Blanche Lincoln-- Hiding From Arkansas Voters

And so many of her constituents would like a word with her

Yesterday Arkansas corporate shill Blanche Lincoln got into the NY Times without just being a name in a list of conservative Democrats joining with the GOP to thwart progressive solutions to the problems that plague ordinary working families. She works for WalMart and the other major corporations that have funded her disgraceful career, not for Arkansas voters-- and she's well paid. And no one who's ever paid off Blanche Lincoln has ever complained that she didn't deliver the goods for them-- the way she is now by working diligently from her position on the Senate Finance Committee to undermine health care reform and pass a bogus bill that will enrich her Insurance Industry donors and further impoverish Arkansas families. But it isn't just her current work against climate legislation, against Employee Free Choice and against health care reform that has helped give Blanche Lincoln the reputation of being among the worst Democrats in the Senate, and one who is always most willing to cross the aisle and make common cause with conservative Republicans.

While Bush was president she often was one of the few Democrats to vote to confirm his completely unqualified and extreme right nominations to the judiciary. Overall, her voting record is abysmal no matter what issues you look at. Lincoln supported Bush's unprovoked attack on Iraq in 2002 and kept right on supporting the war as more and more of her colleagues wised up. She's either the worst Democrat in the Senate or among the 3 worst on a whole host of issues from wasting tax dollars on corporate subsidies and preventing adequate checks on corporate power, to undermining American workers, opposing equal justice, working against fair taxation and against a clean environment (where she's even worse than many Republicans!).

One of her colleagues told me, off the record of course, that it probably wouldn't matter if she was defeated and replaced by a Republican next year since on all the most important matters that come before the Senate she's "more than likely to vote with the GOP than stick with us anyway."

Yesterday's Times however, carried a poorly researched bit of flackery by Kevin Sack about how she has been able to avoid her constituents during the August break. She's been especially careful to stay away from any situation that could expose her to ordinary working Arkansans who have been most victimized by her political maneuverings over the years.

While her colleagues subjected themselves to brickbats at town-hall-style meetings, Ms. Lincoln filled the first week of the Senate recess with controlled events before respectful crowds, like business forums and civic club luncheons. The closest demonstrators got to Arkansas’s senior senator were the clusters of people who waved placards from roadsides as her car zipped by.

...Ms. Lincoln, a rice farmer’s daughter, has already broken with her party on several important measures. While she voted for the stimulus package and the rescue of the financial system, she opposed the reauthorization of the banking infusion and the carmakers’ bailout. She also opposes a Democratic initiative to help workers unionize and the House’s cap-and-trade legislation to reduce industrial emissions.

But her stand on health care could prove even more defining. Her office phones are ringing off the hook, with most callers expressing displeasure. Even at her well-mannered events, angst was evident.

At a Lions Club lunch in Malvern last week, Barry Ballard, 64, told Ms. Lincoln that his doctor was dropping him when he turned 65 because Medicare did not pay enough. “Are we going to run into another government-operated program that the doctors won’t support?” Mr. Ballard asked.

At the moment, Ms. Lincoln does not seem to be in serious political trouble in seeking a third term.

An interesting way of characterizing a disapproval rate so high that 60% of her constituents in a recent poll said they would not vote to re-elect her if the election were held today. I guess Sack must have figured that the 27% who say they would vote to re-elect her are the only ones likely to turn up on election day. Sack probably thinks she's safe because the GOP hasn't put up a credible opponent, although we're hearing that they may yet dig one up. Were Huckabee to take her on, she'd be lucky to get 40% of the vote. Recently, however, there has been an under the radar movement in several states among people sick and tired of corrupt politicians from both parties. People are thinking about supporting independents who are neither corrupt Democrats not corrupt Republicans, And Arkansas has one of the most plausible independents running for the Senate in any state, Trevor Drown. Last night I asked him why he thought Lincoln was avoiding speaking with voters the way other members of Congress are-- and the way he has been doing since expressing interest in challenging her.

I find it disturbing Senator Lincoln, the wife of a doctor is allowing her need to support the special interest groups who have put millions into her campaign accounts over the medical care of so many Arkansans and Americans who cannot afford it.
 
Senator Lincoln, needs to firmly establish now, who she works for; the people of the State of Arkansas or the Corporate Cash Cows, who appears to have bought her influence.
 
As a veteran and a son, I owe a debt of gratitude to those that came before me, raised me and made this country what it is. I will not turn my back on the elderly or those unfortunate enough to not have affordable health care.
 
Senator Lincoln’s failure to hold town hall meetings to allow Arkansans to express their opinions, regardless of the reasons, is indicative that she is out of touch with the people of this state or that her staff has insulated her from what is going on. This is an example of poor leadership.

In Washington D.C. poor leadership costs hard-working Americans money they don’t have. In combat, poor leadership, can result in someone dying.
 
I have been a member of the Teamster for 20 years and their support of my family while working at UPS and while I was deployed in Afghanistan is something I will always appreciate.
 
If nothing else, a leader is a listener. He listens to those he is responsible for or those he represents. When you fail to listen you lose the confidence of the people followed by their support. A leader is also a buffer, he shelters those that he represents and leads from those who are attempting to do something that is not helpful. Finally a leader is a fighter, one who fights for those that he leads or represents to ensure they get taken care of and their needs are met. Senator Lincoln has failed in all aspect of this.

Kevin Sack at the NY Times may think Blanche Lincoln is "safe" in her re-election efforts but people in Arkansas know better. Watch the ad Blue America ran in all the towns she visited in her off-limits-to-regular-people tour of the state last week-- and if you can, please chip in so we can keep it-- and two others from the same series-- on the air: