Their word means nothing

Courtesy of Progressive Librarian on the other side of Teh Wang™ at TampaBay Democrat, we are reminded of promises that certain members of Congress made a few years ago ... including my former congresscritter, Dave Weldon (R-Lunatic) of FL-15.

But what's really interesting is PL's link through Smashed Frog ... looks like Dentist Dave isn't the only one whose word is worthless. Let's set the Way Back Machine to February 1999, Sherman:

Over the past two election cycles, U.S. Term Limits has shifted its strategy from promoting candidates solely because they believe in term-limit legislation. The group now is throwing its support behind candidates who are willing to sign a pledge, and is working against candidates who refuse.

A separate group, Americans for Limited Terms, spent millions of dollars in the 1998 cycle on issue ads designed to promote pledge signers and shed a negative light on those who refused to sign.

Five House Republicans signed that pledge in 1996, vowing to leave office by 2002. They are Bob Schaffer of Colorado, Ron Lewis of Kentucky, John Cooksey of Louisiana, Rick Hill of Montana and John Thune of South Dakota.

Nine members of this year's incoming freshman class [elected 1998] signed the six-year pledge. They are Doug Ose, R-Calif.; Grace F. Napolitano, D-Calif.; Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.; Judy Biggert, R-Ill.; Ken Lucas, D-Ky.; Lee Terry, R-Neb.; Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; Jim DeMint, R-S.C.; and Mark Green, R-Wis. Also signing was Lois Capps, D-Calif., who first won her seat in a March 1998 special election.

U.S. Term Limits also lists 18 other House members as having promised during their campaigns to limit themselves to a certain number of terms. These members have said they will not seek re-election in 2004: Ken Calvert, R-Calif.; James Maloney, D-Conn.; Porter Goss, R-Fla.; Dave Weldon, R-Fla.; Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa; Greg Ganske, R-Iowa; Donald Manzullo, R-Ill.; John Baldacci, D-Maine; Nick Smith, R-Mich.; James M. Talent, R-Mo.; David Minge, DMinn.; Richard M. Burr, RN.C.; Bob Franks, R-N.J.; Steve Chabot, R-Ohio; Ted Strickland, D-Ohio; Steven C. LaTourette, R-Ohio; Ralph Hall, D-Texas; and Richard "Doc" Hastings, R-Wash.

With that introduction, it's time for an exciting round of Where Are They Now?

Class of 1996 -- signed pledge
Bob Schaffer (R-Colo.) -- fulfilled his pledge, later failed in a bid for the U.S. Senate.
Ron Lewis (R-Ky.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
John Cooksey (R-La.) -- fulfilled his pledge, but failed in a bid for the U.S. Senate.
Rick Hill (R-Mont.) -- fulfilled his pledge but did so early because of health problems.
John Thune (R-S.D.) -- fulfilled his pledge, now in the U.S. Senate.

Class of 1998 -- signed pledge
Doug Ose (R-Calif.) -- fulfilled his pledge.
Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.) -- still in the House, so she reneged on her promise.
Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise (and he wants to be President!).
Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) -- still in the House, so she reneged on her promise.
Ken Lucas (D-Ky.) -- fulfilled his pledge.
Lee Terry (R-Neb.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) -- fulfilled his pledge, but failed in a bid for the U.S. Senate.
Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) -- fulfilled his pledge, now in the U.S. Senate.
Mark Green (R.-Wis.) -- reelected in 2004, so he reneged on his promise, but failed in a bid for governor of Wisconsin in 2006 and is not presently in Congress.

Limited to 2004 but did not sign pledge
Ken Calvert (R.-Calif.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
James Maloney (D-Conn.) -- was not reelected in 2002, so he fulfilled his promise (albeit perhaps involuntarily).
Porter Goss (R-Fla.) -- resigned in 2004 to become CIA director, so he fulfilled his promise.
Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) -- as noted above, he's running again, so he continues to renege on his promise.
Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
Greg Ganske (R-Iowa) -- fulfilled his promise early, but failed in a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2002.
Donald Manzullo (R-Ill.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
John Baldacci (D-Me.) -- fulfilled his promise early and now is governor of Maine.
Nick Smith (R-Mich.) -- fulfilled his promise.
James M. Talent (R-Mo.) -- fulfilled his promise early for an unsuccessful gubernatorial run in 2000; later served one term in the U.S. Senate.
David Minge (D-Minn.) -- was not reelected in 2000 so, like Maloney, he involuntarily fulfilled his promise early.
Richard M. Burr (R-N.C.) --fulfilled his promise, now in the U.S. Senate.
Bob Franks (R-N.J.) -- fulfilled his promise early, but failed in a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2000.
Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
Ted Strickland (D-Ohio) -- reelected in 2004, so he reneged on his promise, but he did not run in 2006 and now is governor of Ohio.
Steven C. LaTourette (R-Ohio) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.
Ralph Hall (D/R-Tex.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise; I hardly think switching from Democrat to Republican in 2004 nullified his promise.
Richard "Doc" Hastings (R-Wash.) -- still in the House, so he reneged on his promise.

Whew! If you're keeping score at home, let's sum up:

Out of 32 House members who said they would leave by 2004, 17 did so.

Therefore, 15 of them didn't keep their word. Interestingly, that number is comprised of three Democrats and 12 Republicans. Are you as shocked as I am? I thought so. I mean, what is it about Republicans not being able to keep their word?

But wait ... as I type this, there are 13 current House members who promised to be out by 2004 and they're still there, two terms later: two Democrats and eleven Republicans. Thirteen members of Congress whose word is worth as much as the paper I'm writing on (yes, that means nada), including one presidential candidate.

Think about that the next time one of these folks promises to do anything.

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Ed. note: I am not personally in favor of term limits, for I believe the best term limit is to vote the bastards out. This data is presented solely to draw attention to the rank hypocrisy of certain members of Congress, a disproportionate number of whom just happen to be Republicans.