Al Franken’s decisive Senate vote
Will Norm Coleman’s concession, and a 60-vote Senate supermajority, give the Democrats unchecked power?
Minnesota's Supreme Court declared Al Franken the winner in the US Senate race in Minnesota.
(EPA/Corbis/Craig Lassig)
Democrat Al Franken is Minnesota’s newest U.S. senator, said Jay Newton-Small in Time, following a unanimous state Supreme Court ruling, a graceful concession from rival Norm Coleman, “nearly eight months, millions of dollars in legal fees, two appeals, and a recount.” On paper, this gives Senate Democrats a coveted filibuster-proof 60-vote majority. But with Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd on “indefinite medical leave,” Franken’s impact may be limited.
That leaves Democrats with “almost the worst of all possible worlds,” said Kevin Drum in Mother Jones. They have the “illusion of control of Congress but not the reality.” Thanks to the “corruption of the filibuster,” Democrats need 60 votes to pass anything—not an easy task, given the six or so “non-liberal” Democrats in their caucus. Franken will “make approximately no difference at all.”
With Franken’s vote, Democrats now have “absolute one party rule,” said Patrick Edaburn in The Moderate Voice, for the first time since 1977-79, so it’s “time to put up or shut up.” No more whining about the “evil old Republicans,” or playing the old “‘blame Bush' card.” Democrats are indisputably running the show—they’d better hope its not a rerun of the Carter years.
“Republicans already are decrying what they regard as a dictatorship of the majority,” said Howard Fineman in MSNBC, and Franken could be a real asset to them. Instead of a popular president or no-name Senate majority leader, the GOP will be happy to blame controversial new laws on “a former comedian who won his Senate seat by 315 votes.”
Show: Oldest | Newest
14 Comments
Posted by Tom Alciere, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 7:57 am Always remember that getting elected does not entitle anybody to impose unjust laws, which violate the inherent natural rights of persons who voted against that candidate. The only reason they get away with that is because they have armed mercenaries to intimidate those outvoted citizens into compliance. Franken does NOT represent Minnesota, he GOT ELECTED in Minnesota and not by the voters, only by some of them.
Posted by Connor, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 10:16 am What they call a dictatorship of the majority is better described as DEMOCRACY. After the past 8 years of the GOP tearing this nation to shreds in their pursuit of power, they need to abide by the very rules they enjoyed just a few years ago, stay out of the way and let the new majority do what's necessary to put this country back on a progressive, ethical path.
Posted by Bob Benson, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 10:41 am Well, unfortunately Franken does, in fact, represent Minnesota now regardless of whether or not that is reflected by the ballots tallied at the end of the day. Minnesotans continually elect clowns like Franken, crooks like Ellison, crackpots like Bachman not to mention Ventura without taking the time to research the candidates, even those outside of their own party. It's our responsibility as citizens to elect qualified individuals to office. If the voters truly feel these people are fit for public service, then I'm lost for words.
Posted by Charles, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 11:12 am he GOT ELECTED in Minnesota and not by the voters, only by some of them?So then you're only elected by the voters if the election is unanimous? That demonstrates a total, and probably willful, lack of understanding regarding what a representative democracy is.I bet if Coleman had been elected, you'd be crowing about how he represents Minnesota.
Posted by Aaron, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 12:05 pm Hey Connor you are a fascist, and I can tell from your words you have no clue this is so. I believe the term used in Stalinist Russia was, Useful Idiot.
Posted by Johnny Reb, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 1:37 pm So now that the Dems are in total control of Congress, the Senate and the Presidency let's see them actually do something. Universal Health Care, withdrawl from Iraq and Afghanistan, Bin Laden dead, economic recoverythere's nothing and no one to stop them now. So why aren't they doing it?
Posted by oldlady, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 4:03 pm Yes, Franken is a former writer/comedian, but he also has a political science degree from Harvard. If he uses his obviously sharp mind in an objective and analytic way, he should be an asset to the Senate.
Posted by Michael J. Gorman, Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 10:57 pm Al Franken is a boring comedian, which is the worst kind of public figure. He wishes he was Mort Sahl, a great comedian, but he's just a screaming bore. But thank God for Franken. Now the radical right wing can't filibuster Obama's important projects.
Post a Comment