Let’s see…the Democrats have had control of Congress for just over a year. Prior to that the GOP held the lock and keys, any anything bearing a Democratic label of origin was dead on arrival at the desk.
Yet another losing issue, Michele. What say we look at something else, shall we?
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/cin_hacker_2.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/john-mccain-2000-the-swi_b_30654.html
I’d say these issues might carry a bit more with the American public than a silly question about how many bills Obama authored.

Um…that’s my point. He’s the one who said he can bring the nation together. Why didn’t he reach across the aisle to get something done? You may dismiss it but it is a valid point.
“I’d say these issues might carry a bit more with the American public than a silly question about how many bills Obama authored.”
*Yawn* Old news.

Michele: “*Yawn* Old news.”
Yep…sure is. Thing is, it worked for Bush in South Carolina in 2000.

You can reach across the aisle and still meet a dead end at the White House.

Maybe, or maybe SC thought McCain was too liberal (his stand on abortion isn’t quite up to snuff as far as the religious right is concerned, that’s why Dobson is against him). It didn’t stop him in 2008 did it? Do you think they forgot?

Are you saying that Obama is an ineffective legislator? Why do you think that? I know, it’s because he’s black! THERE IS NO OTHER EXPLANATION!!!

Michele: “Maybe, or maybe SC thought McCain was too liberal (his stand on abortion isn’t quite up to snuff as far as the religious right is concerned, that’s why Dobson is against him). It didn’t stop him in 2008 did it? Do you think they forgot?”
LOL…how long do YOU think the collective memory of the electorate is? Four years is a lifetime, Michele, when it comes to politics. Did they forget? More than likely. Will they remember when they see those same ads again? We’ll see.

Since Beliefnet swallowed this post earlier, I’ll try again.
Courtesy of your counterparts at DailyKos
http://www.dailykos.com / storyonly / 2008/2/21/164117/783/290/461422
It has really been bothering me – the charges that Obama is all talk and no action. Those of us who support him and have reviewed his record know there is no basis to this charge, but just to make sure, I went to the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) and did a search for bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate. I searched the 109th and 110th Congresses which cover the years 2005-2007.
In a nut shell I found:
Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress.
Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005.
Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.
His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois.
Details below the fold.
* Helenann’s diary :: ::
*
Below I summarize Senator Obama’s legislative record in the US Senate.
First I list the bills he sponsored that have become law.
Next I summarize the bills that he has sponsored or cosponsored since he became a US Senator in 2005.
I have only included major pieces of legislation and have not summarized continuing resolutions or naming post offices, for example.
His record suggests several priorities and the bills he supports address many of our most pressing problems.
Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).
Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:
Two addressed foreign policy:
Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)
Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).
Three addressed public health:
Improve mine safety (2803)
Increased breast cancer funding (597)
Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).
Two addressed openness and accountability in government:
Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488)
Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)
Two addressed national security
Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)
Amend the Patriot Act (2167)
One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces
Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).
Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:
25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change
Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)
Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)
Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768)
Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)
Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)
Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)
Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)
Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)
Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)
Alternative diesel standards (3554)
Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)
Renewable diesel standards (1920)
Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)
Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)
Alternative energy refueling system (2614)
Climate change education (1389)
Low income energy assistance (2405)
Oil savings targets (339)
Fuel economy reform (3694)
Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)
Nuclear release notice (2348)
Passenger rail investment (294)
Energy relief for low income families (2405)
21 addressed Health Care
Drug re-importation (334)
Health information technology (1262, 1418)
Discount drug prices (2347)
Health care associated infections (2278)
Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)
Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)
Emergency medical care and response (1873)
Stem cell research (5)
Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)
Health centers renewal (901, 3771)
Children’s health insurance (401)
Home health care (2061)
Medicare independent living (2103)
Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)
Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)
Gynological cancers (1172)
Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)
Paralysis research and care (1183)
20 addressed Public Health:
Violence against women (1197)
Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)
Viral influenza control (969)
End homelessness (1518)
Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)
Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)
Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)
Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)
Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)
Healthy communities (1068)
Combat methamphetamines (2071)
Paid sick leave (910)
Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818)
Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)
Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)
14 address Consumer Protection/Labor
Stop unfair labor practices (842)
Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)
Internet freedom (2917)
Credit card safety (2411)
Media ownership (2332)
Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)
Working family child assistance (218)
Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)
Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)
FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)
Working families flexibility (2419).
13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:
Improve Benefits (117)
Suicide prevention (479)
Needs of homeless veterans (1180)
Homes for veterans (1084)
GI Bill enhancement (43)
Military job protection
Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)
Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)
Military children in public schools (2151)
Military eye injury research and care (1999)
Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)
Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)
Security of personal data of veterans (3592)
12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability
Lobbying and ethics reform (230)
Stop fraud (2280)
Legislative transparency and accountability (525)
Open government (2180, 2488)
Restoring fiscal discipline (10)
Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)
Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)
Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)
Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal
contract (674)
Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts
(2147) Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)
10 addressed Foreign Policy:
Iraq war de-escalation (313)
US policy for Iraq (433),
Divestiture from Iran (1430)
Sudan divestment authorization (831)
Millennium Development Goals (2433)
Multilateral debt relief (1320)
Development bank reform (1129)
Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).
9 address Voting/Elections
Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)
Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)
Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)
Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)
Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)
Election jamming prevention (4102)
Campaign disclosure parity (223)
Presidential funding (2412)
Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)
11 addressed Education
Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)
Establish teaching residency programs (1574)
Increase early intervention services (2111)
Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)
Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428)
Summer learning programs (116)
TANF financial education promotion (924)
Higher education (1642)
Build capacity at community colleges (379)
Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228)
Support for teachers (2060).
6 addressed Hurrican Katrina
Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)
Emergency relief (1637)
Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)
Working family tax relief (2257)
Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)
Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)
5 addressed the Environment
Drinking water security (218, 1426)
Water resources development (728)
Waste water treatment (1995)
Combat illegal logging (1930)
Spent nuclear fuel tracking and Acountability (1194)
Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[S.726.IS ]
4 addressed Discrimination
Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)
Domestic partnership benefits (2521)
Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)
Equality or two parent families (2286)
4 addressed Homeland Security
Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)
National emergency family locator (1630)
Amend US Patriot Act (2167)
Chemical security and safety (2486)
Next time someone asks you “where’s the beef” in Senator Obama’s Senate record, please feel free to send the link to this diary.
—————
If you take a look at bills sponsored (not co-sponsored, you find some interesting results:
Clinton’s first 4 years in senate: 299 bills sponsored
Obama’s first 3 years in Senate: 265 bills sponsored

Check the title of this post, it was how many bills did he sponsor, not co-sponsored — of all that you listed, how many did he actually sponsor (it is very easy to get your name on a bill as a co-sponsor — it really doesn’t demonstrate an ability to work across the aisle).
BTW, if we were going to elect a person who says that they can end the partisanship in Washington and work across the aisle, McCain would be your candidate since he has demonstrated that he has the ability to cave in order to get Democrat cooperation.

michele, you’re off the mark.
ds0490 went through more trouble than i did, but the video is misleading, and you bought it. who (other than YOU) says that co-sponsoring a bill with someone on the other side of the political aisle doesn’t demonstrate an ability to work with that person(s)? that’s plain ignorance.
also, the 109th congress (where republicans held a strong majority in both houses of congress and bush was in the white house) had an unprecedented shut-out of anything left of the aisle. i find it amazing that he got 2 co-sponsored bills signed into law (the lugar-obama nonproliferation bill and the coburn-obama transparency act) in 2007 for as little as the republican-led congress managed to accomplish. he was the main sponsor of the one that the video mentions (democratic republic of the congo relief, security, and democracy promotion act) in 2006, again another year when republicans were at their peak power and showed very little desire to work with democrats.
some other bipartisan legislation that obama sponsored or participated in:
2005 legislation calling on FEMA to rebid no-bid katrina reconstruction contracts
2005 tax credit for safely removing lead-based paint hazards from residences
coal-to-liquid fuel promotion act of 2006
fair pay restoration act 2007
keep americans warm act of 2007
…
again, i’m sure most people who care to know can use google and other resources to find many more. it’s disingenuous to assume that his short record negates his ability to get things done. we see prodigies from time to time.
when it comes to discussing bipartisanship of obama vs. mccain, i think that this exchange is telling of obama’s superior character
http://obama.senate.gov/letter/060206-sen_obama_and_sen_mccain_exchange_letters_on_ethics_reform/
for all my respect of sen. mccain, i found his letter to be knee-jerk and snarky in the extreme. still, sen. obama rose above it and again extended his hand to help with ethics reform. cbs also printed mccain’s rude letter here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/07/politics/printable1289745.shtml
another point of interest is that democrats look at bipartisanship as a plus, yet mccain constantly gets pummeled by the right for his working with democrats.

Michele: “Check the title of this post, it was how many bills did he sponsor, not co-sponsored — of all that you listed, how many did he actually sponsor (it is very easy to get your name on a bill as a co-sponsor — it really doesn’t demonstrate an ability to work across the aisle).”
Yet another conservative that must be spoon-fed. I hope your seminary profs have a lot of patience, dear.
From the 109th congress, here is a list of the bills sponsored by Sen. McCain that were signed into law by President Bush.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d109&querybd=@FIELD(FLD003+@4((@1(Sen+Obama++Barack))+01763))
1. [109th] S.161 : A bill to provide for a land exchange in the State of Arizona between the Secretary of Agriculture and Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 1/25/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Senate Reports: 109-40
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-110 [GPO: Text, PDF]
2. [109th] S.1481 : A bill to amend the Indian Land Consolidation Act to provide for probate reform.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 7/26/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Resources
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-157 [GPO: Text, PDF]
3. [109th] S.1892 : A bill to amend Public Law 107-153 to modify a certain date.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 10/19/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Indian Affairs
Senate Reports: 109-201
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-158 [GPO: Text, PDF]
4. [109th] S.2464 : A bill to revise a provision relating to a repayment obligation of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation under the Fort McDowell Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 1990, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 3/28/2006) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Indian Affairs; House Resources
Senate Reports: 109-284
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-373 [GPO: Text, PDF]
(Quite a bit of water being carried for that Indian tribe, isn’t it?)
Here is a list of bills sponsored by Sen. Obama that were signed into law by President Bush.
S.2125
Title: A bill to promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 12/16/2005) Cosponsors (12)
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-456 [GPO: Text, PDF]
Even though McCain was in the majority, he could only get 3 more bills of his signed by his President than Obama did. So much for seniority and majority.
Now, let’s look at the current Congress. Here is a list of bills sponsored by Sen. McCain that have been signed into law.
-none-
And those sponsored by Obama that have been signed into law?
-none-
Now, let’s go back and see how McCain did in prior sessions. From the 108th…
1. [108th] S.162 : A bill to provide for the use of distribution of certain funds awarded to the Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 1/15/2003) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Indian Affairs; House Resources
Senate Reports: 108-17
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 108-22 [GPO: Text, PDF]
2. [108th] S.579 : A bill to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 3/7/2003) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation; House Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate Reports: 108-53
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 108-168 [GPO: Text, PDF]
3. [108th] S.1152 : A bill to reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 5/23/2003) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Senate Reports: 108-126
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 108-169 [GPO: Text, PDF]
More help for Indian tribes??? Weren’t they exempted by McCain from his campaign finance reform bill?
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=461
Yep, they sure were, at least according to Michele Malkin. Maybe he was influenced by money they were passing through Jack Abramoff to McCain?
http://ucsense.blogspot.com/2008/02/mccains-abramoff-connection.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_lobbying_and_corruption_scandal
Why do you suppose, Michele, that over 50% of the successful pieces of legislation sponsored by McCain over the past three Congressional sessions have benefited native Americans?

anonymous reincarnate, it’s not the one who can be the more polite that will get the work done, you realize that don’t you? Obama can be gracious all he wants it won’t get him too far (a fat lot of good it did Bush) if he can’t compromise . McCain has demonstrated that he can work with Democrats, that’s why he’s in trouble with conservatives right now
ds0490, you seem to have missed my point. Not really surprising. And if anyone could see the amount of work that I do for seminary, they certainly wouldn’t call me lazy. And even with all that work I still find time to post and respond to snarky comments from the lefties, imagine that!

bush was gracious? now i’d love to see evidence of that. he may have been gracious to republican congress, by allowing them all the PORK they could swallow as long as they didn’t try to interfere with his agenda of expanding executive power, but that’s not “bipartisan compromise”.
what mccain demonstrated is his partisan rage – that he’s rude and condescending to someone who agreed with him on this issue! how far will that get him when trying to work with people who want to work with him but might disagree? i’m guessing nowhere.
you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Um, just a wild guess here, but maybe the reason that McCain has sponsored so many bills relating to Native Americans has to do with his being the chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

This is off the topics, but I read Ezek 18:23 recently and wondered how anyone who claims to be a believer can support capital punishment when the prophets obviously thought that a life sentence could give even the worst of us a chance to repent.