U.S. Senate: Burning Down the House

[Don Corleone]

Drone: Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. He's junior to the freshmen senate Democrats like Jeanne Shaheen!

Sestak in 2010!

[Don Corleone]

Purge Watch 2009: Carolyn McCarthy Issuing Primary Challenge to Kristen Gillibrand D-NY for recognizing a personal right to own firearms.

McCarthy in 2010!

[Lemur]

Sestak in 2010!

I had to look at that three times to make sure you weren't saying "Sleestax." What with all of the votes for lizard people, I get confused.

[Xiahou]

I had to look at that three times to make sure you weren't saying "Sleestax." What with all of the votes for lizard people, I get confused.

With any luck the Sleestax will defeat Specter in the primaries. That might give Toomey an actual shot if he's facing off against the lizard men instead of Specter. More seriously, as Drone's article points out, losing his seniority takes away one of the biggest arguments Specter has had for reelection- good.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Purge Watch 2009: Carolyn McCarthy Issuing Primary Challenge to Kristen Gillibrand D-NY for recognizing a personal right to own firearms.

McCarthy in 2010!

I loathe that woman's politics. Nothing but emotion - the opposite of what running a country should be.

CR

[Lemur]

Remember, if you want to kill a zombie, you have to destroy the head or remove the brain. With that said, the Minnesota Undead Election will not die. And some people are keen to keep it in its shuffling, stumbling half-life.

Should Coleman Concede? Steele Says, "Hell No"

Embattled RNC Chair Michael Steele let his 100th day at the GOP helm slip by with little fanfare amid last weekend's White House Correspondents Dinner festivites. But in an interview after the gala, Steele said that if the state Supreme Court doesn't rule ex-Sen. Norm Coleman the winner, "then it's going to the federal courts."

Asked if Coleman should concede if entertainer Al Franken (D) is deemed the winner, Steele said, "No, hell no. Whatever the outcome, it's going to get bumped to the next level. This does not end until there's a final ruling that speaks to whether or not those votes that have not been counted should be counted. And Norm Coleman will not, will not jump out of this race before that."

[Lemur]

This might be a promising development in the Night of the Undead Minnesota Election.

Pawlenty: Once the Minnesota Supreme Court rules I will follow their direction in the law in that regard and there's lots of different scenarios of where it could go from there. For example, our Minnesota Supreme Court could rule that the case has to be remanded down to a lower court for ballot opening and further recounting, they still have a variety of theories. If they do that, again The state election certificate cannot be issued until the state court process is complete. That's what our law says and I will follow the law in that regard.

He seems to be saying that he will abide by the Minnesota Supreme Court's decision, which, if true, means this might end before my little lemur joins Kindergarten.

[CountArach]

Am I the only one who has the image of this going until the winner is up for re-election? Just think of the legal difficulties in that!

[Lemur]

It seems that the Sleestax will, in fact, battle the Mummy King in the PA Dem primary.

[Lemur]

The Right Honorable Roland Burris can't get no respect:

Robert Blagojevich called Mr. Burris on Nov. 13 to talk about raising money for the governor. But it was Mr. Burris who started the conversation by saying, "I, I know you're calling telling me that you're gonna make me king of the world . . . ." Throughout the conversation, Mr. Burris was very concerned about the appearance of his raising money for Mr. Blagojevich's reelection while seeking to be considered for the Senate seat. Yet, that didn't stop him from trying to figure out ways to get around it.

Mr. Burris suggested hiding behind his lawyer: "I might be able to do this in the name of Tim Wright." He suggested obscuring his involvement by linking into one of 18 upcoming events. "Maybe I can join in on one of those events, too," he said. "What, what, do you have any going with the people that I know?" At the end of the call, Mr. Burris reassured Mr. Blagojevich: "I will personally do something, okay."

-edit-

It seems that Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has discovered the Twitter.



Wonkette sums it up nicely:

Remember back in 1780-something, when we had actual smart people writing our founding documents in beautiful longhand when they weren’t inventing new kinds of ploughs and bifocals and ****? Now our nation’s top legislators just type away like petulant teenage girls, with their thumbs, about how the president is so awful for spending the weekend in Paris. We are all stupider for having read this.

[Lemur]

The Rumble in Minnesota is over. No, really, it's over. I can't decide if I'll miss the abusrdity, or if I'm glad that a no-longer-funny joke is at its end.

Republican Norm Coleman ended his bruising eight-month court fight over Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat this afternoon, conceding to Democrat Al Franken after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in Franken's favor.

The justices ruled today that Franken won the U.S. Senate election and said he is entitled to an election certificate that would lead to him being seated in the Senate.

