About the series: With a sour economy and an increasingly anxious American public, the workings of Washington are inextricably linked to electoral politics headed into this year’s midterms. NBC’s Ken Strickland sat down with nine lawmakers who will depart from the Senate after this year. Together, they represent 158 years of Senate service and offer unique insights into how the Senate works and how it has changed. Read more about the series here.
On Aug. 5, the Senate passed the largest child nutrition bill in history, affecting what students eat every day in public schools. On that same day, the chamber also authorized $600 million for border security and confirmed more than 100 ambassadors, judges, U.S. attorneys, and members of the military.
Each was approved unanimously, and it was all over in a matter of minutes. And you probably didn't hear much, if anything, about it.
"I think that there’s a lot more good going on here than what appears," said Sen. George Voinovich. Of all the senators serving their final months in Congress, it's the Republican from Ohio who speaks with the most passion about the Senate’s little-noticed productivity.
..No doubt, the Senate could use an overhaul on how it addresses the nation’s problems, Voinovich said. But he rejects the public’s perennial views of a “do-nothing” Senate, blaming that perception on the media’s focuse on the bills that provide the most political drama.
Read the rest here.
Comment: While it is an interesting series of interviews, nevertheless it's troubling just how out of touch this group of out-going senators are with America and how bond they are to the statist agenda. Each views them self as a mini-president whose focus is the country and world and the lobbyist rather than representing their state and the people.
No election will change the US Senate, only repealing the 17th Amendment will change the tide.You can change one or two senators, but in the end the influence remains. We will only succeed when the power and influence is "limited." Again it's through the repeal of the 17th that will accomplish this badly needed task.
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