current American politicians that you respect
 

Russ Feingold is the only one that comes to my mind. He is hands down the best senator in our country.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
Russ Feingold is the only one that comes to my mind. He is hands down the best senator in our country.

[/ QUOTE ]

Serious question. Is this supposed to be a joke? Leveling? The guy sponsored a bill that infringes on the First Ammendment, specifically regarding political speech, which is pretty much the EXACT kind of speech that you want protected. That alone makes him an evil douchebag.

Edit: Who the [censored] deleted my other post?

Ron Paul
Ron Paul
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Ron Paul
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Ron Paul


Fine. I respect Ron Paul because he's the only member of the gang of 535 who is not an unprincipled powerhungry evil bastard. He has never voted for an unconstitutional bill, has never voted to raise taxes, wants to abolish the IRS and replace it with nothing, wants to abolish the Fed and put the country back on a hard money standard. He understands economics, is principled, and is not a demagogue.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

All,

If you're gonna respond here, respond w/ more than just a name. Essays not necessary, but at least a sentence why or a link or something.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

What bill are you talking about? Is it this one?

On July 14, 2005, Feingold introduced a bill to the Senate that would ban lobbyists from giving gifts to Senators and impose a $50,000 fine for violating the ban; force lawmakers to sign statements saying that lobbyists did not pay their travel expenses; forbid lawmakers from traveling on corporate jets; bar congressmen, staffers, and executive branch officials from serving as lobbyists for two years after leaving office; and require that lobbying reports be disclosed on a quarterly, rather than semi-annual, basis.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

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What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

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[ QUOTE ]
What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

RON PAUL,

because he actually acts on his beliefs, rather than being a giant douchebag and voting in pork.

I would honestly forgive just about any politician for anything ever if they swore off ever voting for pork spending bills.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

It explicitly outlaws certain kinds of political speech. Outlawing something is pretty clearly "infringing" upon it.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

It explicitly outlaws certain kinds of political speech. Outlawing something is pretty clearly "infringing" upon it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you be more detailed please? Is giving senators free golf trips and expensive hookers a form of political speech?

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

Campaign finance reform, done under the guise of preventing special interests and lobbyists from buying influence, actually has the effect of making it a lot easier for incumbents to stay in office and significantly decreases the threat of new candidates. Hypothetically, if you have a 3 term incumbent with name recognition and a new challenger, if they are both limited to spending 5 million dollars, it will be a lot harder for the challenger to make up for the head start the incumbent has. So when politicians go around promoting campaign finance reform and saying all the right things, they are really doing it to increase they own job security and make it harder for people to get them out of office. I am grossly oversimplifying things but that is the general effect. If you search around you can find someone who can explain it way better than I just did.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

I'm libertarian personally, but I have tremendous respect for Ralph Nader. You should see the documentary "Ralph Nader: An unreasonable man." Yes, it's a puff-piece, but it does provide factual information to buttress the man's character a lot.

His past efforts with regard to consumer advocacy have significantly altered the consumer and employee landscape (largely for the better). Not many individuals have had such a substantial positive impact on American life, and that is quite an acomplishment (despite the fact that most people nowadays are ignorant of what he has done).

I certainly see why some people are skeptical of the man's judgment, but as for which politician is deserving of respect, admiration, and imitation, I think Nader wins hands down.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

mccain-feingold is a crock of [censored].


I really cant respect any politician nowadays. Any politician that I do respect will not be able to do much to change the landscape of the US, because of the oligarchy we have in place. Until someone has some balls, a good head on their shoulders, and priorities I agree with, actually is able to gain enough power to enact change, than I will change my tune.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

It explicitly outlaws certain kinds of political speech. Outlawing something is pretty clearly "infringing" upon it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you be more detailed please? Is giving senators free golf trips and expensive hookers a form of political speech?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is running television ads advocating certain positions on issues not?

Don't be ridiculous.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
Campaign finance reform, done under the guise of preventing special interests and lobbyists from buying influence, actually has the effect of making it a lot easier for incumbents to stay in office and significantly decreases the threat of new candidates. Hypothetically, if you have a 3 term incumbent with name recognition and a new challenger, if they are both limited to spending 5 million dollars, it will be a lot harder for the challenger to make up for the head start the incumbent has. So when politicians go around promoting campaign finance reform and saying all the right things, they are really doing it to increase they own job security and make it harder for people to get them out of office. I am grossly oversimplifying things but that is the general effect. If you search around you can find someone who can explain it way better than I just did.

[/ QUOTE ]

*Any* campaign restriction favors the incumbents.

Do you see why?

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

because the incumbents are the ones writing and passing the bills, no representative wants to make a law which will result in them having less power

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

I respect John McCain because he is a badass who survived tougher conditions than I can imagine.

I respect Fred Thompson because he pulls great tail.

I respect Barak Obama because he seems to have a spirit of bipartisanship and compassion at heart.

I respect Hillary Clinton because she continues to support this horrible war in Iraq despite it possibly giving her great trouble in the primary.

I respect Bill Clinton because he is smarter than I am. Fred Thompson needs to give him some lessons in pulling tail, though.

I respect George Bush because he is obviously a man of deep conviction, though you may have concerns about the nature of those convictions.

I respect Ron Paul because he is correct about everything, but this will get him nowhere.

I respect Dennis Kucinich because his cause is so hopeless.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
Can you be more detailed please? Is giving senators free golf trips and expensive hookers a form of political speech?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, actually, it is.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
RON PAUL,

because he actually acts on his beliefs, rather than being a giant douchebag and voting in pork.

I would honestly forgive just about any politician for anything ever if they swore off ever voting for pork spending bills.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you a supporter of Tom Coburn? I think the guy is nuts on a lot of his positions but respect that he is sincere about fighting pork.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
RON PAUL,

because he actually acts on his beliefs, rather than being a giant douchebag and voting in pork.

I would honestly forgive just about any politician for anything ever if they swore off ever voting for pork spending bills.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you a supporter of Tom Coburn? I think the guy is nuts on a lot of his positions but respect that he is sincere about fighting pork.

[/ QUOTE ]

Never heard of him, but if he exists then i'm glad. Perhaps he can make the famous 'Approved by DannyOcean_" list.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm libertarian personally, but I have tremendous respect for Ralph Nader. You should see the documentary "Ralph Nader: An unreasonable man." Yes, it's a puff-piece, but it does provide factual information to buttress the man's character a lot.

His past efforts with regard to consumer advocacy have significantly altered the consumer and employee landscape (largely for the better). Not many individuals have had such a substantial positive impact on American life, and that is quite an acomplishment (despite the fact that most people nowadays are ignorant of what he has done).

I certainly see why some people are skeptical of the man's judgment, but as for which politician is deserving of respect, admiration, and imitation, I think Nader wins hands down.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hate to break some unfortunate news, but Ralph Nader is not a libertarian's friend. Maybe you are saying you respect his character, but the main wants to maim and rape the free market. Screw him.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

It explicitly outlaws certain kinds of political speech. Outlawing something is pretty clearly "infringing" upon it.

[/ QUOTE ]


I disagree fully. Outlawing soft money ads cuts out the party machines that are so wonderful at bringing out ridiculous attack ads that are so pervasive. Of course, when the bill finally was voted on it was a shell of itself. The bill in it's original form was a brilliant piece of legislation that was aimed at ending some of the silliness that american politics is so well known for

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]

I hate to break some unfortunate news, but Ralph Nader is not a libertarian's friend. Maybe you are saying you respect his character, but the main wants to maim and rape the free market. Screw him.

[/ QUOTE ]


you can also thank him every time you get into an accident because he fully advocated that the auto industry actually help keep people alive rather then just cut as many corners to keep costs down by not providing seatbelts and crumple zones in cars that saves lives on a daily basis

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
RON PAUL,

because he actually acts on his beliefs, rather than being a giant douchebag and voting in pork.

I would honestly forgive just about any politician for anything ever if they swore off ever voting for pork spending bills.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ron Paul is many things, but he is hardly kosher when it comes to pork.

One of many Paul pork articles

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

It explicitly outlaws certain kinds of political speech. Outlawing something is pretty clearly "infringing" upon it.

