BS: Clinton as Senator from NY

Subject: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:26 AM

Bill Clinton, that is. While I don't care for the man, I do think this would set a good precedent for former presidents. It is a waste that they just ride off into the sunset, save for an occasional special project. I believe that the only former president to go into the legislature was Quincy Adams, who was in the House of Representatives for many years.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:30 AM

I think Bill is now scrambling around trying to pay off Hillary's campaign debt. A senator's salary wouldn't do it.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Wesley S
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:40 AM

Rig - I don't know if you've read any newspapers lately but Bill Clinton is currently making an excellent living as a public speaker. Do you have any links to your claim that Bill is "scrambling" to pay off Hillary's campaign debts?

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:41 AM

That may be...but what do you think of the general principle of former presidents joining the House or Senate?

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:51 AM

I don't like it, although I believe that it's been done back in the 19C. I'd much rather that they become an informal "think tank" which can advise the current President. Meet maybe twice a year or at the request of the President at Camp David.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:55 AM

One- I forget who - served for years on the US Supreme Court and I think another one, in addition to John Quincy Adams, later became a US Senator.

Past Presidents Post Office

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: artbrooks
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 11:06 AM

Taft was the one who was Chief Justice.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 11:45 AM

I can find no case of a former president subsequently becoming a senator. John C. Calhoun resigned the Vice-Presidency in 1832 to run for and become Senator from S. Carolina. The reason for this...he had favored States Rights issues in opposition to the President (Jackson).
As you may remember from US History, South Carolina was always a hotbed for states rights, and it was there that the Civil War began a quarter of a century later.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 11:49 AM

Hubert Humphrey went back into the Senate after serving as Vice President.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 12:49 PM

"Do you have any links to your claim that Bill is "scrambling" to pay off Hillary's campaign debts?"

    Wesley - There is this from the International Herald Tribune:

Hillary Clinton's campaign debts would wait if she joined administration
By Michael Luo Published: November 19, 2008


Vendors still owed money from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign could be out of luck for years should she become secretary of state.

Clinton still had about $7.9 million in outstanding bills from her presidential campaign at the end of September, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Philippe Reines, a spokesman for Clinton, said she has since whittled it to $7.6 million, not including the $13.2 million she loaned her campaign out of her own pocket, which officials have said she does not expect to be repaid.

"Senator Clinton has said that paying off her campaign vendors is a priority for her," Reines said in a statement, "and she remains committed to that goal."

But the Hatch Act, which governs the political activities of federal employees, including cabinet officials, normally prohibits the solicitation and receipt of political contributions.


      
                   It seems to me, then, if she was going to raise the money, Bill would have to do it.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: PoppaGator
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 12:59 PM

"I can find no case of a former president subsequently becoming a senator."

A couple of posts prior to yours, JotSC, the link provided by Ebbie tells us that Andrew Johnson served as Senator from Tennessee after his Presidency.

Johnson is easily forgotten, I suppose, not having been elected. He was Lincoln's second VP and succeeded to the Presidency subsequent to the assassination. His former claim to fame, as the only US President ever to be impeached, was stolen from him by one William Jefferson "Bubba" Clinton.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 01:28 PM

I'd much rather that they become an informal "think tank" which can advise the current President.

Would that include Dubya?   I'm reminded of "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" where the Soggy Mountain Boys are appointed as the Governor's Brains Trust. Except that Dubya wouldn't come off well in that comparison.

What's so special about Presidents that makes them particularly unfit or for that matter particularly fit, to be a Senator? They're both just jobs in the service of the sovereign people.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: MMario
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 01:39 PM

I personally think a past president should be banned from holding any public office; but that's just me.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 01:58 PM

Obama, if he served 2 terms, would only be in his late 50s. That's a long time to just be doing 'projects'. Perhaps no elected office, but things like U.N. Ambassador, Sec of State...etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 02:03 PM

PoppaGator, I missed that one. Johnson was elected to the Senate in 1874 and died in 1875. A short tenure it was, but it still counts.

