# Trent Lott starts with the threats now-- nice **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323 "2002-12-17T13:52:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/61 "2002-12-18T06:24:12Z")
Look, Lott’s threat to resign is hollow. It’s just an attempt at a little MAD. But all the president has to do is refuse to play the game. Double-reverse chicken. Lott can resign, but then he’d be completely finished, more finished than Newt Gingerich. How is he going to have a career as a talking head if he betrays the Republican party? He can still have his career as a leading Republican, even if he’s no longer a Republican leader. I doubt he’ll throw all that away just to get even with…well, who exactly would he be getting even with? Oh, yeah, the Republican party. Nope, doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/62 "2002-12-18T07:25:04Z")
I know I speak for everyone when I say, A STAFF OF 65??? What do they do? Write letters to constituents? Raise money? Shine his shoes and wax up his toupee? ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/63 "2002-12-18T14:18:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBill \* > \*\*What I really enjoy about this whole mess is that it didn’t take any muckraking, behind-the-scenes private eyes, or political machinery to get this scandal moving. It was plain English, and said in public! Damn refreshing! \*\* And on camera to boot. And was repeated (first said in 1980!!!), and had plenty of supporting evidence (see prior posts). As far as evidence goes this is like the “bus filled with nuns” as your witness at a trial. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/64 "2002-12-18T16:53:17Z")
The senior Senator from Idaho, Larry Craig, blames some in the media and the “liberal left” for Senator Lott’s troubles. Sometimes it is difficult to admit being a native of Idaho. For the first time at the SDMB, I am ashamed of my user name. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/65 "2002-12-18T17:17:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I know I speak for everyone when I say, A STAFF OF 65??? > > What do they do? Write letters to constituents? Raise money? Shine his shoes and wax up his toupee? \*\* Why are you surprised? That includes his DC staff and his Mississippi staff. He has several legislative assistants that help shift through various pieces of legislation. Plus press people to issue press releases and to sift through the home newspapers and national newspapers to see what new issues are cropping in Mississippi and on the national and international level. They also answer questions from constituents and help them to deal with the various bureaucracies. They also will respond to any letters the Senator receives. There will also be an IT person on hand to run the Senator’s website and to handle his e-mail. Plus his Chief of Staff. Fund raising is not handled by his congressional staff, but by his campaign staff. Two seperate entities, and only one of which is paid by the government. And most of these people are working 70 hour weeks just to keep on top of everything that’s going on. And paid crap. To be frank, the offices of most members of Congress are ridiculously underpaid and understaffed for the amount of stuff the public expects them to do. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/66 "2002-12-18T17:21:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I know I speak for everyone when I say, A STAFF OF 65??? > > What do they do? Write letters to constituents? Raise money? Shine his shoes and wax up his toupee? \*\* One presumes that a large portion of these staffers operate out of Mississippi, where the Senator’s constituents can have at least the appearance of access to him. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/67 "2002-12-18T17:50:05Z")
Allow me to be the first to call Mr. Lott’s bluff. Trent Lott, you’re a fucking coward. You don’t have the guts to leave the Senate! Look at all those flaming, Negro-loving liberals over there. They’re LAUGHING at you, Trent, just like all of those liberal Ole Miss LSD-smokin’ hippies laughed at you when you were wearing your little cheerleader uniform. You don’t have to take that! You could just take your marbles and go home to Mississippi, where everybody knows how to treat the darkies. If you had the balls to do that, which you don’t. And those pansy-assed conservatives–your so-called friends–who turn their backs on you at the first sign of trouble. Fuck them! You know they all secretly agree with you, but they’re just too fucking chickenshit to say so out loud. Well, YOU’RE not chickenshit, are you Trent? They should know that by now! But they don’t. You’re going to have to prove it to them and RESIGN! They don’t think you’ll do it. You’ve got to show them what a Mississippi cheerleader is made of! Quit, Trent! Quit! I dare you to resign, Trent! I double…no, TRIPLE dog dare you! ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/68 "2002-12-18T17:52:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kaylasdad99 \* > \*\*One presumes that a large portion of these staffers operate out of Mississippi, where the Senator’s constituents can have at least the appearance of access to him. \*\* It’s not so much access as constituent service. People go into the home offices when they have a specific problem (usually bureaucratic) that they need to deal with. The home staff will help to guide the person through whatever agency the person is having difficulty with, sometimes putting pressure on the agency to speed up the process. And believe me, if you have a problem, your senator or your representative’s office will do everything in their power to get it resolved. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/69 "2002-12-18T18:13:34Z")
