General Spoon Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Yes, this news is a bit late. But in this case, what are a few more days anyways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pride Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I s'pose. Franken's election gives the Democrats a 60-40 majority, although they wouldn't be able to abuse it easily without complete party unity. Anyway, glad the mess in Minnesota is finally over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandjackal Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Yeesh, took 'em long enough. Edumacate me though, exactly WHY did it take so long? Most I can gather, it was because the opponent kept asking for recount after recount after recount. Case of politics in delaying a supermajority for dems, or was the dude just a sore loser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superbus Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Yeesh, took 'em long enough.Edumacate me though, exactly WHY did it take so long? Most I can gather, it was because the opponent kept asking for recount after recount after recount. Case of politics in delaying a supermajority for dems, or was the dude just a sore loser? If it was the other way, the Franken camp would have exhausted those same options. Coleman still had other options like the US Supreme Court, and would have used them - after all, he is a notoriously ambitious man - but was pressured to back off by the national Republican party (who were worried about alienating more people in Minnesota), and he was pressured by the fact that his own potential bid for the Govenor's chair in 2010 would have been damaged. The Republicans were supporting his bid with money and fundraising because they didn't want a 60th Senator being seated for as long as they could. And he kept it up because he's just that kind of person; remember, he got his Senate seat because of the dubious and VERY convenient death of Sen. Paul Wellstone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandjackal Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 If it was the other way, the Franken camp would have exhausted those same options. Coleman still had other options like the US Supreme Court, and would have used them - after all, he is a notoriously ambitious man - but was pressured to back off by the national Republican party (who were worried about alienating more people in Minnesota), and he was pressured by the fact that his own potential bid for the Govenor's chair in 2010 would have been damaged.The Republicans were supporting his bid with money and fundraising because they didn't want a 60th Senator being seated for as long as they could. And he kept it up because he's just that kind of person; remember, he got his Senate seat because of the dubious and VERY convenient death of Sen. Paul Wellstone. Well I could see Al pulling the same move, it is politics after all. But the rest is enlightening, and I thank you Superbus. I now know more, and knowing is half the battle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxas Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I s'pose.Franken's election gives the Democrats a 60-40 majority, although they wouldn't be able to abuse it easily without complete party unity. Anyway, glad the mess in Minnesota is finally over. Democrats can now filibuster, iirc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandjackal Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Democrats can now filibuster, iirc. If you have super-majority, you don't NEED to filibuster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aitherion Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Democrats can now filibuster, iirc. They already could. What matters is that if all 60 Democrats vote the same way, they can prevent the Republicans from filibustering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superbus Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 That's overrated. Remember, a few of those Democrats are Southern Dems; they're a bit more conservative than the party line set forth by wenches like Nancy Pelosi. Furthermore, there are still the more liberal Republicans like the women in Maine, or as you might recall, the only people who dared to break from the Jesus Freaks and negotiate that stimulus (which was fucked, but we won't go there). Therefore, the whole 60 aspect is overblown and more symbolic than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxas Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 they can prevent the Republicans from filibustering. Oops. lol. That's what I meant. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
California Mountain Snake Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 (edited) He's definitely an asset to the Democrats, as I see him voting with them on most issues (although of course being from Minnesota he's taken a lot of ombudsman-suited committee postings. Don't expect to see him vote against ag. subsidies). As mentioned earlier though, as a majority grows it is an unstoppable phenomenon that party unity starts to fray, mostly because party leadership has less reason to have unanimous consensus on an issue and are more likely to tolerate self-serving behavior (unless your the early Democrats under George W. Bush . who were the minority party and the less organized party... fucking pathetic.) Edited July 8, 2009 by California Mountain Snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aitherion Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 That's overrated. Remember, a few of those Democrats are Southern Dems; they're a bit more conservative than the party line set forth by wenches like Nancy Pelosi. Furthermore, there are still the more liberal Republicans like the women in Maine, or as you might recall, the only people who dared to break from the Jesus Freaks and negotiate that stimulus (which was fucked, but we won't go there). Therefore, the whole 60 aspect is overblown and more symbolic than anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's terribly useful, or even that it'll come into play. Just clarifying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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