My Bitch to Senators & Representative running for President

[LynneSin]

I'm checking roll call for the Senate today and I've noticed that 5 votes are missing from most votes on September 10th and 4 of them are demo candidates for president:

First, although I'm a Dean supporter I've also have quite vocally stated that I have no problem voting for any of the other democratic candidates out there. In fact John Kerry rates pretty high on my list of candidates. However, I noticed that on September 10th it seems that Kerry, Graham Edwards and Lieberman missed a great deal of the votes that day. We didn't lose anything signficant, but 4 missing senators in a tightly divided senate can make a major impact. Days that all 4 of them out might be a great opportunity for Repukes to try and pass a bill that they might lose a few moderate republicans to our side

It would be nice if these candidates would make it a point to not be out all at once and even minimize the amount of time campaigning so they will be available to vote on the floor. First and foremost these people were elected to do a job in DC and we are in dire need of their votes (hey even Lieberman has supported good causes like the Democratic filibusters against right-wing judges).

[liberalnurse]

1. I don't know how they can miss votes and

not be haunted with guilt. I feel guilty calling off of work even if I was sick...I go in and rough it out most of the time. I have not called off for well over two years. If I need time off, I get my own coverage. When I teach nursing classes, there are no subsitutes, I got to go..... ( part-time adjuct).

I have a responsibility that I accept as being a leader. So do these guys!

[JI7]

2. senate isn't like the house

they have some deal in the senate where they wont do something like that.daschle knows the schedule. daschle lets them know when they are needed for votes. the senate is too close for republicans to try something like that and they know it would hurt them in the future when things are turned around.

[LynneSin]

3. Bill Frist is running the senate

And he's getting his barking orders from Dick Cheney.

I would not put it past the Bush Regime and their neo-con cohorts to shove a bill through the senate on days that 4 democratic senators (3 who are likely not to vote against party line) are out of office.

I mean, I doubt that Frist could get away with voting for another war or tax cuts. But a small amendment or bill that makes cuts to social spending, changes in women's rights or other "little" things that might fall below the public radar - Yeah, I can see Frist getting the orders to take advantage of this.

This isn't our congress from 2-3 decades ago when Republicans and Democrats played fair; this is a whole new and dirty ballgame