Feingold

Before 2001 I had never heard much about Russ Feingold. At the time I was a fairly disinterested political observer, cycnical as all hell, and I didn’t really pay a whole lot of attention to what was happening in Washington.

9/11 was a kind of turning point for me, as I’m sure it was for many people. I began to see more clearly our government’s slide from something I thought was noble to what Bush and his enablers have allowed it to become. And the first time I noticed Feingold was when he made the infamous vote. I’m referring of course to his lone vote in the Senate against the USA Patriot Act. (It’s not in the book, but I believe I remember hearing him in an interview say that the reason he was the only one who voted against was that he was the only one who actually read it.)

Since then he’s become a much bigger player in the Senate, with talk of a presidential bid which unfortunately ended when he and his wife divorced. He has tried desperately to get his fellow Democrats to embrace and exercise their political mandate of 2006 and end the war, and he has taken the only action he can to hold Bush accountable by introducing a censure resolution in the senate, which went absolutely nowhere.

I was in the library the other day, and I saw a biography called simply Feingold by Sanford Horwitt and decided to give it a shot. Well, let me restate that. It’s not really a biography, more a love letter. Horwitt is clearly an unabashed fan, even though he does point out a lot of what has made Feingold controversial even among Democrats, especially his unquestioning votes for Bush’s nominees (he believes that, barring a major stain on the record, it’s the president’s right to have his nominees confirmed, which I grudgingly respect), and his vote to continue the impeachment trial of Clinton. But he ties even these in to a bigger picture of who Russ Feingold is: a completely honest politician who states clearly what he believes and acts thusly.

During the long period between when the McCain-Feingold (or Bipartisan Campaign Reform) Act was gestating after having been voted down, Feingold stuck to the letter of his own proposed law, even though his opponent would not. It nearly cost him his seat, but in part because of his honesty he was re-elected. He refuses to take any money or gifts from lobbyists, even those allowed by the law, and will not let his staff receive so much as a cafeteria lunch from anyone. He’s a true progressive in the finest tradition, secure in what he believes in, and willing to take a strong, even maverick stand for what he thinks right.

If you want to find a reason to stop being so cynical about politicians for a little while, check this one out. It’s a quick read, and who knows? Maybe some conservatives can make it one of their 8 books a year (if they’re not in the 34% of them who don’t read anything ever).

And I just found about this cool little program (thanks, Dusty).  Feingold’s PAC, the Progressive Patriots Fund has started up a new campaign, “My President Will Be…“  Check it out and join in the fun.

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