It looks to me like how many offices a senator has is directly connected to the geographic size of his state. Theoretically I suppose you want to have an office within an easy commute of all your constituency. Looks like Trent is about average, with 6 offices: one in D.C., and offices in Oxford, Greenwood, Jackson, Gulfport, and Pascagoula. [http://lott.senate.gov/contact.html](http://lott.senate.gov/contact.html) Senator Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, has 4 offices: one in D.C., and three Illinois offices–in Chicago (essential for Illinois pols), Springfield (the state capital), and Marion (that’s for the Downstate constituency). [http://www.senate.gov/~durbin/ContactDurbin/](http://www.senate.gov/~durbin/ContactDurbin/) Senator Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, has 6 offices: one in D.C., and then Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Valparaiso, Jeffersonville, and Evansville. [http://lugar.senate.gov/offices.htm](http://lugar.senate.gov/offices.htm) Senator James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, has 5 offices: one in D.C., and then Tulsa, Oklahoma City, McAlester, and Enid. [http://inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm](http://inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm) Hillary Clinton has 9 offices: a D.C. office, a NYC office, Greater NY offices in Hartsdale (Westchester) and Melville (L.I.), and offices upstate in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Lowville. [http://clinton.senate.gov/offices.html](http://clinton.senate.gov/offices.html) Joe Biden only has a D.C. office and two Delaware offices, but then, it’s such a teeny tiny state… 😃 [http://biden.senate.gov/contact.html](http://biden.senate.gov/contact.html) Here’s a list of U.S. senators, if y’all wanna look up your own. [http://www.senate.gov/general/contact\_information/senators\_cfm.cfm](http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/70 "2002-12-18T18:27:35Z")
Yup, **Duck** , that’s pretty much how it works. The same thing happens in the House, too. Most reps have only one constituent office because districts are usually fairly small, but if they are the only rep from the state then they get more offices. Or if they have a large geographic district. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/71 "2002-12-18T18:34:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > \*\*It’s not so much access as constituent service. People go into the home offices when they have a specific problem (usually bureaucratic) that they need to deal with. The home staff will help to guide the person through whatever agency the person is having difficulty with, sometimes putting pressure on the agency to speed up the process. And believe me, if you have a problem, your senator or your representative’s office will do everything in their power to get it resolved. \*\* Well, yeah, and that. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/72 "2002-12-18T18:41:47Z")
Oops…I meant to continue on to say that that isn’t the only factor. Obviously the number of responsibilities you have and the population of your district are also factors. There’s a formula for the size of the staff that is allowed for Congress members. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/73 "2002-12-18T19:03:21Z")
I thought the thread title was **Lott starts with _treats_ now-- how nice!** So I came in here looking for my 40 acres and my mule. I’m not too upset that I’m not getting a treat, though. I’ve got no place to put a mule and with my luck, it would be 40 acres of the Gowanus Canal. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/74 "2002-12-18T22:13:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I know I speak for everyone when I say, A STAFF OF 65??? > > What do they do? Write letters to constituents? Raise money? Shine his shoes and wax up his toupee? \*\* Yeah, why JUST 65? After all, Lott has to be an expert on EVERYTHING since he is making laws affecting everything. plus he has to deal with problems in his home state. And it is not like he is a Rhode Island Senator. Note: Not a Lott supporter. His BET interview looked like a lot of squirming and weaseling. And i agree he doesn’t think he is a bad guy. but i still think he shouldn’t be head of the GOP, it is embarassing. One in his postition should know that anything he says can be blown out of proportion, so he should watch his mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/75 "2002-12-18T22:54:38Z")
This is not really related to the rant at hand, but I must get it off my chest: A certain member of my family was going on and on about how terrible the liberals are, how terrible the press is, blowing this all out of proportion, thirsty for blood, ought-to-be-ashamed-of-themselves … I quoted Lott’s words of 2 weeks ago, which we all know by heart by now. Stunned silence. Family member: “Well, that is pretty bad. I didn’t know he said that.” :rolleyes: Thank you for allowing this; please resume your regular thread now. ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_User](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Abe\_User](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_User)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/76 "2002-12-18T23:20:23Z")
Watching an evil racist cracker beg for his job – now that’s black entertainment television! ---
**Author:** ![RobertTB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RobertTB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobertTB)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/77 "2002-12-18T23:26:55Z")
Lott has said that he will not leave the Senate, even if removed from his leadership position. ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/78 "2002-12-19T01:03:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Abe User \* > \*\*Watching an evil racist cracker beg for his job – now that’s black entertainment television! \*\* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/79 "2002-12-19T07:26:30Z")
Wow. I didn’t realize that Senators headed up organizations that large. I would have guessed a secretary, a PR flack, a handful of interns doing research, maybe a couple of ‘personal assistants’, and then a similar staff in the home state. Is that more typical of what a Congressman might have then? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/80 "2002-12-19T14:50:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*Is that more typical of what a Congressman might have then? \*\* Well, the congressman I interned for had 3 interns, 4 research assistants (one of whom doubled as his receptionist), a press secretary, a chief of staff, and a scheduler, in his DC office. I’m not sure what he had in his local office. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323.md?page=5)