Dan Burton--Birdie Golfer and Bogey Congressman

Nisha, from sunlight network has a post about my Congressman, Dan Burton, who as we all know by now missed 19 votes while he played in the Bob Hope Pro-Am golf tournament. The post mentions a new allegedly non-partisan site administered by the American Conservative Student Union which will track the voting attendance records of American Congressman. Let's hope this does shed more light on our absentee Congressman who sadly will only be defeated in a GOP primary as this heavily gerrymandered district is one of most heavily concentrated Republican districts in the nation. I suppose I shouldn't be so upset that Burton isn't voting because I rarely agree with his voting history, but perhaps this next election will be finally be the time we finally part ways with this Congressman who has failed to distinguish himself in his 24 years of elected office.

Here are some of Burton's career highlights:

In 2006, he fought against extending the Voting Rights Act for minorities.

"On the start of the 2007 legislative session of Congress, a measure banning lawmakers from accepting gifts and free trips from lobbyists and discounted trips on private planes was put before Congress. The measure passed 430-1, with Rep. Burton as the sole vote against the measure."

He vigorously attacked President Clinton on his infidelities and even called him a "scumbag", yet he admitted he had fathered a child out of wedlock.

"In 1997, Burton was accused of demanding a $5,000 contribution from a Pakistani lobbyist. When the lobbyist was unable to raise the funds, Burton complained to the ambassador for the Bhutto government and later threatened to make sure "none of his friends or colleagues" would meet with the lobbyist or his associates."

John McGoff, the former Marion County Coroner, will run against him in the GOP primary in 2008. This could be the best chance to end his career.