
January 26th, 2013
10:07 am
Max Cleland is a joke..thanks for your service sir but no to the Senate.
Buy USA –Yes! but Democrats will do all the dirty tricks to win like the last election. The Democrats of today are not the same party as 10-15 years ago. Left Liberals have taken over. I will never vote for a Demo again unless they change. The Two party system has gone to hell..to far to the left and to far to the right…
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
10:07 am
The thing about drugs use is that drug use goes down when you legalise it. Not that many people want to take drugs to begin with, and when it is made legal, it no longer has the appeal of rebellion and “cool” to persons attracted to that. Legalising drugs makes the drugs “uncool.” Chambliss could make history if before he left the senate, he championed a bill to legalise drugs. But he appears to not be interested in making history. Where are the politicians who want to make history, real history? -It is said that those who have power do not like to let go of it. After the lobbying checks that are not from citizens, what is left for one of the men to do? Keep and hold power. This takes about as much intelligence as getting baked on marijuana, fat on pizza, and watching NFL on TV. But there’s money in it. You can take that money and pay for machine guns and cartels in Mexico, or you can pay for health and education in your home state. The joke is the resource rich providence in Canada in all the more rich from growing marijuana and shipping it to be sold in the United States. So what does Georgia do? Instead of producing and obtaining tax revenue, Georgia SPENDS MONEY on prohibition and driving their already dumb poor citizenry just a little bit farther into the dirt. Go Georgia! UGA! S-A-X-B-Y! M-O-U-L-T-R-Y! Keep it smart dumb and poor. If you’re not telling people what to do, then make everything else illegal. 1920’s a good time. Let’s bring it back. Force Poverty! Big Power! Wall Street! Character Assassination! Saxby! Saxby!
Road Scholar
January 26th, 2013
10:17 am
Saxby, sorry t see you go. But what about the proposal above to run as an independent. Would that give you the ear of both sides?
Regardless, let the next two years be your most productive! Immigration, tax, agriculture and other reforms could be your legacy!
honested
January 26th, 2013
10:17 am
I guess saxby heard bobby jindal’s speech and realized the choices….
Democrats, or the Stupid Party!
What you sow, so shall ye reap.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
10:18 am
Hey Saxby Why is it that under your watch, there are some areas of the economy with no market competiton? Are we supposed to learn to speak Russian next for some soviet era relating, comradre? -Saxby probably gets anaesthesia with his dentistry and has his teeth fixed instead of pulled. Oh, Comrade, my Captain.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
10:23 am
honested, Democrats? You mean the lying killers on the loose who want to change how you think?
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 26th, 2013
10:24 am
I wonder if being 70 years old has anything to do with it?
But then again, what fun would that be for the………….pundits?
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
10:25 am
Hey Saxby, How come under your watch some little 25 year old genius hacker dude gets 5 felonies and 30 years in federal prison, and yet the HSBC bankers caught moving billions in drug money and nobody goes to jail?
Woofy One
January 26th, 2013
10:32 am
Debbie Dooley is a total idiot
honested
January 26th, 2013
10:34 am
jetrho,
You might want to climb out of the bunker and look around.
Phil Lunney
January 26th, 2013
10:35 am
Like many, i have criticized Saxby over the years, but after his staff member was caught gay bashing a couple of years ago, i thought i was seeing a change. He worked with the Gang of 6 to try to find a middle ground on the deficit and the Conservatives led by Erick Erickson started to call him a RINO and Taxby (but then these folks aren’t looking for solutions, they are looking to hold on to an ideology that is bankrupting America).
My hope is that Saxby becomes independent over the next 2 years and truly keeps looking for solutions. For instance, if he led on the Defense Budget, trying to cut spending logically, he might be able to influence positive changes and even help the realignment with the interests of Georgia bases considered and really look at the programs that are good for the U S Military in the 21st Century rather than just keeping Defense jobs.
i may be wrong but Mr. Chambliss if you can withstand the hateful criticism that will come from both sides, the next 2 years can make your legacy (but don’t just listen to me, sit down with Sam Nunn and see what he says).
TBone
January 26th, 2013
10:49 am
God forbid Perdue enters the race. Whatta bubbling, bubba, buffoon………The State of Georgia is doomed.