"Affirmed," wrote the Supreme Court, unanimously rejecting Coleman's claims that inconsistent practices by local elections officials and wrong decisions by a lower court had denied him victory.

Two hours after the decision was released, Coleman said he would "abide by the results."

Within minutes, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office removed the last hurdle to Franken's being seated in the Senate, saying he would sign Franken's certificate of election.

"Further litigation damages the unity of our state," Coleman said during a news conference held at his St. Paul home. "The future today is that we have a new United States senator."

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Wonkette sums it up nicely:

Remember back in 1780-something, when we had actual smart people writing our founding documents in beautiful longhand when they weren’t inventing new kinds of ploughs and bifocals and ****? Now our nation’s top legislators just type away like petulant teenage girls, with their thumbs, about how the president is so awful for spending the weekend in Paris. We are all stupider for having read this.

Oh come on. Wonkette thrives on that very culture.

[ICantSpellDawg]

The Rumble in Minnesota is over. No, really, it's over. I can't decide if I'll miss the abusrdity, or if I'm glad that a no-longer-funny joke is at its end.

Congratulations. The vast Democratic majority is now officially a joke.

[Xiahou]

The Rumble in Minnesota is over. No, really, it's over. I can't decide if I'll miss the abusrdity, or if I'm glad that a no-longer-funny joke is at its end.

Some might say it's just starting.

I look forward to seeing how the Democrats solve all the country's problems with their filibuster proof majority.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

I still had my hopes up for the Lizard People and their reform-minded platform.

[Lemur]

I know, ATPG, I was rooting for the lizard people too. At least we still have Sleestax ...

I look forward to seeing how the Democrats solve all the country's problems with their filibuster proof majority.

If they can involve us in two wars and pass something as ineffective and expensive as Medicare D, I will be duly impressed.

[Xiahou]

If they can involve us in two wars and pass something as ineffective and expensive as Medicare D, I will be duly impressed.

Well, just a few months in and we've got a $787bn+ stimulus (part D is estimated to cost less than than thru 2015) that was promised to keep unemployment under 8%, the house passed a cap and trade travesty that's reviled on both the left and right and we're looking at a healthcare reform package that's likely to call for huge new taxes in the midst of a recession. Not bad for just over 5 months- you've gotta give em time though. Franken isn't even sworn in yet.

[CountArach]

Well, just a few months in and we've got a $700bn+ stimulus that was promised to keep unemployment under 8%

Keeping in mind that most of it hasn't even hit the economy yet - I don't think you can blame rising unemployment on the stimulus package.

[Xiahou]

Keeping in mind that most of it hasn't even hit the economy yet - I don't think you can blame rising unemployment on the stimulus package.

So what are you arguing? That Obama didn't claim it would keep unemployment under 8%? You just seem to be confirming what the critics have said- that the spending is too slow to make a difference.

[CountArach]

So what are you arguing? That Obama didn't claim it would keep unemployment under 8%? You just seem to be confirming what the critics have said- that the spending is too slow to make a difference.

I think that Obama's promise was irresponsible and he shouldn't have made it. But to then draw that out into an attack on the Stimulus package as a whole is wrong. I think that it will bring unemployment back into check far faster than doing nothing or tax cuts and that is all I was saying.

[KukriKhan]

The Rumble in Minnesota is over. No, really, it's over. I can't decide if I'll miss the abusrdity, or if I'm glad that a no-longer-funny joke is at its end.

Whew. The people of Minnesota finally have the same level of representation as the rest of the States. I'd be plenty mad if I were them, being taxed without representation and all.

Meanwhile, they still haven't fixed the disparate way their precincts count votes, which led to this debacle in the first place. If they don't get to work on that soon, and there's another close election, they'll face the same problem again, and again.

[Lemur]

Although the Dems have a 60-seat supermajority in theory, the reality may be a bit more squishy:

First, even if Franken is seated, he will not make for a particularly crisp #60. Though no one wants to say it, it is not clear that Sen. Ted Kennedy will ever vote again in the Senate, given his medical condition. Massachusetts lawmakers are already quietly jockeying for his seat. A replacement senator in Massachusetts needs to be chosen by the electorate (the governor has no role), which could mean weeks, even months, for primary and general election campaigns to be conducted. Meanwhile, after a month in the hospital, Sen. Robert Byrd was released today to continue his recovery at home, but the 91-year-old remains in delicate health.

