I'd love to see more of him, too, but just knowing he's there is reassuring, IMO.

The most effective pol is the ones who aren't in the news every day rather its those who goes about the Peoples business getting things done. Senator Franken is one of those. Hell I wish I could be so lucky to have a Senator half as good as he is.

The firebrands that manage to avoid the grinder wind up doing stupid-ass shit like sending pics of their penis from their phone...


Our whole political system is based on fear: fear that any action might be purposefully misconstrued by the opposition (and it will) thus decreasing the political leverage. Our politics are solidly based on power and fear, and the only winners in that game are the politicians.

I don't think Al is any different, but he's been fed into the system, one that chews up input and mashes it into a smooth paste that it can feed into molds that all look the same.

he actually stands up for the progressive positions he championed when he initially ran and he is a consistent and active supporter of other progressive politicians' (like Elizabeth Warren) campaigns for Senate and House seats.

What's needed is his voice, publicly and loudly firing back at the tons of Republican craziness thrown at us every minute of every day. Al knows how to do it. But he's not doing it.

His vote is more important than his voice. If he is keeping a lower profile for political reasons, I think that's probably in everyones best interest.

the crazier, the better, come November.

Al has not been wading into the rhetorical storm surrounding a case before the Supreme Court, and the justices would probably not be swayed by his opinion.

Al has not waded into the tsunami of invective surrounding a case in Orange County, FL, and I don't know that his one voice would make a difference in the outcome there, either.

running for President are filling the room with methane and are quite distracting to the eye.

Do a google news seach on him and you will see the important things that he is focused on.

the new guys dont have a hell of a lot juice with the committees etc. that make teh Senate work.. new guys disappear for thier first term.. he's there just not highly visable

No one is going to make Al visible but Al.

On edit: Grayson's outspokeness cost him his House seat. Is Franken worried about reelection already? Just asking.

and yes Alan Greyson raised a lot of hell... but im not sure he accomplished much more,and i really sincerly hope he takes the seat back, along with us retaking the house..

my point was simply that senate seniority means that junior senators dont have much influence.. and i do recall that Senator Franken was one of the few that stood up to the big players like comcast, last winter..

futility of getting anything done. This is like the House of Lords, controlled by mostly millionaires doing it for themselves, and stealing what they can while a member. Completely useless!

That's the side of him that's needed today more than ever.

displays lots of results. Maybe you're just not seeing them. Here in Minnesota, we hear about what he's doing frequently.

Franken is doing a good job with his senate votes and bills he cosponsors. But given his unique talents, he's capable of so much more than just the day-to-day work of the senate.

I suppose he's doing his job in the way he thinks will produce the best results. Being a Senator is a big responsibility. Maybe he's taking a different approach than he did as a satirist. I'm mostly interested in results, really.

They were willing to speak out about the insanity of today's GOP.

I think he is conscious of the fact that if he was more outspoken in his first term as a Senator that the Repugs and MSM would jump all over him and label him as "former comedian" or worse yet as "comedian".

I think he is trying to keep a low profile. Learn the ropes of how the system works during his first term. I think he is trying his best to represent the people that elected him and make them proud of him so he can be re-elected.

I'm thinking that if and when re-elected he will then have established himself as a serious Senator and will then feel comfortable to be more vocal and outfront with his views.

For godsakes - give the guy a break. If you listened to Al on his progressive radio show and all the while he was running for his seat - you should know that he took his getting elected as real serious and I think he is now using this first term to shake the "comedian; former progressive radio host" moniker and become known as a "respected Senator".

enough with the excuses.

No more breaks - it's time to step up and speak (say anything)

his mostly silence is deafening.

I was hoping for more from Al - what a waste.

It makes me sad. He's so brilliant.

I am thankful Senator Franken is there and voting his conscience.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/112-2011/s230

Here is senator Franken speaking frankly on the NDAA just one month ago: