#6
Jeff Flake
Before the Tea Party boiled over in anger over government spending, before it became vogue to hate waste, Jeff Flake was fed up with Washington’s high-pork diet and was crusading against earmarks.
Officials have often tacked on perks to make sure bills benefit their constituents. Earmarks—addenda to bills requesting funding for projects unrelated to the bill itself—infuriate many Americans, for good reason.
In 2006, Flake publicly challenged several requests—including $750,000 for a new building at the Los Angeles County Fair and $500,000 for a swimming pool in Banning, California. The earmark system, Flake argues, is in need of a major overhaul.
At the end of spending debates, in what he calls the “Flake Hour,” the congressman invites earmark sponsors to the House floor and asks them to explain themselves to the American public. Each week, he issues a press release highlighting the “egregious earmark of the week,” and features it on his website.
When one particular earmark asked for $235,000 for weed management in Nevada, Flake responded that the state should “get a goat” instead. When a marine-research group was earmarked $300,000 to examine one specific type of fish, Flake responded on Twitter, “Congress is hard of ‘herring’ when it comes to fiscal reform.”
His efforts earned him the distinction of “Taxpayer Superhero” from Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.
“Jeff Flake is that rare creature in Washington,” said Matt Welch, editor of Reason. “He’s someone who elevates principle over party, choice over control, and good governance over doling out goodies to his constituents.”
Flake hasn’t been afraid to irritate some top Republicans. He’s one of the most outspoken opponent of the Cuban trade embargo and has earned praise from some liberals for his positions on civil liberties. President George W. Bush once said Flake was “too dang independent.”
Flake’s fight against earmarks may injure his chances of climbing high within his party—he was reportedly bounced from the House Judiciary Committee for criticizing party leaders on 60 Minutes—but that hasn’t slowed him down.
“When today’s Tea Party bandwagon was busy supporting every Republican power grab in Washington,” Welch said, “Flake was admitting as early as 2006 that there’s ‘nothing we’ve done as Republicans that ought to make libertarians excited about our record.’ He’s a serious man in an unserious town.”
Man-to-Man with Jeff Flake
Can one be both a good man and a good (i.e., effective) politician?
Sure. I think it’s probably more difficult to be a good man the longer you hold office, but it’s certainly possible.
If you were making a list of politicians you respect for both their integrity and their dedication to the ideas they believe in, what man—from a party other than your own—would you be sure to put on the list? And why?
Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin). Over the years, I’ve watched Ron stand up to both his party and his constituents—his party when he has sponsored or voted for ethics measures that his leadership hasn’t been fond of, and his constituents when they pine after farm subsidies that Ron does not believe in providing.
In 2009, you spent a week alone on one of the deserted Marshall Islands. What did that experience teach you about being a good man?
As soon as I stepped off the island, the island forgot I was ever there. I suppose that’s how it is when we leave this earth. The relationships that we develop with our families, friends, and colleagues are all that matter. My island experience did much to reinforce that notion.
We believe that a good man owns up to his mistakes. Tell us about a time when you fell short of “goodness,” however you define it.
Three-and-a-half years ago, my oldest son was leaving for a two-year church mission. I had the choice of either seeing him off with my wife or heading back to Washington for votes that evening and the following day. I chose the latter. I suppose I was trying to be a good politician, but I wasn’t being a good father. I don’t even remember what votes I cast that I felt I couldn’t miss, but I’ll never forget that I wasn’t there for my wife and son when I should have been.
The Top-10 Good Men Politicians
10) Mitch Daniels
8 ) Mark Strama
6) Jeff Flake
5) Al Franken
3) Cory Booker
2) Paul Ryan
1) Carl Levin
Maggie Thatcher is the only good politician I know of. The reason is that she is dead. Alive, she was a feminine version of Hitler only worse. Now she is were all politicians should be, in hell.
They promise us a better world yet when they are elected they turn their backs on us and sell out to the ruling people with power. It will never change unless we start to fight for what is rite instead of just letting it happen and hope it will be better tomorrow.
You left off the two Oregon Senators and the congressman from Seattle Jim McDermott.
Look up quotes of Boris Johnson. He is better than all of these.
Why the HELL is Ron Paul not on this list? You ppl r crazy!! He should be at the TOP!!
Paul Ryan’s “Roadmap” is a trumped-up plan to facilitate further corporate take-over. When all is said and done, we can vote who gets put in power in the government. We can’t vote on CEOs. I would rather pay my taxes to the government with all its flaws (and even corporate influences) than give more power to big money. And what is with Flake? I am so glad to see someone speaking up about the earmarks, but I think his politicizing of the funding of scientific research mars that. Now we need someone more vocal in defense of honest science than… Read more »
I actually got excited about his website, until I saw Paul Ryan on this list. This is a joke, isn’t it? Paul Ryan? this guy doesn’t have one ounce of integrity in his whole body. Paul Ryan is, excuse my language, the biggest corporate prostitute that has ever existed. He is a complete sold out. He gets his marching orders from the Koch brothers, and those orders are all about destroying the fabric of this great nation: the middle class. Guess what, no middle class = No Democracy. How can you put someone on this list who champions tyranny? You… Read more »
This list is baffling in its inconsistency.