GAGOPGottaGo
January 26th, 2013
10:51 am
Thanks for your service, but it is time to go. Far too many old, conservative, nasty, mean, ‘red’ folks in office here in Georgia. The GOP is tanking for a reason. Throwing up a ’stonewall’ one after the other is not politics, its political suicide. Now there are GOP sheriffs saying they won’t back the gun law? Fine. When those same folks shoot folks in your county (you know, the ones you saw with guns in their yard but ignored – I saw YOU on the news), you have no right to arrest them and have only yourself to hold accountable – you absolutely can’t have it both ways. Since you declare so much freedom, why don’t we all declare not to pay any bills or taxes ‘because we don’t wanna’. Go ride your GOP wambulance elsewhere. The Democrats are rising for a number of reasons – it isn’t rocket science.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
10:52 am
Really, honested? The bunker has the internet connection to the real facts. Life in USA under political Georgia, icon “Saxby Chambliss:”
- #1 highest rate of people in prisons per capita in the world. USA! #1!
-one trillion dollars of existent education debt – system of debt slavery. that’s about $300. per every man woman child and baby per year for interest-only right now. Meanwhile, most of the world does not charge college tuition. They charge registration fees.
-health care for the rich. the rest of you peasants go to hell and give us your house. USA health care cost 4x the rest of the rich world, covers half as many people at twice the aggregate price. only country in the world with medical bill bankruptcies.
–very low rate of social (economic) mobility. At the very top of the ad list. In the USA, work hard does not mean get ahead.
-very high rate of income inequality between rich and poor. At the very top of the bad list.
____________
Meanwhile, most U. S. peasants are so brainwashed, they view themselves as slightly inconvenienced millionaires. Is that you, honested? Because anyone who goes to college knows differently. Well, that depends on the college, ha ha. In Georgia, half the state colleges, you’ll get callouses on your hands from organised clapping on demand so much to “celebrate the idea.” But the facts are the facts. Work hard? Go backwards. Get educated? Debt slavery. Get sick? Sign over house. Enjoy driving? $500. ticket for only God knows what. Get into peasant trouble? Heavy sentence served in for-profit prison. Go to vote? One party on the ballot, and it has two names. Turn on the radio? Choose between Rush ($500 million contract) and O’Reilly, because of concentrated ownership. The laws were changed for that, don’t you know. Maybe you don’t.
yuzeyurbrane
January 26th, 2013
11:05 am
GOP—get in a circle, face each other, ready, aim, fire.
td
January 26th, 2013
11:11 am
honested
January 26th, 2013
10:17 am
I guess saxby heard bobby jindal’s speech and realized the choices….
Democrats, or the Stupid Party!
Lord you progressives are so delusional and only hear what you want to hear. Bobby was telling Republicans it is STUPID to continue to play of the Democratic field of name calling and public assassination because they can not win on that field. Conservatism is ideologically a superior philosophy to being progressive. The only way progressives win is to keep the discussion in the gutter.
td
January 26th, 2013
11:23 am
GAGOPGottaGo
January 26th, 2013
10:51 am
Thanks for your service, but it is time to go. Far too many old, conservative, nasty, mean, ‘red’ folks in office here in Georgia. The GOP is tanking for a reason.
Obama is the only President in history to receive less votes in a re election then any other incumbent President.
Republicans now control 30 governorships (largest amount anytime in the history of the party)
Republicans now totally control both chambers in state legislatures of 19 states (largest amount of anytime in the history of the party)
Republicans control at least one chamber in 6 additional states.
Democrats totally control 13 states.
Republicans gains 56 seats in the US House of Reps in 2010 and now have a 33 seat advantage. According to Nate Silver they can not lose this advantage until at least the 2022 election cycle.
Yes, I can see where Republicans are going into the tank. Only in the media propaganda and we wonder why the LSM is losing viewership and readership each and everyday.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
11:33 am
@Lynnie Gal @td – It’s not just Republican’s, it’s time for most of the old men and women to retire. Too many men and women have been there for too long, this is why there should be term limits again. Like it was originally before Congress voted themselves permanent jobs. We need new blood.
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
11:34 am
Saxby sounds as if it’s time to switch parties.You are resigning as should be done.Not at a time requiring a special election.(not like most costing the tax payer for special elections)You have shown you put the country first.Now come on over to the number one party.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
11:37 am
@bluecoat – Dream on. He said retiring not betrayal.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
11:39 am
td, the “LSM” “Lame Stream Media” is losing viewership because they’ve changed the laws that require a market environment for broadcast media. Currently, one company can own several radio stations, tv, and newspaper in one market. It’s called “centralised ownership” and it is the death bell to freedom and vitality. Why even produce news? Producing news costs money. It’s cheaper to produce coordinated propaganda and present it as news. The best is part is the script is paid for with tax dollars. And Wolf Blitzer will chuckle during every report.
