Originally posted by Artesian Ok,
Campaign finance reform he championed has been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but that is not good enough for you?
One particular problem with Feingold is that he's voted for every spending bill that's come across his pen. Wait, I take that back; he voted to cut spending on our military while they were fighting a war. But beside that one patriotic exception, he has been a faithful big spender.
Over-spending is just one problem for Feingold. Based strictly upon his voting record, Feingold has been rated the second most liberal Senator in the Senate, even out-doing self-described socialist Bernie Sanders. Despite his manufactured maverick facade, Feingold's voting record reflects a consistent pro-spending, anti-business, anti-military, anti-free trade, and anti-domestic security agenda that's often seen among the base of his party. Senator Feingold supported the $787 Billion spending plan.
Feingold has consistently voted to obstruct the intelligence gathering networks of the FBI and CIA that's necessary to prevent large-scale terrorist attacks. In 2001, Feingold was the only Senator out of 100 to vote against the Patriot Act.
290 million to Wisconsin Dairy Farmers? So much pork for milk? So much for wasteful Government spending.
Civil Liberties? Sen. Russell Feingold thinks bans on same-sex marriages have no place in the nation's laws. I disagree.
Supported laying groundwork for federal takeover of Healthcare delivery. I disagree.
Thanks for the detailed response.
I guess we just have fundamental disagreements on most of these issues. I see most of them as positives.
The campaign finance decision made by the Supreme Court essentially allows corporations to buy elections, which is one of the saddest things that has happened to this country recently.
Cutting funding for the military is one of the smartest things we can do at this juncture, given our huge debt and the fact that we're fighting two completely unnecessary "wars."
Similarly, though it did add to our debt, the stimulus probably ultimately saved our economy, like it or not.
Re: spending in general:
Senator Russ Feingold: The Control Spending Now Act A fiscal exam for Feingold, Johnson (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Essentially, if you think raising taxes to control the deficit, or passing emergency measures to save the national economy, is being a big spender, then he is. If you think slashing the deficit and opposing big discretionary spending projects is being fiscally conservative, the he is. Ron Johnson, on the other hand, has no record whatsoever, and his plans to reduce the deficit are naive at best.
The Patriot Act was an atrocity as it was originally passed, and I'm proud of Feingold for having the balls to stand up to it alone.
As for gay marriage, well... you're a homophobe, I get it.