FINALLY-Americans Will Get To See What It Looks Like When A Filibuster-Proof Majority Is Squandered.

[kpete]

Coleman Concedes: The good news and the bad news

By Ken Silverstein

From the New York Times:

Nearly eight months after Election Day, Al Franken, a former comedian and an author, appeared certain on Tuesday to become the next United States senator from Minnesota, giving the Democratic Party at least symbolic control over Senate filibusters.

Outside his St. Paul home, the incumbent, Norm Coleman, a Republican who had held the seat for one term, conceded the election to Mr. Franken, bringing an end to a lengthy battle that had resulted in thousands of pages of legal documents, cost tens of thousands of dollars, and had left many ordinary Minnesotans weary.

Mr. Coleman’s announcement followed a unanimous state Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday in Mr. Franken’s favor. There, the case had centered, in part, around whether some absentee ballots had been wrongly excluded and standards had been inconsistent, as Mr. Coleman contended.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/us/politics/01minneso...

Finally Americans will get the opportunity to see what it looks like when a filibuster-proof majority is squandered.
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/06/hbc-90005278

[MNDemNY]

1. Nonsense. It just makes for a more interesting game of "chess".

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

4. 4 dimensional "chess". nt

[MNDemNY]

5. Maybe 5 ?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. I know it's almost spooky how masterfully cunning our representatives can be. nt

[JonLP24]

2. We may have 60 dems but I think it is unlikely every Dem will support

most issues, only a select few. There is always a few Dems that vote the other way such as the Anti-Foreclosure Bill and the Credit Card refinancing bill.

[pnwmom]

6. And then there is the House, with all those Blue Dog Democrats

from conservative states.

Passing progressive legislation is hardly a slam dunk.

The one thing this should help with, however, is judicial appointments.

[ThomWV]

7. Available Democratic Votes=60 Senators -(Blue Dog Democrats +Specter+Liberman)

Simple math, we've got maybe 43 reliable votes.

[Snazzy]

10. I expect it will be all about Joe

at first chance he can make it all about Joe.

[Inuca]

11. I am ANYTHING BUT a fan, but you do realize

that on excepton national security issues (where he is horrible) Lieberman is a reliable dem vote, right? Just on the interest of fairness...

[Snazzy]

13. I've heard that

it may even be true.

That exception is too huge, however.

Between his courting of McCain, and Chairing HS/Gov which is an absolute stopgap to accountability and a launch pad for most things that piss me off re civil liberties, I see red when I see Joe. He showboats; frequently siding with the worst of republicans (at least from my seat) all the while rubbing our faces in it. Every time I see him on the tube, he is speaking up for something I'm against. Can't believe he was ticket with Gore.

(edit--and should have mentioned war, Joe loves war. I don't.)

[Snazzy]

15. and here we are today: Lieberman: I Stand With ... Minority Of Americans Who Oppose Public Option

Lieberman: I Stand With The Small Minority Of Americans Who Oppose Public Option
By Brian Beutler - July 1, 2009, 9:12AM

The surfeit of polling data showing broad public support for the public option hasn't swayed Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who's joining conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans in staunch opposition.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/lieberman-i-...

Yup.

[YOY]

3. It's 60 Dems not 60 Repugs.

They'll disagree. Some will be DINOs...some will have honest dissention.

We are not a party of locksteppers...both our strength and our weakness.

[Dr Fate]

8. Harry Reid will either succeed, or fail at "getting the votes." Period.

He will either succeed or fail. He will "get the votes" or he will hand us excuses. One or the other.

What's it gonna be, Harry? Party of action or party of excuses?

[ieoeja]

12. Good article. I had never considered the Byrd and Kennedy angle before.

Even if all the Democrats and Independants do agree, we still can't stop a filibuster if either Byrd or Kennedy is absent due to illness.

[FarCenter]

14. There aren't 60 Democrats

Joe Lieberman?

Arlen Spector?

You're kidding.

Plus Kennedy and Byrd are pretty iffy as to whether they can show up to vote.