MMario, why do you think that? Any particular reason?

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: MMario
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 02:05 PM

*grin* I actually did mean "elected office"

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 02:07 PM

Former heads of state subsequently serving in lesser positions is not quite so uncommon in other countries. For example, Benjamin Netanyahu served as Israel's Finance Minister after his stint as Prime Minister.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 02:19 PM

I think that probably happens a lot in Parliamentary systems wherein the political head of the country is the ranking member of the majority party, or the largest party which can put together a coalition of smaller parties.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: meself
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 03:23 PM

Remember to leave them time to write their memoirs ...

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Bobert
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 04:45 PM

As for former presidents becominf legislators, I donno... Some probably have something left in the tank and might be helpfull... Think Jimmy Carter and possibly Bill Clinton here... But I wouldn't want Georeg Bush in either the Senate of the House and I don't think too many legislators would want him there eirher...

I kinda like the idea of Bill Clinton as a Senator, though... It would keep him busy and keep him outta Obama's hair...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 06:07 PM

...but there are the Senate interns and Pages, Bobert....

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 07:44 PM

Surely it is pretty unlikely that Dubya would actually get elected to anything.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 08:01 PM

In Texas, GWB could get elected to anything he wanted.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Amos
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 08:14 PM

I am not so sure, anymore, Rig. He did not exactly cast honor on the State.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 08:24 PM

He might have some enemies in Austin, I suppose!

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 08:41 PM

Bush once was Texas' favorite son, but not any longer:
"Only 34 percent of Texans polled in a University of Texas survey approved of Bush's handling of the presidency, with just under 10 percent approving "strongly.'' By contrast, 55 percent disapproved, with 38.7 percent strongly disapproving."

And that was before the election, the report being dated 30th October 2008.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Bobert
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 09:33 PM

Seanate interns, Rigs???

Where does Bill sign up???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 10:41 PM

McGrath - Yes, the University of Texas is in Austin, that's what I was refering to in the post. He'd do a lot better in Beaumont.

             Well, if he can lay in a big enough store of Viagra, Bobert, you might have a point, but there's still Hillary's campaign debt to deal with.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 02:10 AM

They should talk to Chongo. He knows most of the loan sharks in Chicago.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: Riginslinger
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 08:34 AM

Obama knows some loan sharks in Chicago as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: pdq
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 12:11 PM

McWrath sez:

"..."Only 34 percent of Texans...approved of Bush's handling of the presidency...(b)y contrast, 55 percent disapproved..."

Classic case of twisting the facts to suit your agenda. Sounds like a statement from the Guardian.

Truth be known, about 1/3 of the people who feel betrayed by George W. Bush are convervative and they got thrown a few bones in the last 8 years, but little of substance execept the tax cut.

No tort reform, not attempt to save out nearly-bankrupt Social Security Administration, no closing-tight our open border with Mexico, no welfare reform, no "gay marriage" ban and no attempt to limit the 1 million US abortions each year.

You may dislike their opinions, but conservatives and their values still dominate the US. By issue, 70% of Blacks just voted in state elections to ban "gay marriage" and the "Hispanic" population was even more adamant.

Much of the convervative base is older and know that Social Security benefifs will have to be drastically cut for then when the system becomes insolvent. Failure was predicted to be 2014-2016 back in 2000. Eight years gone and not even lip service much less action.

To put thing in perspective, if George W, Bush and Bill Clinton were the only candidates on the ballot this year (it can't happen, I kwow), Bill Clinton would be trounced. So much for polls, which have become tools to form public opinion, not reflect it.

Subject: RE: BS: Clinton as Senator from NY
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 01:42 PM

As you'd see if you opened the link, pdq, that quote's from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I understand that means it's in Texas, where that a survey was carried out, which does seem to indicate that they don't think too highly of Dubya any more.

Not too surprising. They may be tend to be conservative-minded in Texas, but that doesn't have to mean stupid. (Doesn't even have to mean Republican for that matter, as you point out.)