Politico reports Connecticut voters have locked Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd in the doghouse for his role in the AIG bonus scandal.
According to a new Quinnipiac poll, former Republican congressman Rob Simmons, who officially announced last month that he would be challenging Dodd in 2010, is beating the five-term incumbent by no less than 16 points – 50 percent to 34 percent. Dodd is also trailing Simmons among independent voters by a whopping 31 points – 56 percent to 25 percent.
In layman’s terms, this ain’t good.
SIXTEEN POINTS! And keep in mind that Connecticut isn’t exactly Texas. For a Democrat who has served in the Senate from a blue state as long Dodd has, this is unusual.
And that’s not all. No, the fun’s just beginning. Politico also reports little-known GOP state senator Sam Caligiuri, who announced on Tuesday his intention to run for Dodd’s seat, is beating the embattled Democrat by four points – 41 percent to 37 percent.
“Dodd’s approval ratings are in the tank, with 58 percent of Connecticut voters disapproving of his job performance and only 33 percent viewing him favorably,” says Politico. “He doesn’t even have support within his own party – only 51 percent of Democrats approve of him.”
As can be expected, the voters of Connecticut are royally pissed at Dodd for helping to make it possible for greedy and inept AIG executives to get millions in bonuses. 74 percent of those surveyed said Dodd was to blame for those bonuses and 54 percent said he is not honest or trustworthy.
The good senator should have realized that the American people will not tolerate four things – extramarital affairs, homosexuality, atheism, and giving taxpayer money to rich and unscrupulous fat cats on Wall Street.
Still, Dodd has a year and a half to turn things around. I suggest that he immediately undergo sex reassignment surgery and change his name to Hillary Rodham Obama. Or maybe he can just skip the operation and change his name to Ned Lamont II.
Before I end here, I just have to say that while I have nothing against Dodd personally, I have always felt that he is the most boring person to ever serve in Congress. No kidding. This guy is so dull he makes Joe Lieberman look young and interesting. Dodd has “status quo” written all over his body. I understand why people are angry at him, but, seriously, was anyone really surprised to learn of Dodd’s actions regarding AIG?
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He and Frank had a lot to do with the FAnnie MAy/Freddie Mac disaster. Would be nice if both would be gone but 1 is better than none.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite:
Bush's first budget, written in 2001 — seven years ago — called runaway subprime lending by the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac "a potential problem" and warned of "strong repercussions in financial markets."
In 2003, Bush's Treasury secretary, John Snow, proposed what the New York Times called "the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago." Did Democrats in Congress welcome it? Hardly.
"I do not think we are facing any kind of a crisis," declared Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., in a response typical of those who viewed Fannie and Freddie as a party patronage machine that the GOP was trying to dismantle. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," added Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del.
http://www.investors.com/editorial/EditorialContent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=313027333411197&secure=1&show=1&rss=1
Harrison - I have no time to research the matter but I suspect you are cherry picking quotes to bolster your blame everyone but the Repugnants position. Since Bush and the Repugnants had overwhelming control of Congress for the six years after SCOTUS appointed Bush resident, why was the, how did you put it?, most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry... never put into law? Why was a bill based on that never enacted? Inquiring minds want to know.
ReplyDeleteMore recently, intelligent people have pointed out that (1) Fannie and Freddie had little to do with the actual instruments of destruction and (2) neither Fannie or Freddie forced banks and mortgage companies to accept bad loans. So, start over and try again to push the Republican "We deny responsibility for anything" song. It is the Repugnant way. Remember, Clinton did it and if he didn't, Carter did it and if he didn't it must have been Obama doing it retroactively.
I think Dodd shot himself in foot with the whole bonus ordeal. Can't say as I will miss him.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to laugh my ass off if Dodd actually loses to one of those Republicans.
ReplyDeleteI think the key part of your response would be:
ReplyDelete"I have no time to research the matter"
Also, if you'd like, I'd be more than happy to loan you my high school civics book that goes over how, unless one side has 60 votes, they can prevent measures from coming to a vote either in comittee or on the floor.
I think if you cared enough about the issue you'd find time to research it more fully.
Harrison - one side can win with a simple majority. They just have to care enough to sit out attempts to filibuster. Senators have gotten so out of the habit of filibustering they forget there is a down side for filibusterers. Negative political attention. Filibusterers hold up important legislation and the public doesn't like that. If Obama and the Democrats in the Senate just had a pair they would let the Repugnants filibuster all they wanted. Repugnants are very good at saying things that get them in trouble. Frankly, I think it is a good idea. Instead, Repugnants, when in power, threatened to change the rules of the Senate to strict majority rules (the nuclear option). Personally, I wish they had. We wouldn't even be having this discussion.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere, somehow, I think that there were enough anti-reg Repugnants in Congress to block any attempt at regulation, with or without Democrats approval. Not that Democrats weren't at fault too. But my rant is against the Repugnants who pretend they weren't responsible for anything.
Some research on Snow(job):
ReplyDeleteFrom wikipedia:
In 1988, Snow left CSX Transportation (the railroad) to become President and Chief Operating Officer of CSX Corporation (the holding company). As of April 1989, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of CSX. From 1991, he also served as CSX's Chairman. He continued to hold all three posts until he was named Secretary of the Treasury in 2003.
In his drive for efficient capital investment,Snow cut $2.4. billion between 1984-1993. Part of the savings was effected by using 3 instead of 4 engines on some hauls. Other savings were effected by huge deferred maintenance and deferred safety measures. CSX was found guilty of flagrant violation of the public trust in the infamous Orlon switch case which resulted in punitive damage fines of $50 million which CSX was able to pass on to Amtrak which was operating the train involved, though it was found faultless.
Having worked on a railroad for 25 years, I remember very well the Raygun era theory of maintenance: wait until it breaks. Apparently Snow was an advocate of this cost-saving and life-endangering theory of management also. Not sure he was everything you claim him to be Harrison. Research will continue. Haven't found ANYTHING on Republican efforts to regulate the financial markets yet.
Dodd told CNN on Wednesday that he was responsible for language added to the stimulus bill to make sure that existing contracts for bonuses at companies receiving federal bailout money were honored.
ReplyDeleteImagine that! A politician taking responsibility! Repuglies don't do that.
One candidate is former Republican Rep. Rob Simmons, who announced this week that he'll challenge Dodd next year.
Simmons sees an opening, saying that Dodd "failed in his oversight responsibilities. I think the papers and everybody else have got it right. It's a flip-flop."
This is from the party which practiced NO OVERSIGHT in 8 years whatsoever.
Frankly, I think Dodd's people will remember what he's done over his long years of service and not this mistake. And the Repugnant will shoot himself in the foot with his genetic Republican hypocrisy.