Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008

Subject: Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 06:51 AM

One of the finest to ever grace the floor of the U.S.Senate. Sadly there are very few like him. Thank you for a life well lived.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, an Ohio Democrat who was a feisty self-made millionaire before he began a long career fighting big business in the Senate, died Wednesday night. He was 90.

Metzenbaum died at his home near Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said Joel Johnson, his former chief of staff. No cause was given.

During 18 years on Capitol Hill, from 1977 to 1995, Metzenbaum came to be known as "Senator No" and "Headline Howard" for his abilities to block legislation and get publicity for himself.

He was a cantankerous firebrand who didn't need a microphone to hold a full auditorium spellbound while dropping rhetorical bombs on big oil companies, the insurance industry, savings and loans, and the National Rifle Association, to name just a few favorite targets.

Unabashedly liberal, the former labor lawyer and union lobbyist considered himself a champion of workers and was a driving force behind the law requiring 60-day notice of plant closings.

When other liberals shied away from that label, Metzenbaum embraced it, winning re-election in 1988 from Ohio voters who chose Republicans for governor and president, and by wider margins than either George Voinovich or George H.W. Bush.

That victory produced his third, final and most productive term in the Senate. When it was over, in 1995, he started a new career as consumer advocate, heading the Consumer Federation of America.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 11:28 AM

RIP, Sir and thanks for your service.

Thanks, Spaw.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 01:01 PM

Damn, another one of the good ones gone.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 01:53 PM

A good man and a great senator. Carried the highest liberal rating in the senate along with John Glenn. What ever happened to that Ohio. The one that was able to provide the liberal cornerstone to our legislative branch. When did we as a state swing to the right.
   I feel honored by having had the opportunity to vote for him.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008
From: Bearheart
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 01:03 AM

Same here. I was heartbroken when he retired from politics. He was the best we had for a long time.
I don't really believe Ohio really went republican-- Certainly we had some elections stolen from us.

thanks for this thread though I'm really sorry to hear this news.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum--March 12,2008
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 02:15 AM

The real history of Ohio IS Republican going waaaaay back before the turn of the 20th Century. About then it became the heart and home of what was called "Taft Republicanism" which held true for most of the century and whose final and diasatrous last gasp came in the form of our last governor, Bob Taft. I think he effectively killed things as far as the Taft name was concerned.

But Ohio has been, in the last 50 or so years, increasingly hard to label and figure out. The Governor's Mansion has seen both sides of the street and several guys in between. And the same is true of those we have sent to the Senate. How much further apart could two Senators be than the great Howard Metzenbaum and that sniveling pissant Mike DeWine?    I saw Dick Celeste with beard and all when he was governor at an Arlo concert with Pete down at the RKO Palace. Now just how can you explain the fact that just a few years before we had James Rhodes, arguably one of the major contributors to the deaths at Kent State and who wanted to build a gawdamn bridge across Lake Erie! What an ass! He was preceded by Mike DiSalle, a very progressive Democrat. I find it sort of bizarre that the buildings named for them at the fairgrounds are so close together........   And of course there is George Voinovich, who was both Governor and Senator, and compare him to John Glenn.

I dunno'.........Beats hell outta' me. We must be schizoid or something..............Actually I have some theories but its just so strange here sometimes. In any case, I would never fear for our country is the Congress was filled with Howard Metzenbaums, but alas there was only one and he made me proud to be an Ohioian.

Spaw