On “Effectiveness”

Washington Lobbyist Max Burns was on the radio Friday morning in Savannah spewing out the same old tired “effectiveness” argument that he likes to shop around the 12th District.

Now might be a good time for Max to rethink his rhetoric.

What’s interesting about Max’s talking point is that he’s referring to a study done BY lobbyists FOR lobbyists. It’s a measure of show horses in Congress, not work horses – and it’s also a measure of which Members of Congress can be counted on to go to bat for lobbyists and special interests.

Brad Fitch is the co-founder and CEO of Knowlegis, the group that did the ranking, and he was recently a guest on Tim Bryant’s WGAU-AM radio show, where he talked about what the rankings mean for a freshman Congressman like John Barrow:

• “If a freshman did well in the legislative category here in Power Rankings, I’d raise an eyebrow. Because it means that they’re focusing on the inside baseball game in Washington – which is what Power Rankings are really all about – and not focusing on their constituents.”
• John Barrow’s “doing the exact right thing that a freshman should be doing at this particular time, which is focusing on his constituents – and not the inner trappings of power of Washington, DC.”

Mr. Fitch went on to remark, “that actually our ratings are being misused by some certain members of the political establishment.”

Click HERE to listen to Mr. Fitch’s full discussion about Congressman Barrow.

The formula for these so-called “Power Rankings” that Max likes to talk about includes things like the number of appearances on national talk shows, floor speeches, how much money you’ve given to other candidates, and how willing you are to get up and spout the party line. However, it does not take into account the work done in committee (where bills actually get written), or the casework done on behalf of local constituents (which is the most important job of any Congressman).

It’s downright laughable to hear a one-term, defeated, and deflated ex-Congressman turned paid lobbyist like Max Burns talk about “effectiveness.” Lobbyists and special interests don’t measure effectiveness – the voters do. And when the voters measured Mr. Burns’ effectiveness in Congress, they booted him out of office the very first chance they got!

For John Barrow, this election is about who will go to work every day for the people of the 12th District – delivering real results that matter to them.

For Max Burns…well, he thinks that elections are about only one thing: “Power and Control.”

Radio Interview in Toombs County

Earlier today, I had a great radio interview with Wilson Smith on WLYU’s daily morning talk show, “What is Going On.” The show airs out of Toombs County and reaches a good portion of the southwest corner of the 12th District – Montgomery, Tattnall, Evans, Candler, and Treutlen County.

Wilson and I talked a lot about the recent job outsourcings that hit Jenkins County last month, when the Jockey plant in Millen announced that it was shipping 203 jobs to Central America and the Caribbean. If you'd like to read more about it, visit my Congressional website to read the statement I put out on the job cuts, and to find out about the Town Hall we hosted in Millen last week with State Senator J.B. Powell and State Rep. Jon Burns.

Right now in America, working men and women are being squeezed at both ends. Illegal immigration is selling out American jobs to the lowest bidder, while unfair trade deals like CAFTA are shipping out good paying American jobs overseas. It’s time to stand up American workers – and that means securing our borders, raising the minimum wage, and doing everything we can to keep good paying American jobs in America.

Wilson and I also talked about the events that unfolded earlier this year in Rincon, when it was announced that a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates was in the process of buying the sole source provider of engine turbine fans for the Abrams Tank. If you want to learn more about that, check out the transcript of my interview with CNN’s Lou Dobbs on how too many foreign companies are buying up America’s domestic military manufacturers – selling off our nation’s ability to defend ourselves one company at a time.

My interview with Wilson should be available on the web in the next few days. As soon as it’s up, I’ll let you know.
-John