Stepford senator

Republican John Ensign, whose senatorial career has been mostly quiet, stealthy and obscure, is finally standing out for something: Obedience.

Ensign was one of only five senators who voted in sync with the Bush administration agenda 100 percent of the time in 2004, according to report released Thursday by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Drawing on analysis conducted by Congressional Quarterly, the report found a "Stepford Congress," with Bush enjoying far more support from Republicans than Clinton, Bush's dad or Reagan did from their party in Congress.

During Bush's first term, Republican senators supported him, on average, 92 percent of the time. Clinton, by contrast, received 85 percent support from Senate Democrats, while Senate Republicans supported Bush's dad and Reagan 77 percent and 73.5 percent of the time, respectively.

So overall Republican fealty to their disgraced and disbelieved leader is impressive, to be sure.

But when it comes to thoughtlessly and obediently backing the inept, bungling, dishonest and extremist right-wing Bush agenda, no one snaps to attention with more gusto than John Ensign. In addition to being in full-on goosestep agreement with the president, without exception, in 2004, Ensign also supported the president 98 percent of the time in 2003, 97 percent in 2002 and 96 percent in 2001, according to information broken out by the DSCC and forwarded to Gleaner central. Which is to say Ensign, who took office in 2001, started his senatorial tenure as a Bush yes-man, but he has, through hard work and dedication, transformed himself into a complete and utter automaton.

The DSCC/DCCC also reports that House Republicans averaged an 84 percent support rate for Bush. House Democrats supported Clinton 74 percent of the time, while House Republicans supported both Poppy and Raygun less than 70 percent of the time.

Rep. Jim Gibbons matched the House average in 2004, supporting the president 84 percent of the time, according to CQ (pdf, p. 6). Finally, Gibbons is average at something. As for Rep. Jon Porter, well, he put his streak of wild devil-may-care Independence on blazing display in 2004, voting with the president a mere 82 percent of the time.

Poor guys. They must really envy Ensign. Next year, on the campaign trail, the senator can traipse the state from end to end, proudly proclaiming to Nevadans everywhere that he votes with George W. Bush 100 percent of the time. No matter what.

Comments

[mc]

I hope Jack Carter is paying attention

[Diogenes]

My USSR friends learned to make bobble head dolls which only moved up and down in a "da" motion. It appears the product was exported and transplanted into some members of congress. Why is the world is Ensign under the protective wing of the Senate minority leader?