Althouse: "In this anti-establishment year, Ron Johnson is perhaps the only member of his freshman Republican Senate class who can truly lay claim to the Washington outsider label."

November 18, 2010

"In this anti-establishment year, Ron Johnson is perhaps the only member of his freshman Republican Senate class who can truly lay claim to the Washington outsider label."

"Wisconsin’s newly elected senator has never served in public office. He didn’t benefit from family political connections, as did Rand Paul of Kentucky or Mike Lee of Utah. He funded most of his campaign with his personal fortune, keeping special interests at bay."

A worthy successor to our much-loved Senator Feingold.

50 comments:

garage mahal said...: He’ll stand out,” Ritchie said of Johnson.

Yes, he certainly stands out alright.; 11/18/10, 6:27 PM
Anonymous said...: The linked piece presents Johnson as someone who is going to remain an "outsider" in totally non-specific terms. It says nothing, really. The guy comes off seeming like an empty shell who got elected based on the backlash against the too-far-left incumbent.

At least Feingold stood up for personal freedom, and was often the only one to do it. I can foresee Johnson voting over the course of his tenure to cede more and more power to the Administration, fueling insanely intrusive programs like the new TSA genital exams.

I think Feingold would have immediately worked to put a stop to these TSA atrocities. Johnson just seems to be sitting on the sidelines relishing his "outsider" status. A quick loss for him IMHO.; 11/18/10, 6:30 PM
Opus One Media said...: i think it is very instructive that one can be called "anti establishment" and have a net worth in the many millions...anti-establishment capitalism at its finest.; 11/18/10, 6:37 PM
Trooper York said...: Why is that a problem hd?

You are a rich commie after all.; 11/18/10, 6:39 PM
Anonymous said...: Senator Russ Benedict Feingold is, in fact, much hated.

Because he tried to repeal the First Amendment to the Constitution - the preeminent God-given right - and was only stopped from doing so by the Supreme Court of the United States, which rebuked him. He was then summarily fired by his constituents.

Russ Feingold is a traitor to the United States - and the United States Senate is a much cleaner institution without his stain on it.

One hopes they can eventually remove the odor he left behind.; 11/18/10, 6:48 PM
traditionalguy said...: Johnson sure has been a flop so far...no legislation passed...no filibusters...no Federal Agencies threatened. Why is he such a lazy quitter. We demand an answer. And no waiting for next year, you fail of a Senator. This comment could make MSNBC as a talking point.; 11/18/10, 7:00 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: Julius said...

At least Feingold stood up for personal freedom, and was often the only one to do it.

So you're saying McCain knocked Feingold out with a big rock and then forged Feingold's signature on that little law they wrote to eviscerate the first amendment?; 11/18/10, 7:26 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: "keeping special interests at bay."

The Chamber of Commerce is a special interest and was hardly kept at bay as they ran ads for Ron Johnson, the plastics executive.

And Johnson relied on advertising heavily while avoiding the news media and reporters.

Johnson said he'd share his views after the election. An interesting approach.; 11/18/10, 7:33 PM
ricpic said...: Ron Johnson's breath is DeMinty fresh and that's good enough for me.; 11/18/10, 7:40 PM
Anonymous said...: much-loved Senator Feingold

Speak for yourself, lady.; 11/18/10, 7:40 PM
Beth said...: "with his personal fortune."

Yes, a real Mr. Smith goes to Washington.; 11/18/10, 7:54 PM
Trooper York said...: "The Chamber of Commerce is a special interest"

Bad, bad Chamber of Commerce.

You are almost as bad as the Elks or the Rotary. Shame on you!

And let's not even talk about the fuckin' Knights of Columbus or the Society of St. Vincent DePaul. Those dirty christianists!; 11/18/10, 7:59 PM
Anonymous said...: What Family political connections did Mike Lee have?

That his dad was Solicitor General?

Is that a political position?; 11/18/10, 8:03 PM
Anonymous said...: AlphaLiberal said..." Johnson said he'd share his views after the election. An interesting approach."

Kinda' reminds me of Hillary Clintons "Listening Tour" for the two years preceding her Senatorial victory....; 11/18/10, 8:07 PM
Anonymous said...: If only they'd have let Feingold stay on as Senator for a couple of months after the election, I bet he'd have done something about that awful TSA.; 11/18/10, 8:51 PM
Revenant said...: i think it is very instructive that one can be called "anti establishment" and have a net worth in the many millions

Personally, I think it is very instructive to learn that a person thinks "wealthy" and "establishment" are the same thing.; 11/18/10, 8:55 PM
Unknown said...: Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina were in the same mold, so it's not all that unique.

