Congratulations to Orrin Hatch, renominated for a 73rd term as Senator from Utah.
OK, it's not really his 73rd term. Still, he's quite the survivor. It's unfair to him that he's getting paired with Charlie Rangel in news coverage. Rangel is a disgraced Member of the House who lost everything (including his reputation) but his seat and is clinging to just that; Hatch is still going to be a formidable presence in the 113th Congress next year. Rangel got himself in trouble; Hatch's trouble had nothing to do with anything he ever did.
Hatch has been a serious legislator. He's similar to Bob Dole, I think, without the sense of humor (or perhaps I just don't properly appreciate Hatch's sense of humor): both did more than their share of serious work in the Senate, but both also were perfectly willing to use the most vicious partisanship when they wanted, too. They're not quite Ted Kennedy types, because Kennedy really seemed to be driven by real dedication to issues...you don't get that sense, or at least I don't, with Hatch, or with Dole. Maybe George Mitchell was a good comp from the Democrats? I liked Dole's style more than I like Hatch's style; Dole used mean humor, while Hatch, to my ears, uses sanctimony, although it's certainly not as annoying to me as Joe Lieberman's act, probably because I assume with Hatch he knows it's an act. And also, of course, because I think Hatch really does work hard the rest of the time; with Holy Joe, it's all posturing.
Anyway, congrats to Hatch on another term.
Showing posts with label Orrin Hatch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Orrin Hatch. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Senator Orrin Hatch, 78. I've always thought of him as the epitome of the lawyer/politician. Does he believe any of what he says? No idea, but he knows which side he's on, will do what it takes for his side, and as far as I can tell when he's not making with the partisan talking points and actions he's been a reasonably productive Senator.
On to the good stuff:
1. How Republicans abandoned fiscal conservativism, by Bruce Bartlett.
2. Sarah Binder, on team teaching with...Ben Bernanke! Those interested in the Fed -- be sure to get down to comments in order to click through and get her syllabus.
3. More on whether and people sort themselves (geographically/residentially): Bill Bishop, also at the Monkey Cage.
4. Andrew Sprung, on Mitt Romney and the truth.
5. And Congressional oversight is really important, but it ain't coming from Darrell Issa apparently. Glenn Kessler on the Chair's latest whopper.
On to the good stuff:
1. How Republicans abandoned fiscal conservativism, by Bruce Bartlett.
2. Sarah Binder, on team teaching with...Ben Bernanke! Those interested in the Fed -- be sure to get down to comments in order to click through and get her syllabus.
3. More on whether and people sort themselves (geographically/residentially): Bill Bishop, also at the Monkey Cage.
4. Andrew Sprung, on Mitt Romney and the truth.
5. And Congressional oversight is really important, but it ain't coming from Darrell Issa apparently. Glenn Kessler on the Chair's latest whopper.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Defending Hatch
Regular readers know that I like politicians, as a group, and that includes hack pols. So it isn't just knee-jerk contrarianism at work when I say: c'mon, Steven Benen and Matt Yglesias, give Orrin Hatch a break.
The story, if you've missed it...It seems that Hatch went on the radio and (horrors) inveighed against The Washington Establishment on behalf of the little folks such as, well, himself. Now, Yglesias and Benen found that ridiculous (something about how Hatch has been in the Senate since Bobby -- not Barry -- Bobby Bonds was only on his second team, which for you non-baseball fans is also known as since Hector was a pup). And, of course, it is. But so what? That's what politicians do. In fact, Richard Fenno's discussion of Members of Congress who run for re-election by running against Congress predates Hatch's Senate career.
Benen's second point, I think, is also on the weak side. He thinks it's unfair of Hatch to bash the current administration, when after all it was Republicans in the previous decade, Hatch included, who botched everything up so much. Well, yes...but again, what else is Hatch going to say? Voters may choose to buy it or not, but it's hardly unreasonable of someone in the out-party to blame the in-party for all manner of troubles. That's how it works.
I do think that Hatch acts the partisan hack pretty often -- but I like the ability to do that in a politician. Surely, he's no more so than Bob Dole or Ted Kennedy, and both of them were (in my opinion, I guess I should say) first-rate Senators. Now, Hatch is a bit too sanctimonious for my tastes, but on the whole I think he's been a fairly serious Senator over the years. At least when the cameras are looking the other way. He just saw the junior (ha!) Senator from his state get trounced. Seems to me he's exactly correct to do a little rabble-rousing, and what he said was about as harmless as it gets. I suppose it's also part of the game that liberals will give him grief for it, but in my view there are plenty of pols handling the current tides within the GOP a lot less reasonably, and they're the ones who deserve the snark.
The story, if you've missed it...It seems that Hatch went on the radio and (horrors) inveighed against The Washington Establishment on behalf of the little folks such as, well, himself. Now, Yglesias and Benen found that ridiculous (something about how Hatch has been in the Senate since Bobby -- not Barry -- Bobby Bonds was only on his second team, which for you non-baseball fans is also known as since Hector was a pup). And, of course, it is. But so what? That's what politicians do. In fact, Richard Fenno's discussion of Members of Congress who run for re-election by running against Congress predates Hatch's Senate career.
Benen's second point, I think, is also on the weak side. He thinks it's unfair of Hatch to bash the current administration, when after all it was Republicans in the previous decade, Hatch included, who botched everything up so much. Well, yes...but again, what else is Hatch going to say? Voters may choose to buy it or not, but it's hardly unreasonable of someone in the out-party to blame the in-party for all manner of troubles. That's how it works.
I do think that Hatch acts the partisan hack pretty often -- but I like the ability to do that in a politician. Surely, he's no more so than Bob Dole or Ted Kennedy, and both of them were (in my opinion, I guess I should say) first-rate Senators. Now, Hatch is a bit too sanctimonious for my tastes, but on the whole I think he's been a fairly serious Senator over the years. At least when the cameras are looking the other way. He just saw the junior (ha!) Senator from his state get trounced. Seems to me he's exactly correct to do a little rabble-rousing, and what he said was about as harmless as it gets. I suppose it's also part of the game that liberals will give him grief for it, but in my view there are plenty of pols handling the current tides within the GOP a lot less reasonably, and they're the ones who deserve the snark.
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