Tim Johnson sponsors bill post Stroke!!

It's official.  Tim Johnson isn't just reading memos, as reported last week. http://www.dailykos.com/...

Today, Reuters reports that Tim has co-sponsored the Farm Relief Act of 2007  http://www.reuters.com/...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A still-hospitalized Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota, whose brain surgery two months ago raised the possibility that Democrats could lose control of the Senate, has co-sponsored his first piece of legislation since he fell ill, his office said on Thursday.
While Johnson remains focused on daily therapy, the Democratic senator has read memos from his staff and has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Emergency Farm Relief Act of 2007, his office said."This is a first step for the senator," said Drey Samuelson, Johnson's chief of staff. "As time allows, he has begun reviewing work. True to form, Tim is a hard worker."

Turn back the Doomsday clock a few seconds.

Draw a deep sigh of relief.

Senator Johnson really is back at work, and I do not have to fear an immediate Republican takeover of the Senate, or an increased importance of Joe Lieberman quite as much as I did a few weeks ago.

And what is this bill?

http://www.theorator.com/...

S.284: Cosponsored by Senators Landrieu, Thune, Hagel, Salazar, Nelson (NEB), Inoue, Tester, Baucus, Coleman, Klobuchar, Dorgan, Conrad and Cantwell (and now Johnson) provides for relief from crop failures and other agricultural losses due to diasters,for emergency conservation intiatives (Emergency conservation program, Emergency watershed protection program, Environmental quality incentives program.); and a small business loss program.

The content of this bill reminds us of who Tim Johnson is and is not.  He is not Senator Feingold.  He is a conservative Democratic Senator from a state where agriculture is very important.  These kind of bills are the life blood of agricultural communities because they ensure that whole blocks of the country do not go bankrupt from natural disasters.

Unfortunately, there are no yearly similar bills that seem to be offered titled something like 2007 Emergency Urban Disaster Relief.  When a 9/11 happens or a Katrina happens, cities must crawl on bended knees to  the Congress to help out after the fact.  

But in any case, He's Back!!

•  Tip Begging Bowl

  Alms for the poor and decrepit?

  by LIsoundview on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:46:33 AM PDT

  •  Great news, BUT

    I am happy Johnson is on the mend.  When I was 17 I suffered a brain aneurysm due to an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) just like Sen. Johnson.  I have recovered fully, as I expect he will, but you never know what facilities will take the longest to come back fully.  For me, it was short-term memory.

    The reason I say "but" is that I read a diary here a while back (I'll try to find it) that showed that the new Senate rules imposed by Democrats insured that Senate leadership would stay in place for the duration of the 110th congress.  So even if Johson does not return to the Senate, unless he passed away, there would be no change in leadership.  In point of fact, even if Libermann were to switch parties (which is essentially true now) leadership would not change.

    So take your time Sen. Johnson, and get well soon!

    by Thaddaeus Toad on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:54:45 AM PDT

    •  This is very true

      My husband had a stroke in 1995.  He has some effects from it to this day, and it is impossible to know what effects will be permanent, what effects will be permanent but can be compensated for, and what effects will disappear entirely.

      However, the fact that he is reading, comprehending, and sponsoring something that he would always have sponsored in previous years is very, very promising.

      by LIsoundview on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 11:02:01 AM PDT

•  The TV pundits

  haven't uttered a word since it appeared that Senator Johnson wouldn't die and the Dems wouldn't lose the Senate.
  I guess it's not sexy if the man will live.
  May your health continue to improve, Senator.

  by madgranny on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:48:57 AM PDT

  •  Well during that time

    When we thought he might not make it, you could see their reaction.  It was pretty telling.  There was that glint of excitement in their eyes and voices.  The media is comprised of a lot of awful conservative people.  They were hoping and praying for Tim Johnson's death.  You know, I understand how partisan people can be (I know I've become very partisan and hostile) but you know it's in very bad form to hope for an opponent's death.  Also you know the media is supposed to be a neutral and unbiased reporter of the news.  And clearly their excitement over the possibility of Tim Johnson's death and their complete silence on his recovery has really cemented my beliefs about their conservative bias.  We need an unbiased media.

    by SoCalLiberal on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:55:48 AM PDT

    •  asdf

      (I know I've become very partisan and hostile)

      There's a lot of that going around.

      I find myself vacillating between " partisan and hostile" and " partisan, hostile and depressed"-

      It's hard to be non-partisan in this enviornment.

      It's also hard not to be hostile.

      by Remembering Jello on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 11:35:40 AM PDT

  •  Isn't that the truth...

    It really is sickening. I hope the vultures stay away, in will only hasten the Senator's speedy recovery.

    by Sean in Motion on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:56:37 AM PDT

  •  If it isn't bad news then it's no news

    to the TV pundits, in my opinion.

    by Mr SeeMore on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 11:38:23 AM PDT

•  This is great news. Good work, Senator!

  Best wishes to you, Senator! Please get completely recovered soon. We need you. Thanks for fighting the good fight.

  by Gorette on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:55:18 AM PDT

•  Keeping the fingers crossed

  for a full recovery!

  by Senate 2008 Guru on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 10:58:21 AM PDT

•  this is great news

  an excellent sign of recovery

  by cookiebear on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 11:02:34 AM PDT

•  Make something good out of this, Senator Johnson

  Like all Democrats we are pleased you are making a recovery.   Now I have a dream I would like to share with you.   As a moderate rural Democrat you can take this horrible experience and make something very, very good out of it.   I dream of you returning to the Senate with a commitment to make sure we get Universal Health Care so all Americans have access to quality healthcare.  I dream of you looking at your drug costs and returning to the Senate to give real drug cost relief to senior citizens.   I dream of you returning to the Senate and fighting for medical standards so hospitals across the country are as good as the care as you hve received.  I dream of you returning to the Senate and looking at Medicare rules that toss people out of hospitals prematurely and put them into nursing homes and shuttle them back and forth hampering any real recovery or therapy.   I dream of you returning to the Senatewith your hospital bill (largely paid for the public) and remember thousands who must seek bankruptcy because of medical bills and repeal the latest bankruptcy act.   I dream of you returning to the Senate and getting adeqquate funding for VA Medical care.   Yes, Senator, you have fought hard for SD farmers.  Now I hope you will transofrm your own medical emergency as a catalyst for an opportunity to do something good and beautiful for all Americans.  Danny, formerly  A Montana Neighbor

  by doberg on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 11:14:35 AM PDT

  •  May your dreams

    come true.

    Have you considered wishing on a star lately?

    by LIsoundview on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 12:06:30 PM PDT

•  Nice Job on the Diary

  and good news in re the senator.  

  It sounds awful, but I look forward to him getting fully back in the pulling team harness again.  It's an agriculture thing: He'd understand. ;}

  by Limelite on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 11:17:04 AM PDT

•  yay!

  the whole "we could get it back!" movement on the right was disgusting.  how horrifically morally bankrupt do you have to be to wish for the death of a co-worker to benefit yourself?

  oh wait - this is the righties we're talking about.  never mind.

  good to hear sen. johnson's recovering nicely!

  by liberalsouth on Fri Feb 16, 2007 at 12:32:37 PM PDT