[/ QUOTE ]


I disagree fully. Outlawing soft money ads cuts out the party machines that are so wonderful at bringing out ridiculous attack ads that are so pervasive. Of course, when the bill finally was voted on it was a shell of itself. The bill in it's original form was a brilliant piece of legislation that was aimed at ending some of the silliness that american politics is so well known for

[/ QUOTE ]

Except that these reform bills always end up helping incumbents get reelected and have reduced competitiveness in elections. It is a bad thing to make it harder to challenge incumbents who might not be doing a good job, and that has been the end result of the reforms since 1974. Since then, senators and congressmen have had significantly higher rates of reelection, higher margins of victory, and there has been a decrease in the number of challengers. And we are not even talking about how these are unconstitutional violations of free speech, but who is counting, they make people feel good and are fashionable.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

Barney Frank, because of his disinterested support of legalizing internet gambling. It's extremely rare for a politician to stick his neck out on an issue when he will receive no real net personal or political benefit from doing so.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

Former medical doctor turned Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn. Partly because of these kind of tidbits:

"WASHINGTON (AP) - US Senator Tom Coburn suggested today that Border Patrol agents should be allowed to shoot at fleeing drug traffickers."

Although he had a 100 per cent approval rate from the American Conservative Union, he has co-sponsored bills with Senator Obama. In addition he has openly criticized fellow Republicans when he thinks they are wasting tax payer money.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

coors,

I don't understand, why is it so awesome to kill untried drug traffickers? Because they are Mexican?

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

Ron Paul - he sticks to what he says, is consistant, and has a lot of interesting ideas that need to be put out there

Al Gore - I respect him a lot, and would respect him even more if he were to run. I think he is the only democrat I could ever cast a vote for. And by ever, I mean in this election. He came out against the war before any public official, and I respect that as well.

john Edwards - for manning up to making a mistake in voting for Iraq, unlike Hillary who blames Bush. Obviously he did it for political reasons, but at least he did it.

Kucinich - again, for being consistant and not basing his decisions on what he thinks will be the popular vote.

Gore/Obama 2008! or Ron Paul/whoever 2008 ! I know, it seems my views are extremly messed up... I want consistancy mainly, don't think Paul has a chance, and even though I want a conservative, I don't think any other republican is worth voting for. Gore is the only one left.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
Former medical doctor turned Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn. Partly because of these kind of tidbits:

"WASHINGTON (AP) - US Senator Tom Coburn suggested today that Border Patrol agents should be allowed to shoot at fleeing drug traffickers."



[/ QUOTE ]

the govt already made marijuana illegal to try and arrest/deport the mexicans, but the damned immigrants just keep getting in.
shooting them, in place of due process, seems like the only real way to handle this situation.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
I respect John McCain because he is a badass who survived tougher conditions than I can imagine.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

for the OP, ron paul, al gore and frank are the only ones that come to mind, but im sure there are a couple im forgetting.


edited to add: i didnt include any supporting reasons since they have already been discussed in detail in this thread.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

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[ QUOTE ]
I respect John McCain because he is a badass who survived tougher conditions than I can imagine.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

i certainly respect him for that, but it ends there.

im afraid he's lost pretty much all his credibility in the last few months with various comments/stances on the war andagreeing with and supporting bush no matter what happens.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I respect John McCain because he is a badass who survived tougher conditions than I can imagine.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

i certainly respect him for that, but it ends there.

im afraid he's lost pretty much all his credibility in the last few months with various comments/stances on the war andagreeing with and supporting bush no matter what happens.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree completely. He has blown the credibility that he spent 20 years building. McCain has been defined by bipartisan efforts, free thinking, doing what he thought was right rather than towing the party line. But put him in this primary situation and he moves to the far right and abandons everything that made him who I thought he was.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I respect John McCain because he is a badass who survived tougher conditions than I can imagine.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

i certainly respect him for that, but it ends there.

im afraid he's lost pretty much all his credibility in the last few months with various comments/stances on the war andagreeing with and supporting bush no matter what happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah... Sigh... Basically what Amplify said. So, so disappointing.


p.s. I can't believe he'd side with bush ever again after the way Rove railroaded him.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I hate to break some unfortunate news, but Ralph Nader is not a libertarian's friend. Maybe you are saying you respect his character, but the main wants to maim and rape the free market. Screw him.

[/ QUOTE ]


you can also thank him every time you get into an accident because he fully advocated that the auto industry actually help keep people alive rather then just cut as many corners to keep costs down by not providing seatbelts and crumple zones in cars that saves lives on a daily basis

[/ QUOTE ]

This doesn't change the fact that he wants to rape the free market.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

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What bill are you talking about?

