Thread: Sen. Evan Bayh to retire, blasting dysfunctional Congress

Feb 15, 2010

Sen. Evan Bayh to retire, blasting dysfunctional Congress

10:44 AM
Pablo Martinez Monsivais, APFox News is reporting that Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana will retire in 2010.

Update at 11:01 a.m. ET: The Indianapolis Star reports that Bayh, in prepared remarks, says that his passion for service is undiminished "but my desire to do so in Congress has waned. "

Bayh to give a news conference at 2 p.m. ET

"My decision was not motivated by political concern," the 54-year-old senator added, The Star reports. "Even in the current challenging environment, I am confident in my prospects for re-election."

update at 11"08 a.m. ET: Here is another excerpt from Bayh's remarks, according to the Star:

"Two weeks ago, the Senate voted down a bipartisan commission to deal with one of the greatest threats facing our nation: our exploding deficits and debt. The measure would have passed, but seven members who had endorsed the idea instead voted 'no' for short-term political reasons. Just last week, a major piece of legislation to create jobs — the public's top priority — fell apart amid complaints from both the left and right. All of this and much more has led me to believe that there are better ways to serve my fellow citizens, my beloved state, and our nation than continued service in Congress."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... -in-2010/1

Feb 15, 2010

Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh drops out

11:15 AM
By JAY MALLIN, BLOOMBERG NEWS

Siting partisan rancor in Congress, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, a Democrat, said today he will not seek a third term this year, opening up a potentially huge battleground in the conservative Hoosier State, The Indianapolis Star is reporting here.

Bayh has scheduled a press conference for 2 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.

Bayh, a moderate who has never lost an election and occasionally flirted with running for president, was facing a challenge from Dan Coats, a former Republican senator. Analysts such as Cook Political Report had listed the race as leaning Bayh's way and so his announcement comes as a surprise.

Bayh had been raising campaign cash at decent clip and had nearly $13 million in cash on hand. According to USA TODAY's Fredreka Schouten, Bayh's bankroll put him in third place for campaign money among senators up for election this year.

"Running for the sake of winning an election, just to remain in public office, is not good enough," Bayh told The Star. "And it has never been what motivates me. At this time I simply believe I can best contribute to society in another way: creating jobs by helping grow a business, helping guide an institution of higher learning or helping run a worthy charitable endeavor."

Two other Republicans had considered running against Bayh this year, including Republican Rep. Mike Pence, whose eastern Indiana district includes Muncie, and Republican Secretary of State Todd Rokita. A Rasmussen Reports poll from late January showed Pence beating Bayh 47-44, but both potential candidates backed out.

Coats served in the Senate from 1989 to 1998 but decided not to seek reelection when Bayh, at the time a popular governor, got into the race.

Coats announced this month that he would explore a run against Bayh. He immediately came under attack from Democrats because of his work as a lobbyist after leaving Congress and because he had been living in Virginia.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... rops-out/1

Wow!! Republicans!! Please get a Pro-Choice/FairTax/Fair Trade/No Amnesty candidate on the ballot in the Indiana US Senate Race ... NOW!

Lets Go! Lets Go!

www.fairtax.org
http://www.gopchoice.org/about_us.asp

Are these Blue Dog Democrats bailing because they know there's something wrong in the DNC? Patrick Kennedy and now Evan Bayh and several others?! Do they see the dangerous road we're on and don't want to continue to be a part of it? Even Jay Rockefeller saying the other day "I'm beginning to believe the President is not believable"?

How could anyone with 2 live brain cells believe this President was ever believable? He's a Fable, his books were Fables. What part is true and what part isn't, no one has a clue.

And Republicans were stupid to nominate John McCain when we had so many other fine candidates on the primary ballots in 2008, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter and so many others. I wanted Mitt, but he was already out of the race by the time of our election here in NC. So, I voted for Ron Paul and was shocked that it looked at that point like McCain was leading and going to win the nomination.

Bizarre and cruel to leave the American People with a choice between "Juan McShamnesty" and a Fable, known as Barach Hussein Obama.



Republicans, get back to the long-standing principles of the Republican Party and talk about NOTHING but these actions:

1. stop illegal immigration
2. pass the FairTax HB 25 and SB 296
3. protect our trade
4. legalize/regulate/tax under 2 the illegal drug trade
5. drill baby drill (until other viable and affordable alternatives are available)

What you do in your personal life in your bedroom or in the doctor's office should never be part of a political agenda in the United States, and such intrusiveness has never ever been part of the Republican Party, nor should it be now.

