Many Bens...
Which One Represents You?

At least there is a good selection
from which to choose...

In February 2004, Ben Chandler was sworn in as US Congressman for Kentucky's 6th District. Nancy Pelosi, ever the proud mama, was the one who put him there. After being beaten by Ernie Fletcher in the Gubernatorial race the preceding November, Ben had, by his own admission, tossed in the towel. He was "worn out". But now Fletcher's congressional seat was open and Nancy had plans! Nancy convinced Ben to run. She provided $1.4 million for the campaign. The last week of the contest, she brought in 11 busloads of political activists from Washington...500 people! Ben won big. Ben arrived in Washington as the "Conquering Hero". Nancy secured the best possible committee seats for him. She wanted to insure his longevity in Congress. After all, she had a lot invested in the new kid!

The first thing Ben did was join the Blue Dog Democrats. His district back in Kentucky was quite conservative, so the
"Blue Dog" label was important. And he played along at first, voting as a moderately conservative Democrat.
But in Washington, debts always come due, and there are always ladders to climb.
Ben seemed "like a perfect candidate for being influenced leftward", and to the left he ran!
Nancy has rewarded him with a "Good Dog" award, while helping her pooch appear Blue for the sake of the folks back home!
And this approach seems to be working...According to Open Left Blog, the seat is Ben's for as long as he wants it.
(Ahem...this is why we're here. Feel like bursting a bubble?)

So you see...Ben and Nancy go back a long way.
In fact...if it weren't for Nancy, there would be NO BEN!!!

Fast forward to the 2008 Presidential race. Pelosi is sharing the "leg tingle" thing with Chris Matthews. Obama is all the rage, but darn it! Believe it or not, Nancy has sworn to keep her mouth shut regarding her presidential preferences; fairness and all that. Can you imagine anything worse than self-imposed silence during a tingling leg episide? Seeking relief, she sends Ben to the microphones. Coveting his "Good Dog" status, he trots out and endorses Obama early on, despite the fact that Obama is trailing badly in the polls back home. Ben remembered for whom he was working. And, as it turned out, "Hope and Change" did indeed play out well for Ben...so far.

Ben "hoped" Obama would win so Ben wouldn't have to "change" jobs!

But what to do about those pesky people back home?
Easy...Just claim that Obama will "will govern from the middle"!!!
After all, that line has been working pretty well for Ben for several years now.

After the race, Ben is relieved and happy.
Nancy can now publicly live out her own tingling excitations, and rewards Ben with a spot on the Ethics Committee.
(By the way, it's nice for Charlie Rangel, currently under investigation for ethics violations,
to have an indebted friend on the committee. Maybe it's OK, but it smells a little wierd!)

Ben is hopeful for further influence. He says that Rahm Emanuel is a good friend and "helps" him.
Maybe Rahm will "help" Ben get through the coveted inner door to Obama's office...
Ben looks forward to "an opportunity to have some visits with [Obama] and hopefully some influence with him."

Why the early endorsement of Obama?
A possibility (in addition to Nancy)... more names on Ben's donor list:
Rahm Emanuel and James Cauley; Obama for Illinois Campaign Manager.

California and Chicago are pushing Ben
up the ladder, with all the attending perks and privileges.

Now, now...we must be fair. Ben has been busy. About as soon as all the hands came off the Bibles, there was big work to be done... Important work...EXPENSIVE work. The Stimulus Bill: The vote that sunk a thousand ships! The day after after the vote, Ben and some other lucky legislators hopped aboard a jet for a nine day NATO tour of Europe. A little personal aside here: I bet you've always wanted to buy a nice European vacation. Well, you did!!! You just weren't invited to go along!!! Besides, you had to stay home and work to pay for the Stimulus Bill. (Something akin to the "Cinderella Syndrome".)

Lovely, isn't it? It's called Garmisch-Partenkirchen and it's in the Bavarian Alps. The skiing there is great. Ben also visited Brussels (come on...he had to stop there - that's where NATO headquarters is), Paris, and Vienna. There were so many legislators, spouses, staffers, and military escorts on the trip that they had to take one of the bigger military jets, but that's to be expected, because... When the American taxpayer pays, our congressmen go first class!!! (You're welcome, Ben! Glad to do it.) And Ben does understand, really he does. Here's what he says: "If you spend more than you take in, you're going to go broke. We've got to do something about changing the mindset in this country from the government right on down so people understand that they have to work hard, they have to save money, and they can't continue to go on a spending spree." Interview, Richmond Register newspaper Nov. 6, 2008

83 days after wagging his finger in your face... just 8 days into his new term....
Ben cast his FIRST vote for the Stimulus Bill on Jan. 28, 2009;
His SECOND vote approving its final version came 16 days later on Friday, the 13th of February. That's right...he voted for it twice!
Total cost: Estimated to be $1.17 Trillion.
Ben wasn't done yet. 48 days after stimulating you, Ben voted for an additional $3.55 Trillion for Obama's 2010 budget.

That's $4.72 Trillion!!!!

All spent in less than 5 months after making the above statement.
Is this a spree??? It seems like a spree....
Which Ben cast those votes? California, Chicago, or Kentucky Ben? Which one represents YOU?

You're right, Ben!!!
We can't continue to go on a spending spree.
You spent all our money for us!!!
We're about broke!!!!

I'll do my bit to change the mindset in this country...I'm voting for someone...ANYONE...else.
Care to make it a trend????

Return to Homepage