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
11:40 am
Won by a nose or by half length,as long as you win you are the winner.Now whiner stop whining.At least the courts did not have to be involved.Remember whiner?
GAGOPGottaGo
January 26th, 2013
11:40 am
td – well, that’s funny. I seem to remember someone named Mitt Romney and a sure bet that he and the Republicans would win the White House. I wouldn’t double down on your party.
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
11:41 am
Voter you mean like our Gov.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
11:42 am
@Jethro – Don’t forget “Current TV” from Al Gore or Al Jazeera. Now we have Muslims controlling some air waves here.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
11:44 am
@bluecoat – Deal? I thought the subject was Saxby Chambliss?
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
11:48 am
I thought retiring/resigning(subject)You made an intelligent statement Term Limits.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
11:55 am
@bluecoat – I missed it I guess. Did Gov. Deal switch party’s?
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
12:07 pm
Sack cloth and ashes,come into town riding on a donkey,left town riding an elephant.Voter that is not all you have missed.
td
January 26th, 2013
12:09 pm
GAGOPGottaGo
January 26th, 2013
11:40 am
I posted this last night on another blog as to why Romney lost. I think it is pretty fair and accurate view.
1: The establishment Republicans still think the conservatives will be excited and come out and vote for anyone they place on the top of the ticket. 8 million (tea party and social conservatives stayed home).
2: The social conservatives took the bait of the liberal media and said stupid stuff about abortion. The media played there stupid statements over and over again and lowered turnout of potential swing republican voters because they said the h3ll with both parties.
3: The Dems did a great (yes this conservative said great) job at maximizing their turnout. They used lawsuits to make sure places like DFCS maximized their voters registration and they used intensive (technology) data mining to find every potential voter. They then called, harassed, lied too, shamed them into agreeing to vote and then they used the extended voting time to knock on their door everyday or picked them up to make sure they got them to the polls.
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:11 pm
another rich repub who preached about the evils of government and DC while getting rich off the government and DC..
clem
January 26th, 2013
12:16 pm
how could dems use dfcs in ga when it run by repubs who likely promulgate more conservative policies? same for rest of the republican controlled southern states? in ten years of republican control in ga, surely by now progressives in state agencies have been purged or neutered.
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
12:20 pm
TD why complicate the simple.Romney lost because Obama had more votes.Keep it simple ——.
Cherokee
January 26th, 2013
12:21 pm
they can not lose this advantage until at least the 2022 election cycle.
Yeah, likely right, ’cause they cheated. When a majority of Americans vote for Democrats, yet the
Republicans still win, that’s called ’stacking the deck’, td.
And when the only way your party can win is by cheating, td, you’re in trouble.
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:22 pm
white conservatives here in georgia love affirmative action when it comes to college sports, because without it 90% of the football team at UGA would be ineligible. But cheeing on these muscled black athletes make the rightwingers feel good about themselves, while at the same time they loathe black people…lol
Old South
January 26th, 2013
12:23 pm
It’s tough for me to really believe the thought that Washington DC is broken would cause him to leave. These folks, 90%, of them run their campagins saying things that aren’t true, smearing the other candidates, and constantly practicing sophistry.
The AJC should really find out why. Maybe he’s really just ready for a change. But I can’t think anyone would be surprised that DC is broken. We can’t even stop mass murders in our country, let alone tackle something abstract like the debt.
td
January 26th, 2013
12:23 pm
bluecoat
January 26th, 2013
12:20 pm
TD why complicate the simple.Romney lost because Obama had more votes.Keep it simple ——.
That is kind of like telling a football coach after a lose to just line up and run the same plays next week. Do not watch game film and breakdown the reasons why you lost that way you do not have the make any adjustments.
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:24 pm
@cherokee
td dont care how repubs win , hes a racist birther..