Originally Posted by Judy

Wow!! Republicans!! Please get a Pro-Choice/FairTax/Fair Trade/No Amnesty candidate on the ballot in the Indiana US Senate Race ... NOW!

Lets Go! Lets Go!

www.fairtax.org
http://www.gopchoice.org/about_us.asp

I'm worried about the Tea Party Candidate being a 3rd option in Hairy Reids Nevada.......
The Tea Party Candidate NEEDS to be the Republican choice.

"dysfunctional Congress"

Wouldn't it be nice if all of our politicians could do something besides name call, finger point and play the blame game?
Something like work together for the good of the country.

Wouldn't it be nice if people on the internet could do something besides name call, finger point and play the blame game?

Something like work together for the good of the country.

I agree, Republicans were stupid to nominate John McCain.

Nor is Sarah Palin a good option in 2010.

Is it frighteningly possible that the voluntary exit of these experienced, senior legislators of both parties is part of the planned steady concentration of power at the top of our government and around the world by the elites? i.e., if career "policy makers" cannot "mold societies" as they wish using free elections and legislation, they simply will weaken and water down the power of our representative legislative branch of government - the Congress, giving, by default, greater power to the Administrative and Judicial branches? To accomplish this end, the fewer experienced, senior members of Congress who know how the legislative process is supposed to work and who are willing to work within and enforce the rules there at one time, the better. Hence the rash of resignations?

We all knew that politically this was going to be one incredible year...


How Bayh's Retirement Could Make It Harder for Dems to Pass a Health Care Bill

By Philip Klein on 2.15.10 @ 11:26AM

One of the many implications Sen. Evan Bayh's retirement could have is to make it even more difficult for Democrats to pass comprehensive health care legislation. In the broader sense, news of a strong moderate Democrat feeling the need to step aside could make other red state Democrats even more nervous than they already are about reelection and thus uneasy about casting a tough vote. But more specifically, the most obvious Democrats to seek Bayh's seat are Indiana's Democratic congressmen: Reps. Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill and Joe Donnelly. All of them have already voted for the original version of the House health care bill, and it's unlikely that any of them would want to cast another vote for the bill during a difficult race for the Senate. Liberals may argue that any of them would get slammed for voting for the bill regardless. That's true, but all of these Democrats also voted for the Stupak amendment on abortion, so they'd have some wiggle room to argue that they voted for a bill that prohibited federal funding for abortion, but didn't vote for a bill once that restrictive language was dropped. Ellsworth was actually a co-sponsor of Stupak, and said at the time that he could not vote for the bill if that language wasn't in it. This won't shield them from attacks, but you can definitely see them deciding that the "flip flopper" charge would be better than casting a second vote for a highly unpopular bill.

Keep in mind that the House health care bill passed by a slim 220 to 215 margin the first time around, with 39 Democrats voting against it. Since then, the one Republican who voted for it -- Joseph Cao -- has indicated that he would not support the bill a second time around given the weaker language on abortion. Florida Rep. Robert Wexler already retired prematurely. Factor in Jack Murtha's death, and Pelosi is down to 217 votes. If Hill, Ellsworth or Donnelly defect while running for Senate, she's down to 216 and the route to passage is even further in doubt.

http://spectator.org/blog/2010/02/15/ho ... -could-mak

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

Originally Posted by Judy

Wow!! Republicans!! Please get a Pro-Choice/FairTax/Fair Trade/No Amnesty candidate on the ballot in the Indiana US Senate Race ... NOW!

Lets Go! Lets Go!

www.fairtax.org
http://www.gopchoice.org/about_us.asp

I'm worried about the Tea Party Candidate being a 3rd option in Hairy Reids Nevada.......
The Tea Party Candidate NEEDS to be the Republican choice.

Yes, it does, and the choices on the Republican ticket need to be Pro-Choice and neutral on personal matters and adamant and clear on economic issues such as:

1. stop illegal immigration
2. pass the FairTax
3. protect our trade
4. legalize/regulate/tax under 2 the illegal drug trade
5. drill baby drill

Then we can save our country whle preserving the liberty and prosperity we all seek. I don't see a divide on the END GAME for most Americans. Americans all want the same things, the difference is how we get there. People need to study the five steps I've outlined and after considering all the pros and cons, support adamantly as many of these as you can and require your candidates to do likewise.

If there are questions about why one or the other, then ask, so we can answer and explain the reasoning behind them. They are all crucial to rebuilding prosperity for our economy, restoring liberty for our people, and protecting the national sovereignty of our nation.