Voting Station

George W. Norris

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U.S. Senator

The Resume

    (July 11, 1861-September 2, 1944)
    Born in York Township, Ohio
    Represented Nebraska's 5th Congressional District (1903-13)
    Was one of the leaders in the 'Revolt of 1910' against Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon
    US Senator from Nebraska (1913-43)
    Known for playing a leading role in creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (1937)
    Author of the 20th Amendment reducing the length of the post-election lame-duck period

Why he might be annoying:

    He supported Prohibition even if it required 'giving up some of our personal rights and personal privileges.'
    Although nominally a Republican, he repeatedly opposed the policies of Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover, and endorsed Democrats Al Smith (1928) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932) for President.
    Eventually acknowledging reality, he ran for his last term as an independent (1936).
    When he wound up on the short list for five outstanding Senators to have their portraits displayed in the Senate Reception Room (1958), Nebraska's two Republican Senators threatened to filibuster against the entire project unless Norris was dropped from consideration.
    When the Senate decided to add two more portraits to the Reception Room (1999), he was again blocked from consideration by conservative Republicans.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He voted against US entry into World War I with the declaration, 'War brings no prosperity to the great mass of common and patriotic citizens. ... War brings prosperity to the stock gambler on Wall Street – to those who are already in possession of more wealth than can be realized or enjoyed.'
    He opposed FDR's court-packing plan (1937).
    He called for transparency in government: 'Publicity is the greatest cure for evils which may exist in government.'
    When the Senate decided to have portraits of five outstanding former members displayed in the Senate Reception Room (1958), the subcommittee in charge solicited recommendations from 160 historians and biographers; Norris' name was submitted by the scholars more than any other Senator.
    He was the first person inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame (1961).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 94 Votes: 47.87% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 21 Votes: 4.76% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying