Dan Rostenkowski: One of the Last Real Democrats
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Everyone piled on Congressman Rostenkowski when he was convicted of mail fraud. Do gooders lectured him about abuse of power and all the other crap do gooders like to lecture about. But the reality is Dan Rostenkowski did more to serve the little guy than all these do gooding assholes combined. And with his demise, the killing of politics helping the little guy came closer.
Unlike now, when to gain access to legislators you need to bring in a check for 100 to $100,000 depending on their level, when Rostenkowski was in office, anyone could call, write or walk in and get helped.
Countless times some poor old lady who couldn’t afford rent or medicine asked Congressman Rostenkowski for help and got it. If the party needed help, Rostenkowski helped. He was loyal to his people. Many times that can lead to bad decisions but his heart was in the right place so I forgive him.
Those were days when grass roots mattered. A sign in a yard mattered. A thousand people showing up to a $5 ham and bean fundraiser. And there were always enough volunteers to cook and clean up. Now these things are “quaint” but don’t really matter. Politicians become corporate whores because it takes big money to win an election. Dan Rostenkowski helped thousands of poor Joes that needed help. Even if they all pitched in and went to the $5 fundraiser and put up yards signs, that wouldn’t be as effective as the hundred grand the chamber of commerce put up to run bullshit attack ads now.
Dan Rostenkowski got stuck in a transitional time when money was starting to mean more than service. The day of the little guy having a “friend” at city hall, the state house or Washington is over. It’s a damn shame.
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I miss the days when a single voter mattered. Thanks everyone for noticing.
Three thumbs up. I always liked the guy myself – a whole damn lot.
Glad to see this and agree. We need bunchs that have the same traits now.
Great post and welcome to MMA John.
Like all of us, he wasn’t perfect, but I agree, he was an old school Democrat, Chicago style.
He also has a big badge to fit his name on. I like big badges…;-)
True.
I liked DR, and I liked him a lot. He made a mistake, did his time, but before he made those mistakes he was one hell of a representative for the people. Better than many we have today.