Russell Feingold in Profiles In Courage For Our Time, by Caroline Kennedy
On Government Reform:
Profile in Courage award for preserving integrity of system
In "Profiles in Courage", my father told the stories of eight senators who acted on principle and in the national interest, even though it put their own political careers at risk. The John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award is presented annually to an
elected official who carries on this tradition. We sought to honor politicians like those in the original book, whose singular acts of courage in protecting the national interest put their own career at risk.- Carl Elliott, Sr
- Charles Longstreet
Weltner
- Lowell Weicker, Jr.
- James Florio
- Henry B. Gonzalez
- Michael L. Synar
- Corkin Cherubini
- Charles Price
- Nickolas C. Murnion
- The Irish Peacemakers
- John McCain and Russell Feingold
- Hilda Solis
- Gerald R. Ford
-
John Lewis
Some of today's most difficult conflicts revolve around those who would bend the system to serve their own ends. Senators John McCain and Russell Feingold were willing to risk their careers to preserve the integrity of our system.
Source: Profiles In Courage For Our Time, by Caroline Kennedy
Apr 30, 2003
On Government Reform:
Viewed as moralizer by Senate colleagues, for pushing reform
McCain infuriates many of his fellow senators with persistent battles against wasteful pork-barrel spending; examples abound, ranging from $14 million to study the aurora borealis to unnecessary military depots to a $350 million aircraft carrier, to be
built in Pascagula, Mississippi, that the navy doesn't want. He reveals that a disproportionate number of these projects are located in Mississippi, courtesy of his rival, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, a prince of pork.
Russ Feingold is more diplomatic, although he's widely viewed as a holier-than-thou moralist. As part of the huge Watergate class of reformers reached Congress in 1975.
But without this intensity and conviction--and willingness to pay a price--
McCain-Feingold never would have gotten on the radar screen, much less passed the United States Senate. These two disparate politicians displayed exceptional courage.
Source: Profiles in Courage by Caroline Kennedy, p.255-256
Oct 1, 2001
On Government Reform:
Call the Bank Roll: List donations prior to Senate votes
Feingold's willingness to rub the sores of his fellow Democrats on the issue of money and politics [is illustrated by this]: Several years ago, Feingold began a "calling of the bankroll" when major measures reached the House floor. He would chronicle how
much the special interests involved in the legislation had forked over to the parties and senators. When bankruptcy reform, for example, came before the Senate, Feingold noted that: the credit card companies had given $4.5 million to the parties and
candidates; on the very day the House voted, MBNA gave $200,000 of soft-money contributions to the Republican Senate Campaign Committee.Colleagues considered this sanctimonious. When he called the bank roll on an oil bill, that resentment exploded.
Sen. Hutchinson (R, TX) and Sen. Landrieu (D, LA), both supporters of the oil industry, sought to get Feingold's remarks ruled out of order on the grounds they were a "personal attack," prohibited by Senate rules. They didn't succeed.
Source: Profiles in Courage by Caroline Kennedy, p.262-263
Oct 1, 2001
On Government Reform:
McCain-Feingold is latest in line of 200 years of CFR
Money is the "mother's milk" of American politics. John McCain is the architect of the McCain-Feingold measure, which seeks to clean up campaign financing of national elections and reduce the flow of special interest money. This is a system under which
most incumbent politicians and interest groups--ranging from the oil industry to labor unions to the religious right--flourished; any effort to change it is a threat.The link between money and politics is pervasive throughout American history.
Periodically, reforms clean up the worst offenses and then new loopholes and techniques are discovered; like any reform, campaign finance changes are an ongoing process.
The most contemporary version followed the Watergate scandals. The subsequent
presidential elections were as clean as an in modern history. Then, aided by an inept Federal Elections Commission, soft, or unregulated, money started to creep into the system. It became a major source of funding and a narcotic for both parties.
Source: Profiles in Courage For Our Time, by Caroline Kennedy, p.251
Oct 1, 2001
On Government Reform:
1998: "Unilaterally disarmed" by forgoing soft money
Senator Russell Feingold, faced his baptism by fire in 1998, after a single term. He started off a decided favorite. Democrats felt confident.But Russ Feingold decided to make it harder; he was co-sponsor of the
McCain-Feingold legislation to limit spending by congressional candidates and to ban soft money--the unregulated and unlimited contributions from wealthy individuals and vested interest groups--and he was gong to abide by it... period.
It's not rare for a candidate to pledge spending or contributions limits if his or her opponent does likewise. But Russ Feingold wasn't insisting on a level playing field; he would shun soft money, much of which is funneled through the
political parties, and limit his own spending irrespective of what his opponent did; and Representative Neumann had no intention of spurning this cash cow. This was unilateral disarmament. [He ended up winning by only 2 points.]
Source: Profiles in Courage For Our Time, by Caroline Kennedy, p.252
Oct 1, 2001
On Homeland Security:
2001: Sole senate vote opposing anti-terrorist legislation
Feingold has consistently opted for principle over party, to the dismay of more than a few Democrats.A month after the worst terrorism in American history struck on September 11,
Russ Feingold was the sole member of the United States Senate to vote against an anti-terrorism bill.
Others shared his concern about the legislation's broad-reaching provisions that seemed to sanction unfettered surveillance and virtually unlimited detention in the name of fighting terrorism.
But public opinion overwhelmingly supported anything labeled "anti-terrorism" and the Wisconsin Democrat alone opposed the measure.
This was consistent with a trademark Feingold independence.
Source: Profiles in Courage by Caroline Kennedy, p.260-261
Oct 1, 2001
On Homeland Security:
1994: Led unsuccessful fight to cut aircraft carrier funding
It was the confrontational McCain who first engaged Russ Feingold in 1994 in a oft-told story. The Wisconsin Democrat was leading an unsuccessful fight to cut funding for an aircraft carrier. Suddenly,
John McCain appeared on the Senate floor and with intensity demanded to know if Feingold had ever been on a carrier. When Feingold acknowledged he hadn't, McCain snapped: "Then learn about it."
Source: Profiles in Courage For Our Time, by Caroline Kennedy, p.259
Oct 1, 2001
Page last updated: Feb 21, 2019