Senator Olympia Snow (R., Maine) has announced that she will not seek re-election this year. After serving in the Maine House and Senate, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978 and the Senate in 1994.
Sen. Snowe’s career, like that of Rep. Barney Frank’s, reminds us that the system protects incumbents. Her career also, like Rep. Frank’s, demonstrates that good judgment is not a trait necessary for political success.
The predictable praise of Sen. Snowe has begun. This will briefly address her actual legacy. She has been part of the federal government for over three decades, and, like the vast majority of members of Congress, has been part of the problem.
Sen. Snowe’s Record
Sen. Snowe has helped the federal government further drift from the Constitution and any sense of prudence. She is regularly described as a centrist or a moderate. However, a centrist in a sea of statists is still a statist, and a moderate among people who are immoderate is still extreme.
Sen. Snowe has a poor record on fiscal policy. This is reflected in the National Taxpayers Union’s grades during her tenure. For instance, the NTU gives her the following grades from 2006-2010: D, D, F, C, and C+.
She also has a weak record on trade freedom. The Cato Institute reports that she opposed trade barriers in only 39% of her votes, and opposed trade subsidies in only 29% of her votes.
Sen. Snowe’s recent poor decisions include supporting the following, each of which represents bad policy and an affront to the Constitution:
- The “stimulus plan,” a foolish waste of money.
- Pres. Obama’s military surge in Afghanistan, which just squandered more blood and treasure in the nation-building folly.
- ObamaCare (at the committee level, though not in the final vote), a wrecking ball of intervention.
- The Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill, which failed to address the real cause of the financial bubble and has helped prolong the recession.
- The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2012, which may allow the indefinite military detention of Americans.
Conclusion
As we discussed here, Milton Friedman observed that the problem is with the political system, not the people elected. However, this does not excuse the failure of those elected to office to do their jobs. Their responsibilities start with respecting the principles of limited government.
We have to face the reality of the system, but this includes acknowledging the failure of most of the people in the system. The fact is that they leave our lives the worse for their efforts.