[/ QUOTE ]

McCain-Feingold. Yet another in a long line of Incumbent Protection Acts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

See The Speech Police (WSH June 27 - you may need a subscription to WSJ online to view the link).

Some excerpts:

In February 2006, Norm Feck learned that the city of Parker, Colo., was considering annexing his unincorporated neighborhood, Parker North. Realizing that it would mean more bureaucracy, Mr. Feck and five other locals wrote letters to the editor, handed out information sheets, formed an Internet discussion group, and printed up anti-annexation yard signs that sprouted throughout the neighborhood.

Annexation supporters responded with a legal complaint against Mr. Feck and his friends for violating Colorado's campaign-finance laws. The suit also threatened anyone who had contacted Mr. Feck's group about the annexation, or put up one of their yard signs, with "investigation, scrutinization, and sanctions for Campaign Finance violations." Apparently the anti-annexation activists hadn't registered with the state, or filled out the required paperwork disclosing their expenditures on time. In February of this year voters defeated the annexation proposal -- but Mr. Feck and others still face steep fines. The case remains in litigation. [not directly related to McCain-Feingold]
.....
During the 2000 presidential race, four men placed a homemade sign, reading VOTE REPUBLICAN: NOT AL GORE SOCIALISM, on a cotton trailer along a Texas highway. The FEC spent nearly 18 months investigating, because the sign lacked the legally required information about who had paid for it. In 2004, Nascar driver Kirk Shelmerdine spent $50 to affix a BUSH-CHENEY '04 decal to an unsold spot on his car's advertising space. The FEC admonished him for making an unreported campaign expenditure.

Such cases are not merely examples of bureaucratic excess, points out campaign-finance lawyer Bob Bauer, a lonely pro-freedom voice in Democratic circles: Under today's intrusive laws, Mr. Shelmerdine's activities demanded an FEC inquiry. Nor are such cases rare.
....
Though they claim to speak for average citizens, reformers don't care much about the way their reforms hurt those citizens. Trevor Potter, president of the Campaign Legal Center and a McCain adviser, has dismissed complaints by arguing that campaign-finance laws are no more complex than antitrust or patent laws. "They are worth the inconvenience and lawyers' fees they generate," says Mr. Potter -- who also heads the campaign-finance practice at the law firm of Caplin & Drysdale, where partner billing rates can range upward of $750 per hour.

Another disturbing trend in campaign-finance regulation is the attempt to directly regulate speech. For example, in the Shelmerdine case, the FEC valued the driver's "contribution" not at the $50 it cost him to place a decal on his car, but at several thousand dollars -- what the FEC determined to be the advertising spot's monetary value.
...

"I have come to doubt that the masses of the people have sense enough to govern themselves," wrote Ben Tillman, the founder of federal campaign-finance reform, in 1916. Many years later, in 1997, House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt famously described the battle over campaign-finance reform as "two important values in direct conflict: freedom of speech and our desire for healthy campaigns in a healthy democracy. You can't have both."

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can you be more detailed please? Is giving senators free golf trips and expensive hookers a form of political speech?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, actually, it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well obviously it is. But is it something that does way way way more harm than good?

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can you be more detailed please? Is giving senators free golf trips and expensive hookers a form of political speech?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, actually, it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well obviously it is. But is it something that does way way way more harm than good?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not even close.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
RON PAUL,

because he actually acts on his beliefs, rather than being a giant douchebag and voting in pork.

I would honestly forgive just about any politician for anything ever if they swore off ever voting for pork spending bills.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ron Paul is many things, but he is hardly kosher when it comes to pork.

One of many Paul pork articles

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the one issue with Dr. Paul that greatly, greatly disappoints me. While his rationalizations for the earmarks he's requested may seem plausible (he's just passing on the requests of his constituents as is his constitutional duty, he is just trying to recover funds lost from his district to federal taxes, he votes against the appropriations bills that contain his pork requests, etc.), they are really just that: rationalizations. For unconstitutional pork barrel spending. Period.

This is one issue where he needs to take a page from Jeff Flake's playbook.

Re: current American politicians that you respect
 

I just made a post in response to the Paul Pork article, explaining why, even though I completely agree that the issue is Paul's great ideological weakness, and may be his Achilles Heel, it will not change my support of him in the upcoming presidential election. I made a handy Venn diagram to illustrate my reasons and summarize my argument:

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c153/Borodog/Venn.png