HDHouse said...

i think it is very instructive that one can be called "anti establishment" and have a net worth in the many millions...anti-establishment capitalism at its finest.

HD gives special dispensation to Dr Armand Hammer and George Soros.; 11/18/10, 9:03 PM
Michael Haz said...: our much-loved Senator Feingold

Wishful dreaming. Feingold was clearly not much-loved by enough voters to re-elect him against a political rookie.

Feingold earned his defeat. He worked very hard at saying "screw you" to nearly every voting ward in Wisconsin, except a few in Dane and Milwaukee Counties, which held enough Dem votes to return him to office by the slimmest of margins in past elections.

But not this time. Wisconsin had enough of Feingold's lying about his "fiscal conservatism" in Wisconsin, then spending in Washington like he owned a press for printing for million dollar bills.

Good riddance.; 11/18/10, 9:32 PM
Michael Haz said...: Yes, a real Mr. Smith goes to Washington.

What's wrong with a person accumulating money through hard and productive effort?

Perhaps it's the "work" part that offends. Far better to elect to the US Senate those like Wisconsin's Kohl who inherited hundreds of millions of dollars.

Or John Kerry who married hundreds of millions of dollars, perhaps.

Big difference, of course, is that Kohl, Kerry, Kennedy,etc, are Democrats, so their having money cannot possibly be held against them.

Leftist hypocrisy.; 11/18/10, 9:39 PM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: I hope Russ was able to return all those flannel shirts he bought for his campaign commercials.; 11/18/10, 9:54 PM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: It's strange that I'm not reading any complaints about Herbie and his fortune. I wonder why that is?; 11/18/10, 9:59 PM
Beth said...: Michael, I doubt you actually believe I'm offended by "work." I'll chalk that up to hyperbole.

The only outsiders are the electorate. A government made up of mainly millionaires doesn't represent the average American.; 11/18/10, 10:36 PM
garage mahal said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/18/10, 10:40 PM
garage mahal said...: Good old Howard Johnson will be voting to fire up those printing presses to vote for tax cuts for millionaires. 700 billion dollars worth. Which might be the only vote this dunce knows how to make. Still no word whether Walker is going to return those billions in stimulus funds that all so against. Fucking hypocrites.; 11/18/10, 10:40 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: Beth said...

The only outsiders are the electorate. A government made up of mainly millionaires doesn't represent the average American.

I see... So if you're a millionaire, you're no longer in the electorate.

Man, the things that hide in those penumbras of the Constitution. I've never seen that one!

Please enlighten me: where is the magic income line where you get kicked out of the electorate?

Oh, wait! I know! $250,000, right? That's where you cross the line from "hard working taxpayer" to "greedy rich person", after all...; 11/18/10, 10:59 PM
Beth said...: Martin, save the talking points.

Our elections are, for the most part, a decision between one party's millionaire and the other party's millionaire. Say what you want about that, but don't tell me any of them are "outsiders" or "mavericks" or "anti-establishment."; 11/18/10, 11:03 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: I understand, Beth. Bigots always think that disagreement with their bigotry is just "talking points".

Racial bigotry, religious bigotry, national bigotry, class bigotry... No real difference. It's all about finding a "them" whom you can hate. And every bigot is convinced that his or her bigotry is justified.; 11/18/10, 11:12 PM
Beth said...: You should leave the trolling to Alex, Martin. He's much better at it.; 11/18/10, 11:25 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: Ah, yes... Now instead of facing your bigotry, you're trying to change the subject.

When you judge people by some group they're in rather than by their individual actions, that's bigotry. I'm sorry if that disturbs you.

Garage and some others have cited actual policy reasons for not wanting Mr. Johnson as a Representative. I may not agree with those reasons (frankly, I don't pay enough attention to Wisconsin politics to agree or disagree), but they've evaluated him as an individual. Agree or not, I can respect that. You're simply putting him in the class of "millionaires" and declaring that makes him "other". That's tired old class bigotry, and not worthy of respect.; 11/18/10, 11:54 PM
Anonymous said...: I'd have thought the person who represents the average American would be the person average Americans elect to represent them.; 11/19/10, 4:54 AM
Opus One Media said...: "A worthy successor.."

worthy as in "high net worth"?

