I nominate Senator Jeff Merkley to Democrats with Spine

Oregon's junior Senator Jeff Merkley voted against the debt deal and gave a persuasive argument explaining why. Here is someone who knows when and how to work across the aisle but more importantly (imo) when to hold firm to the values and principles of the Democratic Party that built the social contract between our government and the people.

His statement reads in part:

“I have spent the last several days immersed in the details of this budget deal, trying to understand its real-world impact on Oregon’s middle class and small businesses. I have a single, simple measure to evaluate this proposal: is it going to create greater opportunities for prosperity and success for working Americans? Unfortunately, I have concluded that it will not, and so I cannot support it.
... ... ...
“Somewhere in the frenzy of economic anxiety, ideology, and electoral politics, Washington has lost its way. The greatness of America and the strength of our economy cannot be separated from the well-being of the American middle class. If we continue to sacrifice their prosperity to subsidize the well-off and well-connected, we sacrifice America’s future.”