[A]ccording to the Web site GovTrack, of the 97 bills Kucinich has sponsored since taking office in 1997, only three have become law. Ninety-three didn't even make it out of committee.The three that were enacted are, in chronological order from first to last: A bill "to make available to the Ukranian Museum and Archives the USIA television program 'Window on America,'" a bill "to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14500 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio as the 'John P. Gallagher Post Office Building" and a bill "proclaiming Casimir Pulaski to be an honorary citizen of the United States posthumously."
And somehow he still managed to find time to run for President twice.
MORE: via Nate Silver.
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I think it depends on how narrowly you define "useless".
I've said somewhere (maybe here) that I think one down-side of the way "we" constantly hear only repeated similar messages and talking points till hell won't have it is that Evil Doers can then deny the existence of the real extremes (in their own talking points)and do silly stuff like convince people Obama is a "socialist" when he is in fact a centrist, etc.
Short-attention-spanned-not-bright people, who never see REAL extremes then are more easily sucked in.
I think the extreme guys are a TREMENDOUS boon to the "Middle Guys" (who are able to get bills passed etc) I think guys like Kucinich help make centrist reasonable guys seem centrist and reasonable. Kinda draws fire in a way. And he gives an air of Inclusiveness. I know several way-lefters who don't like the idea of 3rd parties but DO like the views of Kucinich and even farther left.
Those people, if they became further marginalized/disillusioned would easily turn their backs on the Democrat party and think more favorably of the Greens. No question about that
The tendency seems to be holding on to an idea/hope, however false, that some day the entire party will talk a lot more like KUcinich. These people go to county Dem party meetings, run/hold local office, work on campaigns for Democrats and are/have been very very active/leading the Uni Dem party as well.
If History repeats itself, these people will become slightly more conservative with age, will have a strong habit of Dem Party involvement and will more likely to morph into ppl who vote for your "useful" guys. Rather that than they feel when young and idealistic that they have NO VOICE in the Party, and they express their political lust elsewhere.
So I think you're too narrowly defining your valuation system. Too much like valuing a man for only the size of his...paycheck.
So, I know people who love him, and those who hate him for the same reasons you do. But the ones who like him are kinda quiet about it they don't admit that around the more "normal" party people. Those same people hate for example Ron Kind for being too much a Blue Dog. Yet he is tolerated and supported because he belongs etc. My point there is seemingly wide variety like that is overall good for Party health in in opinion. Even then people complain of homogeneity (not to mention rampant vexillogicationalism)
anywayIt's nice to admire expediency, and the Finely Tuned Machine. (sehr gut liebling!) But there are invisible benefits to the "messiness" of including freakier types. the way I see it, you can pay now, or pay more later, if you include them out.
(obviously I'm not deluded that you can, just... whatever) Besides, he's elected by his people, without fraud, so yer fucked.
And that right there is Useful.
Besides, last time the cameras kept focusing on his wife, not him.
I'm not sure what that means, so as a closing argument it ain't much but i'm leaving it there XDDD
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