Cameroon RPCV Margaret Krome says as s the Washington political scene becomes ever more governed by bulldog enforcement of partisan doctrine, I appreciate more and more Jeffords' principled stand for democracy four years ago this spring



Cameroon RPCV Margaret Krome says as s the Washington political scene becomes ever more governed by bulldog enforcement of partisan doctrine, I appreciate more and more Jeffords' principled stand for democracy four years ago this spring

Wishing for More Jeffords
by Margaret Krome


I dream often about Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont. Actually, I've never met him, but he holds a special place in my heart. As the Washington political scene becomes ever more governed by bulldog enforcement of partisan doctrine, I appreciate more and more Jeffords' principled stand for democracy four years ago this spring.

A seven-term Republican congressman before becoming a Republican senator from Vermont, Jeffords took a look around in the spring of 2001. He saw President Bush, aided by extreme partisan Republicans in Congress, using heavy pressure tactics to force through tax cuts for the wealthiest, environmental destruction, and divisive educational, medical and social policies disguised as caring conservatism. Given what he called "the president's veer to the right, and the poisoning of our democratic process of government," Jeffords changed parties, becoming an Independent but declaring his intention to vote with the Democrats.

The balance of power in the Senate at the time was so precarious that Jeffords' change of parties returned the Democrats to the majority party. While some Republicans pointed fingers at each other for allowing this to happen, others promised retribution against Jeffords. Democrats celebrated, but many pundits at the time said it wouldn't matter, really. Ultimately, they said, votes on abortion, taxes, judicial appointments and other controversies would be unaffected by who controlled the Senate's leadership.

They were wrong about the impact of Jeffords' choice. Take agriculture, for example. During the year and a half in which the farm bill was debated and passed, Democrats controlled the Senate, making Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa chairman of the Agriculture Committee. It was a long, intense and messy fight, but Harkin insisted on several very important policies, including the Conservation Security Program, which pays farmers and ranchers for their stewardship practices, not how much corn, cotton or rice they grow. Yes, the Bush administration has fought against implementing this program, but had Harkin not been chairman, it would never have come to exist.

Extreme politics are again taking over Washington, with Republican leaders again pushing for slavish adherence to the party line. There are explicit threats to members who break ranks. Tom DeLay, the House majority leader whose ethics violations have prompted repeated rebukes by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, engineered the replacement of that committee's Republican chairman by someone more sympathetic to him. Two new Ethics Committee members contributed to DeLay's legal defense fund in the past several months. The clear message to Republicans is that the wise course is to bow to power, not to integrity.

But some Republicans are dissatisfied with the Bush agenda on issues ranging from Social Security to the dangerously growing budget deficit. With bigger Republican margins in both houses, there is little likelihood of a Jeffords-like upset of partisan power. And it's true that when Jeffords took his plunge, he had over five years ahead of him before he would be challenged again in an election. It's harder for members with short terms to overlook the deep pockets and power tactics of Republican party leaders.

Two years after his change of party, Jeffords told the National Press Club why he remained glad of his decision. "Pundits asked after last November's election: Will the president over-reach with his Republican majorities in the House and Senate? Well, President Bush hasn't just over-reached, he has set a new standard for extreme partisan politics that on many occasions has been supported by the Republican-controlled Congress."

It's too soon to see whether Republican promises of retribution will result in Jeffords' ouster. Even if he is forced out in 2006 by his former party's power tactics, history will remember Jeffords for his political courage. Perhaps it's only a fantasy, but as I watch honest debate and legitimate questions get squeezed by partisan bullies, I wonder if there are any other Republican members of Congress who squirm at the destructive policies being forced down their throats and value democratic principles above party.

Margaret Krome is a columnist for The Capital Times.

© 2005 Capital Times

When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

Peace Corps Calendar:Tempest in a Teapot? Bulgarian writer Ognyan Georgiev has written a story which has made the front page of the newspaper "Telegraf" criticizing the photo selection for his country in the 2005 "Peace Corps Calendar" published by RPCVs of Madison, Wisconsin. RPCV Betsy Sergeant Snow, who submitted the photograph for the calendar, has published her reply. Read the stories and leave your comments.

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February 19, 2005: This Week's Top Stories NPCA Board positions are open for nomination 17 Feb Mike Tidwell on trial for climate action protest 17 Feb Katie Dyer is co-owner of Cadeaux du Monde 16 Feb Cyclone misses Tonga and Samoa PCVs 16 Feb Phil Hardberger in debate for Mayor of San Antonio 16 Feb Edmund Hull is Princeton Diplomat-In-Residence 16 Feb Bruce Greenlee is longtime friend of Latino community 15 Feb Mike Honda new vice chairman at DNC 15 Feb Jospeh Opala documents slave crossing from Sierra Leone 14 Feb Dear Dr. Brothers: Aren't PCVs Hippies? 14 Feb Joseph Lanning founded the World Education Fund 14 Feb Stanley Levine draws Marine and Peace Corps similarities 14 Feb Speaking Out: JFK envisioned millions of RPCVs 13 Feb Chris Aquino visits mother's homeland of Vietnam 12 Feb Is PCOL blocking users from posting messages? 12 Feb JFK Library opens Sargent Shriver Collection 1 Feb RPCV responds to Bulgaria Calendar concerns 28 Jan

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WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.

RPCVs contend for Academy Awards Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.

Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

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