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:29 pm
td
ROMNUTS lost because he’s selling 1950’s America in 2013….abortion is a losing proposition yet the repubs cling to making a sure a woman in america has the same reproductive rights as a woman in IRAN… no matter how u say it, its the same old bs…
GUTRAKE
January 26th, 2013
12:29 pm
Actually, having to do battle against demagogues and liars who fool their ill-informed constituency is what probably ground Saxby down. He, like myself, may see the writing on the wall and doesn’t want to be there when the **** hits the fan. Our nation is going down because we believe everything they tell us. We suck on their talking points and vote accordingly. We have become a lazy society and we are doomed.
td
January 26th, 2013
12:31 pm
Cherokee
January 26th, 2013
12:21 pm
they can not lose this advantage until at least the 2022 election cycle.
Yeah, likely right, ’cause they cheated. When a majority of Americans vote for Democrats, yet the
Republicans still win, that’s called ’stacking the deck’, td.
And when the only way your party can win is by cheating, td, you’re in trouble.
So tell us all how it was not cheating when in 1984, Reagan won 49 states and 58% of the vote (not the 51% that Obama won) and democrats still held a House by a large majority?
td
January 26th, 2013
12:33 pm
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:24 pm
@cherokee
td dont care how repubs win , hes a racist birther..
Nice for you to make an appearance Representative Johnson.
td
January 26th, 2013
12:39 pm
clem
January 26th, 2013
12:16 pm
how could dems use dfcs in ga when it run by repubs who likely promulgate more conservative policies? same for rest of the republican controlled southern states? in ten years of republican control in ga, surely by now progressives in state agencies have been purged or neutered.
It is called a lawsuit. This paper ran a story on the progressive groups that filed the suit
Appointing Chip Rodgers is the first step that I can see from Deal to start to purge progressives from the bureaucracy. A great deal more Rodgers needs to be appointed to run them out.
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:43 pm
SAXBY’S been on the government tit for decades…yet he “hates” the government…lol
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 26th, 2013
12:45 pm
Tom Harkin, Iowa’s powerful Democratic U.S. senator, won’t seek re-election in two years, he told The Des Moines Register this morning.
A broken dummycrat party finally grinds down Harkin.
clem
January 26th, 2013
12:45 pm
you think it has not been going on since barnres left?
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:45 pm
why do repubs want american women to have the same reproductive rights as women in saudi arabia?
MrLiberty
January 26th, 2013
12:45 pm
Saxby has been part of the problem in Washington, and part of the bi-partisan conspiracy that has destroyed america. He has never shown any principles, fought for freedom, liberty, the constitution, sound money, sound foreign policy, civil liberties, ending the police state, ending the war on drugs, or other positions that are clearly out of favor in washington, but critical to the continuation of a free america. He has been a go-along to get-along globalist who has been part of the conspiracy to promote a new world order, a global government, and an american empire of tyranny. He is just upset that a few principled folks have helped undermine their plans. Good riddance to him. Take a few more of your criminal buddies with you (actually sounds like Harkin is going too – yeah!)
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
12:48 pm
@ashop 12:45
the party’s so broken then they won the last 2 presidential elections…lolololololol
td
January 26th, 2013
12:58 pm
Off Topic:
Now that women have been granted totally equality with men in the most hostile environment in the world. It is time for you progressives to come forward and demand that men and women should be treated equal in every part of life.
Progressives should demand that the Violence against womens act should be allowed to expire because women are equal to men and do not need special rights to protect them.
Progressives should demand that men can raise children just as well as women and demand that states should reflect this and enact rules to make all custody cases of divorce and children out of wedlock be 50/50 because it is in the best interest of the child to spend equal time with both parents.
clem
January 26th, 2013
1:03 pm
so you are for equal pay for equal work?
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 26th, 2013
1:07 pm
the party’s so broken then they won the last 2 presidential elections…lolololololol
Yep, with 4 million votes less the 2nd time around. But lunatics like you, failing to notice you lost a lot of your support, think you can trash the country. Harkin, seeing this depravity shaping up, said buh bye. Don’t want my name on it.
liberalefty
January 26th, 2013
1:10 pm
@asshoip
duh we still had more VOTES THAN THE LOSING BIRTHER PARTY…HEHEhehehehehehohgohohohoholololololololol…and i gues saxby left because he couldnt take the depravity of the lunatic birther party…lololololololololololoololl
Don't Tread
January 26th, 2013
1:17 pm
It’s sad that Jason Carter is sad that Saxby is retiring. People like Jason Carter (and kin) and their runaway spending is what has caused the debt crisis to begin with. (Spending less money than you take in seems to be a “racist” and “backward” attitude these days.)
