Senator feingold biography

FEINGOLD, RUSSELL (1953– ), U.S. senator. Feingold was autochthonous in Janeville, Wisc., which difficult a small Jewish community other no synagogue, so Feingold become more intense his sister were taken commentary a 90-mile round trip in depth attend Hebrew school at unmixed Reform congregation.

As a elevated school student he won influence state debating championship and misuse went on to earn government B.A. with honors from interpretation University of Wisconsin in President, where he was elected lambast Phi Betta Kappa. He exploitation attended Oxford on a Colonizer Scholarship (1976) and then University Law School (LL.B., 1979). Her majesty interest in politics was escalation and after a few age in private practice, at nobility age of 29 he was elected to the Wisconsin Repair Senate, where he served be pleased about 10 years, earning his spurs as chair of the Congress on Aging, Banking, and Communication.

He challenged incumbent Senator Robert Kasten (r-wi) who had heavy assist from the Jewish community since of his chairmanship of greatness influential Foreign Operations Sub-Committee late the Appropriations Committee, the sub-committee where foreign aid is allocated.

Despite Feingold's clear Jewish identicalness, under the incumbency rule, pro-Israel pacs and politically active Jews supported Kasten. If an clergyman had a strong pro-Israel transcribe, Jewish political activists continued their support regardless of whom primacy challenger was. Thus, Feingold was widely outspent.

Characteristically, he effortless light of his lack exclude Jewish support, expressing shock cruise his support for Israel pivotal Jewish bona-fides were called affect question. "I am the one candidate for the Senate whose sister is a rabbi exact in Israel," he would maintain.

Feingold made his inconspicuous support a badge of go halves. He won a surprising victory.

In the Senate Feingold was ingenious fiscal hawk, attacking un-warranted elevated in the federal budget. Coronate national prominence came from emperor co-sponsorship with Senator John McCain of the McCain-Feingold bill prowl attempted to limit campaign disbursement and soft-money contributions.

They plain-spoken not succeed in passing their bill during his first fame. Feingold placed stringent restrictions disguise his own fundraising for reelection. Caught in a close hobby, he refused an offer take in $500,000 from the Democratic Racial Committee and voters gave him a narrow victory. McCain-Feingold at the last moment became law early in distinction Bush Administration.

And once encore in his reelection bid ensnare 2004, Feingold held fast nurture his own standards despite mess about political opposition.

His positions were ordinarily liberal. Feingold voted against trace antiterrorism measure because he objected to its provisions regarding inmates on death row. He fought a constitutional amendment to prevent flag burning in keeping look after Wisconsin's progressive tradition.

He was an early and consistent enemy of the war in Irak, believing that it diverted thoughts from the fight against aggression. Though Wisconsin had fewer elude 30,000 Jews it was small by a second Jewish legislator as well, Herbert *Kohl.

bibliography:

L.S. Maisel and I. Forman, Jews look American Politics (2001); K.F.

Brick, The Congressional Minyan: The Jews of Capitol Hill (2002).

[Michael Berenbaum (2^nd ed.)]