Does Wisconsin now rank #1 in total net worth of its two senators?; 11/19/10, 6:44 AM
Original Mike said...: Oh, wait! I know! $250,000, right? That's where you cross the line from "hard working taxpayer" to "greedy rich person", after all...

By garage's accounting (10:40pm), $250,000 is where you cross the line to millionaire.; 11/19/10, 7:29 AM
roesch-voltaire said...: Johnson is an empty suit with big shoes to fill-- time will tell, but so far he is living up to the image .; 11/19/10, 8:01 AM
roesch-voltaire said...: Johnson is an empty suit with big shoes to fill-- time will tell, but so far he is living up to the image .; 11/19/10, 8:01 AM
MadisonMan said...: time will tell

Yes, it could be a pleasant surprise, or he could live up (down?) to my worst fears. This is what happens when a cipher is elected.; 11/19/10, 8:16 AM
Original Mike said...: The one thing I will be surprised at (and very disappointed in) is if he does not vote for fiscial restraint.; 11/19/10, 8:20 AM
Calypso Facto said...: When faced with a choice between a cipher and 30-year politician who never saw non-defense government spending he didn't like, helped author the McCain-Feingold Incumbent Protection Act, and made a habit of ridiculing the opinions of the majority of his constituents, I'll take the cipher.

Here's hoping Johnson can keep his outsider mindset and not get co-oped like Feingold did.; 11/19/10, 8:40 AM
Original Mike said...: helped author the McCain-Feingold Incumbent Protection Act

Yep. That was a huge problem for me.; 11/19/10, 8:47 AM
Sofa King said...: I think Feingold would have immediately worked to put a stop to these TSA atrocities.

Uh...Feingold is still in office. It is under *his* governance that these TSA "atrocities" have happened.; 11/19/10, 8:55 AM
Anonymous said...: At least Feingold stood up for personal freedom,

Yes, because restricting political speech = freedom to you brain dead lefitst.

Your comments are parody.; 11/19/10, 8:55 AM
Anonymous said...: Good old Howard Johnson will be voting to fire up those printing presses to vote for tax cuts for millionaires.

Um, stupid, those "tax cuts for millionaires" affect every single tax payer.

Here is just one example:
Without annual legislation to renew the patch this year, the AMT could affect an estimated 25 million taxpayers with incomes as low as $33,750 (or $45,000 for joint filers).

You are not that bright, and easily misled.; 11/19/10, 8:59 AM
Anonymous said...: with big shoes to fill--

Hysterical.
I love how you silly leftists say things like this.

You can't name 3 things Feingold accomplished.

I think Feingold would have immediately worked to put a stop to these TSA atrocities.

Yeah, he's only been in office the entire time they've been occurring.

Again, your comments are parody.; 11/19/10, 9:00 AM
Sofa King said...: I think what's happened is that real-life-Feingold hasn't lived up to fantasy-Feingold. But some die-hards can't see real-life-Feingold; fantasy-Feingold is as good as real to them.; 11/19/10, 9:17 AM
Original Mike said...: "I think what's happened is that real-life-Feingold hasn't lived up to fantasy-Feingold."

Obama is like Feingold.; 11/19/10, 9:23 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/19/10, 9:33 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: It must really suck to be Rus. Just think, a big-shoe genius totally pwned by an empty suit dunce. Who would have guessed?; 11/19/10, 9:35 AM
roesch-voltaire said...: Feingold voted to prohibit federally funded abortion services, to limit farm subsidies, secured psychological and neurological care for vets, and cosponsored Vet Health Care Budget Reform,and Jay the list goes on-- perhaps you should look at his complete record, or talk to Vets in our State to get a measure of Feingold; 11/19/10, 9:53 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: And since Johnson is the reincarnation of stupid evil, I'm sure he can't wait to get busy voting for the torture of veterans, seniors and baby seals.

It's funny. For such a supposedly smart guy, Feingold seriously thought he could lie to his constituents about Obamacare and then tell them to go fuck themselves without paying a political price. I guess our maverick wasn't so smart after all.; 11/19/10, 11:22 AM
Anonymous said...: Jay the list goes on

Yes, it does.

Russ has voted for more regulation, higher government spending, and higher taxes at every turn.; 11/19/10, 5:37 PM
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