Maybe if there had been one more vote for the balanced budget amendment back in the day, there wouldn’t be a debt crisis. Of course, we could just solve it all overnight with a few trillion-dollar coins.
hiram
January 26th, 2013
1:37 pm
Some insight into why Washington is broken:
http://web02.gonzaga.edu/comltheses/proquestftp/McCloy_gonzaga_0736M_10210.pdf
hiram
January 26th, 2013
1:38 pm
Some insight into why td is broken:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/11/1108524/-Rush-Limbaugh-s-phony-empire-exposed
An observer
January 26th, 2013
2:11 pm
He has served in Congress for twenty years and will be over 70 years old. What is wrong with letting someone else have the opportunity to serve? Galloway is wrong to argue that politicians should serve in Congress forever and that no one else can do as good a job.
Shar
January 26th, 2013
2:20 pm
Saxby Chambliss ran an indefensible, filthy, lying, cowardly campaign against Max Cleland and I have neither trusted nor respected him since. He added to his infamy by handing bushel baskets of taxpayers’ money to the financial and agricultural interests who so generously bought him off, and by kowtowing to the bitter and tyrannical excesses of the fringe media, clergy and tea partiers in the desperate hope that they would not turn on him because of his subservience to the lobbies he served.
The last few years of his edging toward some kind of rational bipartisanship have made me give him a few grudging nods. But his whining that the Washington he helped to create is too mean to him is disgusting. The nation has suffered from the actions of Chambliss, and we will continue to suffer while he spends his payoffs and sips his Scotch.
honested
January 26th, 2013
3:02 pm
We can only hope that saxby’s replacement is not in the pocket of agribusiness or the coal burning industry.
Only then can we take reasonable measures to solve the water crisis of our own making.
Buzzy
January 26th, 2013
3:31 pm
Sorry Jim, but I think it was Georgia that ground him down, not Washington.
It’s the right wing extremist lunatics here who got to him. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to represent them either.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
4:31 pm
Guys, gals, liberals, – the point we need to argue is we need Term Limits again. Too many of these congressman stay way past their prime. Most are dying while in office. Good for Saxby leaving before he dies in office too. Let’s get some Term Limits voted for again.
td
January 26th, 2013
5:02 pm
Voter
January 26th, 2013
4:31 pm
The courts have ruled Federal term limits as unconstitutional. Since Congress is run on a seniority system, why would you want your state to place term limits on there members when other states do not?
Voter
January 26th, 2013
5:36 pm
To quote Thomas Jefferson urging a limitation of tenure, “to prevent every danger which might arise to American freedom by continuing too long in office the members of the Continental Congress….”
Our Senators and House of Reps. stay too long, they become stagnant and ineffective. That’s the reason why the “rotation is needed” Nothing to say they can’t run again but I think the original way was best.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
5:39 pm
And the Supreme Court ruled that State Government can’t limit it’s members in the Federal Government. Nothing was said about Congress bringing about the votes and having term limits.
CC
January 26th, 2013
5:54 pm
liberalefty, by his mere existence and evidenced by his posts, offers a wonderful argument for retroactive birth control . . .
Good Riddance!!
January 26th, 2013
6:11 pm
They ALL should be gone – TERM LIMITS!!!!!
td
January 26th, 2013
6:12 pm
Voter
January 26th, 2013
5:39 pm
” If the qualifications set forth in the text of the Constitution are to be changed, that text must be amended”
If my reading of the above part of the ruling is correct then it would take a Constitutional Amendment to get term limits imposed. I can not see that happening my friend.
td
January 26th, 2013
6:16 pm
CC
January 26th, 2013
5:54 pm
liberalefty, by his mere existence and evidenced by his posts, offers a wonderful argument for retroactive birth control .
linerallefty is really Hank Johnson.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
6:18 pm
@td -”If my reading of the above part of the ruling is correct then it would take a Constitutional Amendment to get term limits imposed. I can not see that happening my friend.”
I understand. And I agree, the chances of getting it are slim & require the cooperation of the very people who voted themselves their “golden parachutes” as well as their benefits, retirement, pay raises, perks, cars, etc., but it should be done, look how ineffective they are. Look how long some of them of been in office.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
6:19 pm
@td -”If my reading of the above part of the ruling is correct then it would take a Constitutional Amendment to get term limits imposed. I can not see that happening my friend.”
I understand. And I agree, the chances of getting it are slim & require the cooperation of the very people who voted themselves their “golden parachutes” as well as their benefits, retirement, pay raises, perks, cars, etc., but it should be done, look how ineffective they are. Look how long some of them have been in office.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
6:20 pm
Sorry for the repeat..typo
cultural barbarian
January 26th, 2013
6:23 pm
@td: so you’re OK with Congress being run on a seniority system, and you don’t consider that liberal/union rot? I dare say in the business world you would probably be one of the first to condemn recognition of seniority as some kind of union corruption.
I can think of any number of reasons that term limits are a good idea, among the most prevalent that times actually change, whether or not conservatives ilke to admit that or not.
What Chambliss did to Cleland was a disgrace. Georgians who like to give lip-service to those who served in the armed forces should have nuked him – but they didn’t, and guess why? Oh, that’s right: those who served fought for the Constitution and equality, but some are more equal than others. Sorry, I keep forgetting that the only things that matter to conservatives are maintaining power and lording their perfect lives over others.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
6:30 pm
@cultural barbarian – I’m conservative. I love the military and the men and women who serve. Yes, I believe there should be term limits. I liked Sam Nunn. He was a Democrat. I’m for anybody who loves this Country and believe that the President, Congress and any Federal or State Government employee works for the people and is answerable to the people. I dislike those that vote someone in JUST because he’s the same color or the same Party or for any reason other than he or she is the best person for the job.
RCB
January 26th, 2013
6:33 pm
@liberallefty….I don’t think abortion and reproductive rights are a big topic in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, here in the USA, women can practice any amount of control or rights–as long as THEY pay for it. To the topic, time for Saxby to go. He’s been there long enough and I can’t think of too much he did that was good or bad.
cultural barbarian
January 26th, 2013
6:45 pm
@Voter: thank you for your clear-headed viewpoint! From my weird stance as a leftist-libertarian who used to be a conservative (and has respect for, if not agreement with, many conservative viewpoints), I am right there with you on your opinion about the best person for the job. And I join you in appreciation for those who serve and for Sam Nunn as well!
td
January 26th, 2013
6:45 pm
cultural barbarian
January 26th, 2013
6:23 pm
The Congress makes their own rules about how their chambers are run once they are elected and there is nothing we can do about it. I am trying to think of a way in Congress where you could get rid of the seniority system in Congress but come up with blanks considering that each member has one vote once they get in to make up their own set of rules and I can not see Congress people with any type of seniority voluntarily voting against their own self interest or the self interest of their district or state. What is your idea as to get rid of the system?
I am not opposed to term limits but I can not see how a Constitutional Amendment is passed to do it. It would take the vote of 66% of both chambers of Congress and 75% of all the states.
Voter
January 26th, 2013
6:56 pm
And for those Congressman who praised Hillary Clinton recently, proves my point. She does not deserve it.The Ambassador’s around the world answer to the Secretary of State and the President.
Fact 1: She knew prior to 9/11/12 attack that Amb. Chris Stevens had requested better security.
Fact 2: She knew it was denied.
Fact 3: She knew within 2 days it was NOT the result of some “video”
Fact 4: She covered it up and is still not providing honest answers about the attack.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
7:02 pm
Washington DC is a “right to work” province. The problem with Chambliss is that he is a member of a worker’s union called the U.S. congress. Healthcare paid for for life. How does that work? Paid for by the people, but not for the people. Hey Saxby, enjoy your checkups. I’ll think of you when I go to the mailbox to get my stack of unpaid bills. How come the three people I know who are doing good all have government jobs and the rest of the people are SCREWED. A$$h,,LES running a police state is why.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
7:04 pm
Most of Congress – money sponges collecting lobbying checks. IT WOULD BE NICE if the general public elected a different caliber of character to govern them. …. Something about “campaign finance reform…”? 99% members of Congress are millionaires. WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 26th, 2013
7:06 pm
I’m conservative. I love the empire workers and the men and women who serve.
Fixed that for you.
cultural barbarian
January 26th, 2013
7:52 pm
@td, re term limits
I freely admit that I have no solution. One possible way to effect change is for more of the populace to vote! So many people on both sides of the aisle are in favor of term limits – yet so many people don’t vote, because they think their vote doesn’t matter, they don’t understand the importance of participation, etc. As someone who generally (but not always) votes Democratic in Georgia, I might as well do something else with the time I stand in line to vote – ’cause in my county there’s no way Democrats will win. No doubt there are people who can’t be bothered to vote (and let’s face it, the voting process is a pain in the rear).
