From the Argus Leader:
According to one measurement, South Dakota Sen. John Thune was one of the most effective members of the U.S. Senate during the 114th Congress, in 2015-2016, compared to his peers.
That’s the conclusion of a new organization called the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint initiative between the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Vanderbilt University. The co-directors of the group are Craig Volden of the University of Virginia and Alan Wiseman of Vanderbilt.
and…
Thune was the second most effective Republican in during the last session of Congress, trailing Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was the third most effective Republican.
Not too shabby. What are your thoughts?
What about Senators McConnell, Graham, and Cassidy?….. Not so much, huh?
I completely agree….if part of the measurement is how progressive is his voting record. To come in second behind Hatch, one of the foremost progressive Republicrats, is no honor at all. However, in South Dakota, all you need is that “R” by your name and you get elected. The fact that you are a big government progressive with a lousy conservative voting record is irrelevant.
If you go to the Center for Effective Lawmakers website (hyperlink in Pat’s post above), it shows a pretty scholarly approach largely unrelated to party identification or perception of radicalism. Sponsoring “significant” legislation (not naming post offices or commemorating something) matters a lot, and, not surprisingly, there’s a strong correlation between seniority (time in office) and “effectiveness.”
Is it effectiveness just to sponsor “significant” legislation, or does it actually have to become law? Without the ability to get the job done, suggesting, “Let’s build the wall” but not ever actually building it is not the common person’s definition of effective.
A lawmaker gets points for both, with points escalating with the legislation’s success. The approach the researchers took has a lot of validity and integrity to it.
I disagree with the premise that more federal legislation means success. Second, 3 out of 58 bills became law. Being second with a 5% “success” rating would say more about the low standards of the congress than any individual rating?
That’s like saying my kid is the second smartest kid in class and he has a 1.5 GPA.
#DoNothingCongress
The real story here is that Sen. Rounds is a wasted senate seat for South Dakota.
Yeah Thune is the salutatorian with a 1.5 GPA, Rounds at .9.
Which seat is wasted?
What three bills did thune get passed last year? Should be easy to recall.
Is McCain the most effective this go round given that he blocked repeal of ObummerCare twice? Effectiveness to me is getting GOOD things done, not simply introducing a lot of stuff.
Also, the correlation between seniority and effectiveness just means that the longer you are there the tougher it is to let new people get things done as the “old guard” stand in the way; otherwise, why would we have such a disaster as Mitch McConnell as Senate Majority leader?
I think that term limits should be discussed by those of us who aren’t politicians-put it to a vote of the people and I would bet that there would be limits to how long somebody can park themselves in DC.
As far as I am concerned there is nobody effective in the Senate and House this year (except the Demos who seem to block everything Trump is trying to do while only being in the majority).
Kudos to nobody in DC.
Some common sense has been very successful this year in Congress…. Thank you Republican Senators McCain, Collins, and Murkowski!
Yeah, thanks for keeping socialized medicine alive; we should definitely try to emulate Canada’s speedy, efficient healthcare system. I vote that EC is the first to volunteer to go under a completely socialized healthcare system.
Apparently true common sense isn’t commonly recognized, given your post.
If not holding town hall meetings and not answering questions, Thune absolutely is the best at that followed by slick Mike.Their is more to being a U.S. senator than photo ops and autographs.Mike rounds is a wasted senate seat. but I will call you back.
This turned out to be a real bashing session.
Well, I guess it’s not the right time to praise our contingent when nothing has been done in DC; I think the questioning and disbelief is warranted. Just showing up isn’t of value; just proposing something isn’t of value. Accomplishing something-now that is of value. If senators Thune and Rounds would make a push to get rid of the impotent Mitch McConnell I would say they are trying to get something done.
Here’s an interesting point from the effectiveness scores. Rep. Noem scores pretty well, and always has since coming to office in 2011. But …
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin was waaay above average her whole time in office. Kristi has now been in office 6 1/2 years. About the same as Stephanie. And Kristi’s score is nowhere close to Stephanie’s score in her final term, which was only Stephanie’s 3rd full term. Despite doing well enough with Kristi, the effectiveness scores show that we definitely traded down in 2010.