Even if senators always voted party-line, which they don’t, it takes 60 senators present and voting to vote cloture. Democrats aren’t there yet.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Although the Dems have a 60-seat supermajority in theory, the reality may be a bit more squishy:

First, even if Franken is seated, he will not make for a particularly crisp #60. Though no one wants to say it, it is not clear that Sen. Ted Kennedy will ever vote again in the Senate, given his medical condition. Massachusetts lawmakers are already quietly jockeying for his seat. A replacement senator in Massachusetts needs to be chosen by the electorate (the governor has no role), which could mean weeks, even months, for primary and general election campaigns to be conducted. Meanwhile, after a month in the hospital, Sen. Robert Byrd was released today to continue his recovery at home, but the 91-year-old remains in delicate health.

Even if senators always voted party-line, which they don’t, it takes 60 senators present and voting to vote cloture. Democrats aren’t there yet.

Good reminder. All due respect to both Senators Kennedy and Byrd, but it would be best for their respective constituencies if both gentlemen were to resign as of X date in the not-to-distant future so that their states might get the appropriate wheels turning. I do not say this for partisan purposes -- both would be replaced by fairly like-minded "noobs" in all likelihood -- but they are leaving their states as under-represented as was Minnesota until recently.

I think Franken's a putz, but he should have been seated in January -- the numbers were never on Coleman's side albeit by a thin margin -- Minnesotans deserve the representation they chose.

On the other hand, I think the direct election of Senators (17th ammendment) has had profoundly negative effects on the United States as a whole and that however well-intentioned, the unintended consequences are horrific and we should revert to the previous set-up. But what do I know....

[Don Corleone]

It seems that the Sleestax will, in fact, battle the Mummy King in the PA Dem primary.

So, as I see this, one of two things is happening...

1) The Obama is going back on a promise to see to it that Specter would not be opposed in the PA Democratic primary. I consider this the most likely scenario.... get Specter crapping his pants and make CERTAIN that Specter always stands with the herd on cloture votes.

2) Sestak is going to run, even in light of Obama's opposition. Highly unlikely. Obama is the GOD of political pull right now. Him showing up for a single Specter "get out the vote" rally would guarantee Sestak's demise not only in the primary, but in Democratic political circles forever. He cannot be that stupid or blindly ambitious.

So, if Democrats don't keep promises to themselves, what can the rest of us expect?

[Lemur]

Obama is going back on a promise to see to it that Specter would not be opposed in the PA Democratic primary. I consider this the most likely scenario....

Pretty sure POTUS has no say in who can run in a state primary. Even a popular President does not have that power.

Also, don't forget one of the defining characteristics of the Democratic Party: anarchy. Thia ain't the GOP we're talking about, it's the Dems. If Sleestax wants to defy Obama and run against Specter, he'll do so. About the only thing Obama can do to oppose him is direct DNC funds toward the Mummy King.

Remember, Don, no matter how many magazine covers a politician graces, we're not talking about royalty here. We're still a Republic. If Obama promised Specter he would run unpposed (and I've never seen that documented, so I'd love a linkie), the the Obammesiah was writing checks he can't cash.

[drone]

What? Nothing on the Dems losing Teddy's seat? I'm appalled....
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the...l?hpid=topnews

Health care is probably toast. To the Dems with their inability to govern, Nelson Muntz has something to say...

[Xiahou]

Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about this. If it means the death of Obamacare, I guess it's a good thing. But, I don't think the GOP has spent enough time in the wilderness yet to have learned from the mistakes that got them out of power in the first place.....

Also, with 60 votes in the Senate, Democrats had noone to blame but themselves for their inability to accomplish anything besides pork and kickbacks. Now they'll have GOP filibusters to blame for not being able to pass their unpopular policies.

[drone]

Well, the GOP isn't out of the wilderness yet, and probably won't be in charge after the midterms, but this is a definite wakeup call to the Democrats. I'm just happy to have a speed bump in the sausage making process. Uncle Ted must be spinning pretty fast.

[Crazed Rabbit]

The irony being it was Teddy's political maneuvering designed to keep republicans out of office that led to this (Back in 04, he got the state to change the law so replacement Senators wouldn't be appointed by the governor, then Mitt Romney, and instead be elected).



Also, respect for Jim Webb:

Sen. Jim Webb puts out a statement that puts the notion of a quick Senate vote out of reach and pretty much makes a certification fight moot:

In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process. It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated.

And good luck getting Lieberman to vote for cloture this week, anyway.

I do hope the GOP doesn't get to big headed about this.

CR

[CountArach]

In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process.

Except that Massachusetts already has Universal Healthcare and thus would not be impacted all too heavily by this.

I'm interested in what this will mean for the Senate tactics of the Dems. Hopefully less pandering to Liebermann because 60 is pretty much out of reach.