Part of being a good man is showing self-awareness, and the fortitude to live according to one’s convictions – regardless of personal difficulty. Paul Ryan fails this test.
Ryan rose to his current position thanks to the welfare state; specifically Social Security, upon which he attended college.
He advocates for the others an Ayn Rand-inspired level of self-sufficiency, the dismantling of this social safety net.
IOTW: “I got mine – f*ck you”.
This list is now painfully dated, with the revelation about Ryan’s taste in wine and drinking buddies.
How you missed Ron Paul, the most consistent, principled and honest politician of his era, or arguably of any era is beyond me.
Think what you will of his politics, but his candor, his respectful dialogue and his refusal to bend to the powers that be in the name of liberty are second to none.
Interesting that the two single politicians who prohibit the initiation of force and fraud in their politics are absent from the list. From the time of Confucius, all societies have followed this “golden rule”, (outside of government), until their governments based on force and fraud have destroyed the society, usually by murdering millions of innocent civilians in conquest or democide. Jeff Flake, one of the better people on your list, supported protectionist legislation that put non-cartel dairy farmers out of business. All the other politicians are even worse than he is. Russ Feingold, for instance, pushed through “McCain-Feingold”, legislation that… Read more »
Ryan is about where he belongs though #1 would be a better ranking. I see a bunch of tantrum tossing towards Ryan for his stance on gay marriage. And most of it is phony outrage because the same people give Carl Levin a pass regarding his wishy washy stance on repealing DADT. more selective outrage from the professional leftists.
Folks, turn that anger to solving the problem. Too many of our politicians should go home.
How can we limit their terms of service to 2, but not more than 3 terms in office? This needs to be done for the good of this country.
We support their behavior by letting them stay in office. They are not entitled to a government seat for life.
3 times this screen has changed and lost my words——I agree w/Willl 100% read The Powell Memo
Carl Paladino is a “Good Man”
senator bernie sanders is without question the best person in our government today. i wouldn’t feel that i’m overestimating at all in saying that 99% of those in congress are corporate controlled stooges, and bernie is most certainly not. i am also surprised to not see senator russ feingold, the only senator to not vote for the patriot act – in doing so being alone in standing up for our civil liberties – in 2002.
I think the list would make much more sense if you explained why you included these people on the list – each individually, not as a whole – then one cold see the reasoning in it. I would like to read your response, Senator Sanders. Thank-you.
Why not Dennis Kucinich? I am suprised, also.
kucinich sold out true progressives by compromising and going back on his word by signing that atrocity of a health care “reform”.
I love what you’re doing, and needless to say, as a Vermonter I like the Bernie choice. For future consideration, take a look at our current governor, Jim Douglas, who despite being a Republican – is a good man. But my main point……….. you are totally out of your tiny liberal mind to not include our president on your list. I won’t even bother to enumerate, you must have a brain somewhere in there.
No Dennis Kucinich? One of the few who is unbiased…and does not need a speechwriter because he speaks from the heart!
With some of your pollsters, I am surprised Bush/Cheney et al are not on te list!
Where is Dennis Kucinich?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????!!!!! I can’t imagine what your criteria could be but as a citizen in Jeff Flake’s district I can tell you that he DOES NOT meet my definition of a good man. This man could not care less about his district! In the time I’ve lived in AZ I’ve never heard from him, despite my repeatedly contacting his office. When I complained to his office that he never acknowledges my comments I got a form letter. He has done nothing, and I mean NOTHING for this district. He serves only his corporate overlords. He is in every… Read more »
I was about to leave the same post almost word for word! I live in his district and he only serves one thing… his agenda and his religious beliefs…
I’m shocked – in fact I laughed out loud when I saw his name on this list!!
Dennis Kucinich – Good Guy
Goodmen Project:
put me on local fox about the growing problem of gender bias in the courts, children are being hurt an destroyed because the system wont listen to good men and women are over protected ….
How can Paul Ryan possibly be considered a Good Man when he actively encourages prejudice against gay men and women? He cares not for anyone who is not an extreme right wing evangelical Christian and the right of corporations over the good of his fellowman. By no definition, is this man a Good Man.
nonsense
I’m glad someone thinks as highly of Carl Levin as I do. I am proud of my Michigan senators. They have consistently shown themselves to be team players, not trying to screw over others for their own benefit.
Carl Levin fights for what he believes is right and practicable, and that’s what I want in a representative. He also gives a very well reasoned speech. It’s nice (and a very odd feeling) to have someone Michigan can be proud of.
Including Al Franken on this list pretty much invalidates the rest of the list as Al fails miserably at most of the criteria. Far from being respectful and trying to work with his political opposites, he belittles them every time he is left in charge of the house. Being from Michigan, I concur with putting Carl Levin on top of the list for being a good man. However, he has a completely undistinguished legislative record and basically has taken up space for several decades. Additionally, Michigan has been on of the top 2 tax donor states during Carl’s entire tenure… Read more »