Time to Wake Up 294: Told Ya So - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

[Rhiannon12866]

September 11 - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) delivers his 294th speech urging his colleagues to wake up to the threat of climate change. Whitehouse discusses how climate change is already inflicting large economic damages in a variety of ways, as predicted across almost 20 Budget Committee hearings over the last 18 months.

[Haggard Celine]

1. It's so frustrating that

so many Americans don't know who he is or what he talks about. He is what we need for this country, more Sheldon Whitehouses!

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I couldn't agree more!

A couple of months ago I went to an extended family gathering, my Dad's cousin who I like a lot was celebrating her 90th birthday. I ended up sitting up to her niece who told me that she just got in from Rhode Island the night before. So what did we have in common? My first thought was Senator Whitehouse so I told her that I thought he was doing one stellar job - and she acted like she had no idea who I was talking about...

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. Seriously?

It’s not exactly a huge state! If you visit for a few hours, there’s a fair chance you’ll meet him in person.

OK (obviously) that’s hyperbole…

https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/united-states/rhode-island

[Rhiannon12866]

5. I was surprised since I think of him as being pretty well known - and I'm in New York

[Haggard Celine]

4. Apolitical people are hard to rea

A lot of them don't know who any of their governors or Senators. About all they can tell you is who is President. And it's an appalling number who are that way.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. I know someone else like that, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised

An older lady who I know was complaining to be about getting a call from our Rep. (Stefanik ) and she told me that she called the number back to complain - she had no idea who was bothering her. So I took the time to explain to her exactly who our senators and representative are. And when election time came around, she asked my advice about who to vote for, so I said it's usually fairly simple for me, I vote a straight Democratic ticket. And she couldn't have been more pleased - she told me that she's a registered Democrat!

[progree]

7. Except all the "non-partisan" elections which are many: municipal (mayor, city council),

at least where I live, county commissioners, judges. It can be a big pain to research them all to find out their leanings.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I know, back in the day before 9/11 woke me up, my research was reading the League of Women Voters pamphlet

That my mother brought home.

[progree]

9. Back then, about all I did on these "non-partisan" races was vote for the incumbent

That was back in the 90's when I got that advice. Don't leave those blank, if you don't know what else to do, vote for the incumbent. That will help prevent a toxic write-in campaign from succeeding.