Democrat and Chronicle’s Tom Tobin misses the point
Would you like to be the smartest person in Hell or the dumbest person in Heaven?
Silly question, of course, because it is the location not the individual. Where are we as a society, as a country after 8 years of GOP rule?
Listen to what passes for concern by D&C editorial board member Tom Tobin over loss of Senior GOP House seats in WNY.
We’re losing Reynolds and Walsh, both of whom had seniority and conference clout, though currently as members of the minority party. Democrats may take those seats but they will come in as very junior members, taking what they can get and saying little in the process. And, as is very possible, there is a shift in political power in Congress in the next several years, upstate will have junior members in the minority party.
Where to start.
What exactly has the seniority of Walsh and Reynolds and brought us over the past 8 years? Enablement of the national GOP policies.
Feel free to build on it in the comments but off the top of my head - Iraq, Credit Crunch, Housing debacle, Katrina response, Forgottenstan and the resurgence of the Taliban, trashed world reputation immediately come to mind.
Heck there is an bus dedicated to the legacy of the failed GOP policies enabled during the Bush Administration. Many of these supported by our soon to be former Senior GOP Congressman. It is the philosophy not the man.
Sorry Tom - got to do better than that.
What do you think?
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this is further evidence of ny’s status quoism. the media talks about need for change, but is afraid of it when the opportunity comes. most voters are the same way. and to broaden a little, with paterson’s (visionary) cuts coming, let’s see what other groups step up to defend the status quo.
Ridiculous. If Massa, Maffei and Powers all win, which looks possible if not likely, we would have FOUR Representatives with an interest in the Rochester area, one of which is the chair of the Rules Committee. Show me any other upstate city that wouldn’t change places with us in a heartbeat. Seniority is almost meaningless in the House when you are in the minority- you get a nice title and a little more courtesy.
Besides, what kind of Federal aid has Rochester to show from decades of representation by Republicans? We have usually gotten far less than Buffalo or Syracuse- or it’s been sprayed out in small grants to rich suburbs that really don’t need the money, instead of being used for something that would benefit all area residents.
Great point about the status quo
“And, as is very possible, there is a shift in political power in Congress in the next several years, upstate will have junior members in the minority party.”
This is what passes for commentary at the D&C?
And if, as is very possible, there is a further shift in political power in Congress to the Democratic party in just this election season, upstate will have junior members in a party with an even greater majority.
One of the guys mentioned in the article, Reynolds, is not running again because he knows the political climate weighs heavily against him and he knew that even if he did win, he’d likely be returning to a Congress that was even more Democratic, depriving him of much of the benefit of his seniority. So, the writer’s point is moot.
IF IF IF IF …. How ridiculous is it to say that we shouldn’t elect Democrats IN CASE Republicans take over congress again some day … that’s like saying we should buy VHS tapes instead of DVDs IN CASE VHS makes a come back.
An argument I have been making lately applies to Tobin’s “logic” here. He is basically arguing for experience over youth, regardless of other qualifications. And to that I say, experience isn’t worth anything if it takes you in the wrong direction. And it seems to me that the direction Rethuglicans have taken this country has been determined to be wrong direction by poll after poll.
So do you want experience that takes you in the wrong direction? I sure don’t.
Excellent post. Tobin’s reasoning is the type of nonsense that keeps getting incumbents reelected, time after time after time. You’re totally right, what, exactly, has their seniority gotten us? Upstate NY jobs and economy are in the tank. We’re bleeding population. I think we’re way past time for change and bold, new leadership.
Well put, Paige. And some people, like Dubya, are specifically experienced in the process of making bad decisions. But that’s supposed to be a good thing.
Forgottenstan…I like that.
Did you think of it yourself?
i tend to hope that republican congresses are more like beta. gone and nearly forgotten.
I heard/read it a couple of places a while back as well as recently and when I was typing it came to me.
I don’t remember where I first heard it