Reply #25: You're right in one way....I disagree in another [View All]

[Armstead]

Senators were elected to be Senators. He should be doing his job more diligently.

However, I don't see it automatically as a matter of lacking integrity or courage. It would depend on the nature of the specific votes, and how important his own vote might have been.

If something is a housekeeping vote or something token or not significant, his skipping it is understandable. It's also understandable if a vote (not an important one) is a foregone conclusion because it is so lopsided one way or another that nothing will change the outcome.

I do feel strongly that he should have showed up for the Iran War Resolution, because of its potential consequences. If he skipped that to avoid taking a stand, that would be unforgivable. I also see it as a bad move if he just didn't want to be botehred....But evenm there, he at least did go on record as being against it, so it wasn't ducking the issue.