What is a Rubber Stamp?

Elections are won in many ways. Most campaigns spend the bulk of their money in an attempt to win the minds of the moderate or independent voters.

In that notion, this story illustrates Congressman John Hall as “middle of the Road” with a 95% loyalty rate to his own Party on House floor votes. I thought this interpretation to be a bit peculiar. One would think that voting in the middle of the road would mean a much lower loyalty rate.

The Congressional Quarterly website rates the loyalty of each Congressperson to their party. Truly, the lowest rating on loyalty that anyone has is at best in the 60% range. Other members of the Dutchess County Congressional Delegation rating include Gillibrand at 88% and Hinchey at 99%.

Democrats engaged many different tactics in showing the GOP missteps and mishaps in the 2006 elections. One such method was exploiting when Republicans voted the party line, or being a “Rubber Stamp”

However, now it seems the tables have turned.

Last year, Sue Kelly was coined by many as being a “Rubber Stamp” of Republican policies. However, comparatively speaking to John Hall’s 95% ranking, this article shows that at her beginning in Congress her loyalty was 76% and toward the end 85%. If John Hall is middle of the road at 95%, Sue Kelly ranking makes her out to as a maverick beholden to no party while in Congress.

Yet newspapers and opponents painted Sue Kelly as a lockstep Republican. Ironically, those guidelines do not apply for John Hall who the media paints as a middle of the road independent.

Maybe John Hall is just on a probation period from the media before any subjective articles arise.