Daniel Akaka

Grade Level Speaking Ability Of Congressional Members Declining! Sign Of The Deterioration Of Discourse!

An analysis of the discourse that goes on in Congress reveals that the grade level speaking ability of members of Congress, as an average, has declined since the coming of Tea Party Republicans to the House of Representatives, and dramatically lower than it was seven years ago, in 2005.

In 2005, the average member of Congress was rated 11.5, a junior level in high school, while now it is 10.6, a sophomoric level, one full grade lower!

The ten lowest ranked members of Congress are all Republicans, with eight of them being Tea Party Republicans, including two Tea Party Senators.

Interestingly, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was rated the second lowest Senator in speaking ability, with an 8.6 score, and is a demonstration of what Wisconsin lost in allowing Johnson to win over former Senator Russ Feingold, long considered one of the most brilliant members of the Senate, in the Congressional elections of 2010.

Also, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, also elected in 2010, was the lowest in score of all Senators, with an 8.0, and this guy wants to run for President? This is the same person who is an eye doctor by profession, but not certified by the national organization, but instead formed his own optometric association and certified himself! Give me a break!

Just as a point of information, the two highest ranked Senators in speaking ability were Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka with a score of 14.2, and Maine Senator Olympia Snowe with a score of 14.0. The sad part is that both these Senators are leaving at the end of the year, not seeking re-election!

So the whole point of the Senate, and even the House of Representatives, supposedly being “the best among us”, people who have the distinction to serve as our representatives in both houses of Congress, is under scrutiny, and only adds to the low public opinion rating that Congress has, most recently 13 percent!

Congress has become a disgrace, and particularly so with the Republican Party membership!

The US Senate: Facing Possible Major Turnover In 2012

The US Senate saw a major turnover in 2010, with sixteen new Senators being added to the body, 13 Republicans and 3 Democrats. Also, four incumbents lost their seats.

Now as 2012 comes on, 22 Democrats and only 11 Republicans face the challenge of running for re-election, and already three members have decided to retire–Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Democratic Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota, and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.

Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Bill Nelson of Florida, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jim Webb of Virginia, Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, and Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, all Democrats, and Republican Senators Orrin Hatch of Utah, Jon Kyl of Arizona, John Ensign of Nevada, and Richard Lugar of Indiana all face major challenges from the opposition party, as well as the Tea Party purists who seem to be out to defeat several Republican Senators, including Hatch, Lugar, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, and Olympia Snowe of Maine.

The Senate may be seen as a glorious and prestigious body that no one would want to leave by choice, but the struggle to win elections and hold on to seats is becoming more and more taxing, emotionally and financially, as the country becomes more divided by vitriolic opposition, so it would not be surprising if more than the three who have announced they are retiring end up leaving the hallowed body, considered the greatest legislative body and debating society in the world!