Left out Pete Domenici, Senator from New Mexico. I’m sad to see him retiring, especially because it seems tied to allegations that he participated in the Republican party’s strategy of getting the various Republican states’ federal attorneys to harass Democratic candidates (at least that’s the rumor). Wish I could do a “say it ain’t so, Pete” but one thing about Domenici was that he was a Republican’s Republican. Really believed in the party. Sadly, yeah, I could see him going along with the scheme. But I really liked his fiscal politics and at least some of his views on energy development (although he was not enough of a conservationist for my liking). Decent guy, worked his butt off in the Senate, believed in what he stood for.
I’m a liberal in the classical tradition and as defined in most of the world. My opposite would be an authoritarian, whether from the left or right. On the right, I do admire Barry Goldwater and Ron Paul. On the left, I do admire Harry Truman and Al Gore.
>“I’m a bachelor. I don’t know. But I do know that a number 2 combo with a Dr Pepper at Chik-Fil-A costs $5.39.”
Wow. Guess I just found a new hero. Quick, sensitive, relevant, fair, sounds correct, and just as smart as smart can be! I didn’t think it could be done.
Fiscal conservative here, more liberal on human rights issues, sort of Libertarian as far as too damn much government is concerned and registered Independent. I can’t honestly be a Democrat, but I was getting disgusted with and embarrassed by the GOP.
One Democrat I always admired and even voted for was Sen Daniel Patrick Moynihan. At first I hated Truman, but came to respect him for all the tough decisions he made. I admired Adlai Stevenson but glad he didn’t get the presidency.
Other than them, can’t think of any politicians of any stripe that I can honestly say I admire today. A pox on both houses.