Conrad Burns one of Time's worst five

[crazycat]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 28,00.html

"I'm gonna go get knee walkin' drunk!"

[mslacat]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 28,00.html

"I'm gonna go get knee walkin' drunk!"

And yet he will be re-elected.
It is always the other guy's senator that is crooked!

[catamaran]

Conrad sealed my opinion of him right before the first time I could vote. In front of a class of high school seniors he triumphantly proclaims....."Education isn't always important. Heck I barely graduated from high school and now I'm a U. S. Senator". 'Nuff said.

[iaafan]

Heck, I'm surprised he even said it "isn't always important." Shoot, the way I figure it, he's prolly said, "Edge-a-kashun ain't 'portant a-tall" a time 'er two. All ya need is the three Rs -- Redneck, Racist and Republican.

Oh now look what I've gone and done, got all them ripoffleggins all fired up. Heh-heh. C'mon, you guys kin take a joke cain't ya?

[PortlandCat]

His first campaign slogan was "you bet" which I and everyone I knew thought was stupid. I was so shocked he was elected. The guy is an idiot and always has been.

I heard his new slogan was "git er done"

[lifeloyalsigmsu]

Heck, I'm surprised he even said it "isn't always important." Shoot, the way I figure it, he's prolly said, "Edge-a-kashun ain't 'portant a-tall" a time 'er two. All ya need is the three Rs -- Redneck, Racist and Republican.

Oh now look what I've gone and done, got all them ripoffleggins all fired up. Heh-heh. C'mon, you guys kin take a joke cain't ya?

Spoken like a truly elitist liberal!

[G.W.Bush]

After reading about the other 4 Senators that made the list one thing stuck out in my mind, Conrad was the only one that "might have" broken the law.

[Ponycat]

To get on Conrad over his possible ties to the Abramoff scandal is understandable but to say that his legislative record is "meagher" is foolish and flat wrong.

[Hell's Bells]

and yet Teddy "buy me a drink and a babe" Kennedy was one of the best senators....are you kidding me?? lol

[catamaran]

Kind of off topic but that reminds me of a funny bumper sticker I saw yesterday. "I'd rather go hunting with Dick Chaney than take a leisurly drive with Ted Kennedy" Hilarious

[Hell's Bells]

Kind of off topic but that reminds me of a funny bumper sticker I saw yesterday. "I'd rather go hunting with Dick Chaney than take a leisurly drive with Ted Kennedy" Hilarious

funny why should we take seriously a list of senators that are good if one of them has a nic "turban durban"

[SonomaCat]

and yet Teddy "buy me a drink and a babe" Kennedy was one of the best senators....are you kidding me?? lol

What arguments do you have to suggest that he is not a good Senator? (Outside of referencing an accident from 30 years ago)

[RyeCat]

My friend, whom I know is very intelligent and I respect highly, works in Conrad's D.C. office. In the past, she has asked that we vote for Conrad so that she can keep her job. As much as I like her and value her friendshp, I haven't been able to do it. He's an embarrassing hayseed.

[PapaG]

and yet Teddy "buy me a drink and a babe" Kennedy was one of the best senators....are you kidding me?? lol

What arguments do you have to suggest that he is not a good Senator? (Outside of referencing an accident from 30 years ago)

Well, if bringing home the bacon is one of the criteria, it's hard to argue against Ted being in the Top 10 Best.

The Big Dig alone places him in this category. What's the new slogan on that one? "Over $14.6 billion served to local Massachusetts businesses"? The great thing is they still aren't done with it.

Yeah, that Ted. Fighting for the little guy.

[Hell's Bells]

and yet Teddy "buy me a drink and a babe" Kennedy was one of the best senators....are you kidding me?? lol

What arguments do you have to suggest that he is not a good Senator? (Outside of referencing an accident from 30 years ago)

Well, if bringing home the bacon is one of the criteria, it's hard to argue against Ted being in the Top 10 Best.

The Big Dig alone places him in this category. What's the new slogan on that one? "Over $14.6 billion served to local Massachusetts businesses"? The great thing is they still aren't done with it.

Yeah, that Ted. Fighting for the little guy.

so we should not vote for conrad because he is a "embarassing hayseed"?
isnt that a little bigoted? seriously?

[SonomaCat]

and yet Teddy "buy me a drink and a babe" Kennedy was one of the best senators....are you kidding me?? lol

What arguments do you have to suggest that he is not a good Senator? (Outside of referencing an accident from 30 years ago)

Well, if bringing home the bacon is one of the criteria, it's hard to argue against Ted being in the Top 10 Best.

The Big Dig alone places him in this category. What's the new slogan on that one? "Over $14.6 billion served to local Massachusetts businesses"? The great thing is they still aren't done with it.

Yeah, that Ted. Fighting for the little guy.

so we should not vote for conrad because he is a "embarassing hayseed"?
isnt that a little bigoted? seriously?

I'm not sure "embarassing hayseeds" are a protected class of people (to use HR-speak). It's like accusing someone of being a pompous elitist. You can be discriminating (literally, and not in the negative way) in your views and not care for people with those traits (and choose to not vote for a person with those traits to represent your state), but it's certainly not bigoted to hold such an opinion.

In other words, it's not the same as using an ethnic slur (which, incidentally, is one of the identifiers of an embarassing hayseed) ... it's closer to calling someone "dumb."

[Grizlaw]

To get on Conrad over his possible ties to the Abramoff scandal is understandable but to say that his legislative record is "meagher" is foolish and flat wrong.