Conversely, perhaps there are Republican voters in my county that know their party will win anyway, so they don’t bother. I’m not ascribing blame to either side here.
And then there’s the ‘NIMBY’ factor in a lot of places: “term limits are great, but MY Congressperson needs to stay in there.”
I really don’t have an answer. Wish I did.
honested
January 26th, 2013
8:13 pm
td,
Didn’t that serial adulterer you lionize rail against the seniority system,….until he first became the minority leader (and insisted he needed a car and chauffeur for adequate seniority) and then became the speaker (until he resigned in total disgrace)?
And to my earlier point, bobby jindal was right (as proven by so many comments on this thread), it is the ‘Stupid Party!
CC
January 26th, 2013
8:26 pm
“linerallefty is really Hank Johnson.”
That being the case, I KNOW his island has tipped over . . .
drew
January 26th, 2013
9:30 pm
Sorry….won’t miss the typical Good Ole’ Boy Anti-Gay Chambliss one bit….
Voter
January 26th, 2013
9:38 pm
@Jethro from Honest Atlanta – ” I’m conservative. I love the empire workers and the men and women who serve. Fixed that for you.”
Oh I see, your relatives must be French, the ones who told Hitler ” Come on over” or maybe part of the colonists who told the British ” We like your tea here in Boston”
For the mere fact that you can type your dribble here on this blog, you owe that to the men and women who served and especially the ones who died. Show some respect.
Kris
January 26th, 2013
10:21 pm
Wonder if former President Jimmy Carter is up for a run for Governor or Senator?
Just push the autopilot button in the governor’s office. Heck Ga has been on autopilot for the last 10+ years.
Good riddance Saxby. (Looks like good ole SAX got took to the woodshed) ha ha..
Good riddance Crooked deal 2014
MrLiberty
January 26th, 2013
10:48 pm
Washington isn’t broken, its running just the way the powers that be want it to run – for their benefit. Saxby has served out his usefulness to them and now he needs to get out of town before the victims wake up and turn their pitchforks in his direction.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 27th, 2013
1:39 am
” I’m conservative. I love the communist empire workers and the men and women who serve.
Fixed that for you.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 27th, 2013
1:48 am
Voter, This is 2013. We haven’t defended the United States in a very long time. The French have markets in both internet services and where their food comes from. You don’t. You might in Atlanta. Outside of Atlanta, the apples and green beans in the different grocery stores are all unloaded from the same train. Your internet is now 100% monopolised. 5 guys from Comcast pull a billion dollars in salary per decade. For internet, you have no market competition, none. Zero. Food, what do you do? Sell it out to Monsanto and feed your kids growth hormones in the food they eat. So your kids hit puberty early because you don’t protect your food supply. Hey, get away from me. You don’t protect your markets and you make me sick.
Jethro from Honest Atlanta
January 27th, 2013
2:11 am
In voter’s world, you attack a country without an air force, without a navy, and without an intelligence service, and you call it a war. Then you show bombing them on the television media as war pornography and call it defending yourself. Then you use the same media to deny showing the public caskets of fallen soldiers when the country you attack fights back on their home territory to defend themselves, and you call this freedom. Your intelligence agency invents the term “Al Queda” and applies it to anything of their choosing and uses their intelligence apparatus to feed propaganda to your media outlets who repeat it over and over word for word for them, in voter’s world. Voter does not question when he hears the same pre-package message repeated word for word over and over and not ever challenged.
Buckhead Boy
January 27th, 2013
7:05 am
Fourteen years ago Chambliss was the poster boy for disgraceful campaigning and Republican extremism. Throughout his Senate service he has maintained a -0- Liberal Action rating, but now faced being abandoned by GOP voters for his presumed “moderation’.
Please proceed, Republicans.
monroe
January 27th, 2013
8:26 am
hopefully they elect a minority like kasim reed — ga needs more african-americans to better represent their interests in washington–there too many white people in the senate helping rich people
JT
January 27th, 2013
8:46 am
Reading these comments and the total lack of any “center” in political discussions simply reinforces what Chambliss said about stalemate. Washington DC is no more than a reflection of the total lack of compromise being expressed in these discussions. We apparently have evolved to the point where it is easier (politically) to simply call each other names, etc. I can see how this could wear someone down. For those who disagree with these statements, be sure to call me stupid or whatever flavor you choose, but simply scroll down and read this stuff.
