Paul Breaks Freshman Mold
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on February 8th, 2011 5:39 am by HL
Paul Breaks Freshman Mold
The Hill looks at how freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has “broken with tradition” by pushing ambitious proposals that drive policy in his first year in office, rather than the usual “keep-your-head down approach” favored by fellow freshmen Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ron Johnson (R-WI).
“He has pushed a proposal to cut $500 billion in federal spending over the course of a single year. That has applied pressure to GOP leaders, including Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, to take a similarly hard approach or risk looking timid to Tea Party activists… Defying Republican orthodoxy, Paul has called for steep cuts in defense spending. Picking a fight with the pro-Israel lobby, he is seeking an end to all foreign aid, including aid to the U.S. ally.”
Quote of the Day
“I’m of the belief that had God appeared in front of President Obama in 2009 and said if he could do one thing on the face of the planet, and one thing only, to make the world a better place and give people more hope and opportunity for the future, I would venture that it would have something to do with finding the two-state solution to the Middle East.”
— Former National Security Adviser Jim Jones, quoted by the Jerusalem Post.
Blumenthal Sees Advantage in Being a Rookie
The Wall Street Journal notes that Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) marks a new era in Connecticut in which the state’s U.S. senators will have little to no seniority.
“In the space of two years, Connecticut will see more than 50 years of combined seniority leave the Senate, with the recent retirement of Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd — which opened the door for Mr. Blumenthal — and the planned departure next year of Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent. Power and influence in the Senate are usually measured in years, if not decades, in office. With just four weeks on the job, Mr. Blumenthal insisted he could overcome that apparent disadvantage.”
“While Mr. Dodd and Mr. Lieberman were known for their national ambitions — both made unsuccessful bids for the White House — Mr. Blumenthal said he has no interest in the presidential horse race.”
Said Blumenthal: “Connecticut comes first. Without talking about Senators Dodd or Lieberman…there is a phenomenon about the United States Senate, which is that sometimes people aspire to higher office and that can diminish their effectiveness on behalf of their home state.”
