Oh, and in response to kingfofzouk, farmers ARE businessmen and are more hands-on in their business than most.

Lawyers are also businessmen when in private practice.

And in fairness to others, the "occupation" section lists mostly just the most recent political office, not the person's life work. For example, the profile totally missed Tester's lifetime occupation as a grain farmer.

I want to add to Outsider's comments. As outside said, Tester is a full-time farmer. He is (until January) a State Senator, but Montana does not have a full time legislature.

In fact, Montana's legislature meets for just 90 days in odd-numbered years. There are scattered committee meetings in the interim, but no Montana legislator makes his or her living from their political office. In fact, most sacrifice their private income to serve in the Legislature.

Tester is a third-generation farmer. He farms land homesteaded by his grandparents. He has also proven to be an innovative and resourceful farmer.

Montana has always had this problem in the small-grains-growing industry: It has some of the purest, high-protein wheat harvests in the country, but also some of the lowest yields, due to the dry-land climate of the state's grain regions.

Tester was the first grain-farmer in Montana to go organic, sending his high-quality organic wheat to the organic foods niche market, where the grain brings top dollar and the prices are not controlled by grain giants like the Cargill company. In addition, Tester organized local farmers and milled the wheat on site, selling organic flour direct to the retail market.

He was a teacher only briefly, taking over the family farm after a year teaching music in his alma-mater at Big Sandy Montana.

The farm, of course, stays in his family's name and his family will continue to earn income from it while he is in the U.S. Senate.

Tester had to take a two-week hiatus from the campaign trail in August so he could harvest his grain.

So no one should doubt that he is a full-time farmer and has made his living all his life through hard manual work.

For Jon Tester it should read "Farmer" under occupation. That's how he makes his living, not as a state senator.

Didn't anyone else notice how many the newly elected Democratic Senators and Congressman are anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, pro-war conservatives?! We may have gained in numbers, but we didn't in philosophy. And with Lieberman being pro-war I wonder if we should expect any legislative victories in the next two years. 10 conservative Blue Dog Democrats were elected to the House bringing their caucus total as high as the DLC and Black Caucus. Don't look for some sweeping changes. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

For profiles of the new members -- including their religious affiliations -- check http://www.cqpolitics.com/new_members.html

I await KOZ's lacerating attack on Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).

Why did the Post list some of these peoples' religion but not all of them? Cardin and Sanders are Jewish.

I see one of these people had a real job. Jon Tester looks like he comes from fairly humble roots. I believe he could propably represent most of mainstream America fairly decent. Maybe Bob Corker, the businessman and mayor. He's a decision maker, and if he has came to the US senate he must have had some success. At least Tester and Corker know the challenges of real life, unlike the other lawyers.

Webb's on Larry King right now in his first interview since the election...

With that in the background, just wanted to post a defense against a previous poster who trivialized the blogs and bragged up "u-tube".

I've seen some TV talking heads make the same ridiculous contention.

U-Tube IS 'The blogs", or at least one of em.

Without the unique and instantaneous blog effect that spreads the word about an event or incedent across the world in minutes, the presence of all this easy-access video would have been unknown.

It is THE BLOGS and their response to macaca that made this happen, and Webb was smart enough to ride it instead of fight it.

History was made today, virtually and democratically.

I find it pathetic that of all the "resumes" posted by this moron he has to point out, rather prominently, that there are two Catholics, one protestant but no indication of the religion of the remaining members. Now why is it that someone's religion has to be pointed out at all? Do we have a token protestant, or does it make highlighting the two Catholics more reasonable?

Let me paraphraze, with relish...

"Maybe that is why R control of the congress resulted in such widespread corruption."

The book cookers and no-bidders all seem to hail from these noble and philanthropic "bidniz" roots...

Now I'm convinced of it , KOZ is W!

I don't think KOZ hates America he just hates any one who doesn't share his narrow view of the world in much the same way as Rush Limbaugh. In fact I wouldn't be suprised if he IS Limbaugh

KOZ, you crack me up. Klobuchar, McCaskill, and Whitehouse all have distinguished careers as prosecutors -- y'know, serving the public interest by putting actual criminals in prison -- and you have the nerve to suggest they haven't held "a real job."

I guess running a family farm (as Tester does) isn't a real job either in your book.

Why do you hate America?

Will there be a Richard Shelby/Ben Nightinghorse Campbell of '06? Anyone in House or Senate who wil likely jump parties to maintain committee assigments? And who are the most likely GOP incumbents to not run in '08 to avoid staying in the minority?

Amazing how so many of them have never had a real job. Lawyers and politicians. The R is the only businessman. Maybe that is why R control of the congress resulted in such low unemployment. count on this figure to rise with the advent of the pro pol and the total ignorance of anything relating to economics. who will you blame for this?