Predatory Lender
January 27th, 2013
8:54 am
The last time I checked, Saxby had no power in D.C., but he continued to “water down” his own party, derailing their efforts.
Citizens of GA, next time let’s elect someone other than an attorney to represent our state’s interest than this example of a compromise, who was nothing more than a closet liberal. Saxby’s record speaks for itself.
Dr. Love
January 27th, 2013
9:06 am
It’s getting late, load the guns and go to church.
Wilbur
January 27th, 2013
9:24 am
Saxby cared and got ground down. The folks like Chuck Schumer, Barbara Boxer and Dick Durbin are not stepping away, don’t feel ground down. They don’t really care as they have made politics their God and feel like they are “winning”.
Even as the country fails.
CC
January 27th, 2013
9:43 am
“The folks like Chuck Schumer, Barbara Boxer and Dick Durbin are not stepping away, don’t feel ground down. They don’t really care as they have made politics their God and feel like they are “winning”.”
These people, along with the lefties who daily post their tripe here, are the PROBLEM in America today. They have their ‘Dear Ruler’ to think for them and guide their so-called beliefs and their actions. Having their ‘Dear Ruler’ think for them is fortuitous as they are unable to think for themselves.
Grob Hahn
January 27th, 2013
9:57 am
We don’t need “Immigration Reform” and most Americans don’t want it. Which is why it will never come to a popular vote. What we NEED is “Immigration Enorcement” of the laws we already have on the books. Since that is being ignored, what kind of “reform” is even possible?
Grobbbbbbbbb
clem
January 27th, 2013
10:09 am
anybody using predatory lender moniker must be totally discounted. had ga stayed with barnes we would not be as bad off as we are now. only thing going up last 10 years is republican pols bank accounts.
hiram
January 27th, 2013
10:23 am
@Grob
Saxby was the point man for immigration reform. His obstruction of immigration enforcement in Georgia’s onion fields was the catalyst for the end of enforcement nation wide, and will ultimately, end the Republican Party.
CC
January 27th, 2013
11:07 am
clem:
“anybody using predatory lender moniker must be totally discounted. had ga stayed with barnes we would not be as bad off as we are now. only thing going up last 10 years is republican pols bank accounts.”
Does the term ‘caveat emptor’ mean anything to you? Anyone stupid enough to borrow at usurious interest rates deserves exactly what they get. The government should not be your ‘nanny’, your ‘papa or your be-all and end-all protector. Take some personal responsibility, even though that probably is alien territory for you!
Roy Barnes is NOT the answer to anyone’s question or the solution to anyone’s problem.
hiram
January 27th, 2013
11:30 am
It’s humorous to read the caustic posts by people who don’t have a clue. Their Governor, a former Congressman, whose Congressional district icluded Dalton and Gainesville, the two Georgia town’s with the highest concentration of illegal aliens, was elected, largely, for his anti-illegal immigration rhetoric, even though his largest contributions were from the carpet and poultry industry. While blissfully uninformed Republicans continue to focus on the irrelevant – conducting lofty arguments on constitutional law, or California politicians, they ignore the fact that the demise of the Republican Party will come from demographic changes, brought about by the Republicans they elected.
liberalefty
January 27th, 2013
11:45 am
@wilbur 9:24
u sound so gullible…SAXBYS been feeding at the government trough for decades now, and will land a nice cushy job to go along with his taxpayer funded pension when he steps down..smh
liberalefty
January 27th, 2013
11:46 am
cc
and u have FAUX NEWS and limbaugh to think for you…and dont forget a diaper wearing CLINT EASTWOOD!
liberalefty
January 27th, 2013
11:49 am
cc
i love the “dear ruler” moniker….too bad MITTENS wont ever be called that!…lololololololololololol
liberalefty
January 27th, 2013
11:52 am
the country is getting less white…and conservatives are scared sh@tless…lolololololololool
honested
January 27th, 2013
12:05 pm
wilbur,
To your point, I guess saxby did feel ‘ground down’ faced by his intellectual and moral superiors!
Love being Blue in a Red (neck) state
January 27th, 2013
1:04 pm
cc
You cry as well when you are td, cc or whomever? Conservative Christian as well?
All of you are too funny