Do this for Russ, please

Click here and vote for him for Most Trusted Senator.  Please.  I know it's just an online poll, and maybe not the most important thing in the world, but I want him to have that award to go with his Profile in Courage Award, his Mr. Smith Goes to
Washington Award, and his 10 awards from the Concord Coalition for fiscal responsibility. Edit: Reminder, this poll ends September 15th so there is not much time left. Go back and vote next week, if you can. If he announces his candidacy for President, I will start a blog supporting him and I want to be able to put a banner on there that says voted Most Trusted Senator.  I want to make bumper stickers that say voted Most Trusted Senator.  Just think of how that sounds in an era of government distrust.  Every little bit helps.

When I checked yesterday, he was in 8th place.  Give me a break.

Of all our current Senators...

Who is the straight shooter? Who speaks English and not legalese? Who makes more effort to listen to his constituents?  

He has traveled the country to support candidates like John Courage  and is supporting them financially even though he does not have a big ass war chest.    He thinks of others, not just himself.

He accepts no gifts, none,  and allows his staff to take none.  Here's a quote from washingtonpost.com:

As a former Congressional staffer, I can say that whatever you think of Feingold's positions on policy, you can never question his committment to his principles. We all know that the Senator is a strong proponent of campaign finance reform, but he takes his committment to new highs, banning his staff from accepting gifts from anyone. That is no gifts. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. I once offered a staffer a soda and she declined saying that they are not allowed to accept anything from anyone even though we were in a Congressional office building and I was a fellow Congressional staffer. At the time I thought it was extreme, but with the current reports of widespread corruption on the Hill, I think it says a lot about Feingold's committment to clean government.

Posted by: RM | June 5, 2006 01:32 PM

He returns his pay raises to the treasury.  He ran his 1998 Senate campaign  according to the rules of McCain-Feingold before it was even law and he nearly lost his seat over it.  Again, he thinks of what is right, what makes for good government, and not just his own advantage.  He is trying to get pols to pay full price if they want to fly on corporate jets,  not get the rides on the cheap, even as his supposed cohort in cleaning up the big money influence, McCain, squirms on the issue now that he's considering a run for President.  Funny thing is, Russ is considering running too, yet he's still willing to put fairness and accountability into the law even though he would benefit more than most from cheaper jet travel, being about the poorest guy in the Senate.

Who was first in the Senate to say, eh, mebbe we need to get out of Iraq at some point? Who had the sense to not vote for going into Iraq in the first place?

Who did not panic post 9/11, remembered the Constitution, did his job, actually read the USA P.A.T.R.I.O.T A.C.T., and stood alone to vote against it?  

Who has tried to protect Americans' jobs  by voting against NAFTA, Most Favored Nation trading status for China, and other sucky trade deals?

Who tried to keep radio from becoming Clear-Channelized?

Who stood alone against removing the US from accountability to the International Court for war crimes?

Who has tried to protect the elderly from financial penalties for signing up late to the sucky Medicare Part D?  Who voted against that piece of garbage bill when its sponsors wouldn't even allow proper debate on his amendments? And who favored importation of cheaper drugs from Canada?  Who is working on getting health care for all Americans now so as to have something ready for the new Congress, not sitting on his ass waiting until after the election to do anything?

Who tried to increase the homestead exemption for the elderly in the crappy bankruptcy bill? Who voted against that piece of excrement ultimately?

Who takes his advice from voters and not DC consultants? Can you imagine Russ allowing himself to be Swiftboated? Has Russ ever apologized for standing up to the Bushistas? Look, I don't think Kerry or Durbin are bad Senators, hell, I supported Kerry before the primary in 2004.  But both those men have gone on to disappoint me, and I believe others, in fundamental ways - yet both of them are higher in this poll than Russ.  It makes no sense to me.  

On some of the legislation above, he was not the only Senator who was good on the issue. But he has been alone pretty often, especially on matters of protecting the Bill of Rights.   On the "patriot" act and the NSA warrantless wiretapping he has  been either alone or slow to get any support in defending our own American freedoms. Think about that.

I know people, even here where he is pretty much loved, don't agree with everything he's done and said.  I don't either. But on balance, I don't see how any Senator could be considered more trustworthy than Feingold.  If Russ says something, you can take it to the bank.

So, Kosmopolitans, please Kos this poll.   Thank you.