Is it? What was the last bill of significance that Burns sponsored? What was the last major bill on which he was a key player in reaching a compromise?

The thing about Burns is that, whenever his supporters are questioned about his record, they always point to the amount of money he has brought to the state of Montana. That's fine; as a Montanan, I like to see federal dollars flowing to Montana, but you must realize that alone does not make a noteworthy legislative record. He may be doing a good job of doing what his constituents want, but he's certainly not a mover/shaker on the national level. (It is also a bit ironic that a lot of the same people who praise Burns for bringing money to Montana are also the same people who criticize other states' Senators for bringing "pork" to their states, but that's another matter.)

Bottom line: Burns is a solid, "yes-Republican," and I do agree with him on a lot of issues, but I don't think it's unfair to say that his legislative record is less than spectacular.

--GL

[Ponycat]

To get on Conrad over his possible ties to the Abramoff scandal is understandable but to say that his legislative record is "meagher" is foolish and flat wrong.

Is it? What was the last bill of significance that Burns sponsored? What was the last major bill on which he was a key player in reaching a compromise?

The thing about Burns is that, whenever his supporters are questioned about his record, they always point to the amount of money he has brought to the state of Montana. That's fine; as a Montanan, I like to see federal dollars flowing to Montana, but you must realize that alone does not make a noteworthy legislative record. He may be doing a good job of doing what his constituents want, but he's certainly not a mover/shaker on the national level. (It is also a bit ironic that a lot of the same people who praise Burns for bringing money to Montana are also the same people who criticize other states' Senators for bringing "pork" to their states, but that's another matter.)

Bottom line: Burns is a solid, "yes-Republican," and I do agree with him on a lot of issues, but I don't think it's unfair to say that his legislative record is less than spectacular.

--GL

Take a look at any of major telecommunications and telemedicine bills and you will see that Conrad is a "mover/shaker" Conrad has been at the forefront of telecommunications, particulary the internet since he has been in the Senate. You don't get called the "Father of the Internet" by Yahoo for simply bringing home the pork. A couple of examples would his work on making the cyperspace more secure (tech 7, I think, and e-Eleven) he also helped author the Telecommunications Act (not sure what year), and the CAN SPAM Bill

And yes most of Conrad's bill's have to do with money because he is on the Appropriations committee...oh the horror and the money he has gotten our universities are because of his seat on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee. God forbid if he makes sure money earmarked for research and development is given to Montanans for research and development.

His work on COOL legislation, keeping International Markets open for American beef, his help for Small business, Veterans, and Asbestosis victims plus his pushing to split the 9th Circuit, might be issues that are a little too local for TIME Magazine but are major reasons I'm a huge fan of Conrad.

[HelenaCat95]

To get on Conrad over his possible ties to the Abramoff scandal is understandable but to say that his legislative record is "meagher" is foolish and flat wrong.

Is it? What was the last bill of significance that Burns sponsored? What was the last major bill on which he was a key player in reaching a compromise?

The thing about Burns is that, whenever his supporters are questioned about his record, they always point to the amount of money he has brought to the state of Montana. That's fine; as a Montanan, I like to see federal dollars flowing to Montana, but you must realize that alone does not make a noteworthy legislative record. He may be doing a good job of doing what his constituents want, but he's certainly not a mover/shaker on the national level. (It is also a bit ironic that a lot of the same people who praise Burns for bringing money to Montana are also the same people who criticize other states' Senators for bringing "pork" to their states, but that's another matter.)

Bottom line: Burns is a solid, "yes-Republican," and I do agree with him on a lot of issues, but I don't think it's unfair to say that his legislative record is less than spectacular.

--GL

Take a look at any of major telecommunications and telemedicine bills and you will see that Conrad is a "mover/shaker" Conrad has been at the forefront of telecommunications, particulary the internet since he has been in the Senate. You don't get called the "Father of the Internet" by Yahoo for simply bringing home the pork. A couple of examples would his work on making the cyperspace more secure (tech 7, I think, and e-Eleven) he also helped author the Telecommunications Act (not sure what year), and the CAN SPAM Bill

And yes most of Conrad's bill's have to do with money because he is on the Appropriations committee...oh the horror and the money he has gotten our universities are because of his seat on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee. God forbid if he makes sure money earmarked for research and development is given to Montanans for research and development.

His work on COOL legislation, keeping International Markets open for American beef, his help for Small business, Veterans, and Asbestosis victims plus his pushing to split the 9th Circuit, might be issues that are a little too local for TIME Magazine but are major reasons I'm a huge fan of Conrad.

Ponycat...call me on cell when you get a chance.

[Grizlaw]

Take a look at any of major telecommunications and telemedicine bills and you will see that Conrad is a "mover/shaker" Conrad has been at the forefront of telecommunications, particulary the internet since he has been in the Senate.

You're correct; he is something of a leader in the technology arena. I had forgotten about that aspect of his record when I posted.

I guess my point is, the guy has been in the Senate for 18 years now, and considering his level of seniority, it doesn't seem to me like he's accomplished that much from a leadership perspective (and I'm not saying he hasn't accomplished much in other ways; he has...but since we're talking about his legislative record here, I'm just looking at areas where he has been instrumental in getting bills drafted and passed -- the fact is, there aren't many, considering how long he's been around).

I don't deny that he's done some good things, (particularly for Montana), but on most issues he does tend to be more of a follower than a leader. Coupled with the fact that a lot of what Burns does accomplish would be considered "pork" to the rest of the country, it doesn't shock me that much that Time would label his record as "meager."