I think it's time to seat Franken

[Politics_Guy25]

Let the repubs blow up the senate if they want. I've had enough. If Al had been in the senate, we would have had the 60th vote needed to pass the omnibus tonight. This outrageous game being played by Normie has gone on far too long. I want Al seated and seated now and I also want Reid to tell the "gentleman" from KY that he's ready to go to the mat over this. The repubs would have seated Franken if they had a 58 seat majority and he was a repub. They might even have used the nuke option to do so. Time to do it here. It's also time for Reid to stop hiding under the bed every time a fillibuster threat is even whispered.

We have a very persuasive arugment that the voters' will is being thwarted and must rule the day. Do a PR mega-blitz. We have an agenda that needs passed and Franken is absolutely a key element to getting that passed AND ending games like tonight.

[Stellabella]

1. Yep. And then I want Norm to get his ass sued off.

For depriving the state of representation. Please, somebody, do it.

[Politics_Guy25]

2. And it's like Reid doesn't understand

that the results of NOT seating Franken will be FAR worse than the 2 day whine fest if he does. Now is the time to pass President Obama's ambitious agenda. Not 6 months from now when the polls will be who knows where.

[Stellabella]

4. Exactly right.

The repukes' hypocrisy just never fails to astound me. No matter how low I think they can go, they manage to go lower. Paging Bush v Gore, anyone?

[Cleita]

3. Well, maybe someone influential needs to nudge the Minn. SOS to certify him.

Then all the delaying tactics of Coleman won't matter after that. There's enough proof positive that Franken won. There is no more need for the SOS to engage in this foot dragging.

[Occam Bandage]

7. Mark Ritchie is a Democrat and a phenomenal SoS. He cannot certify Franken

until the court challenges have been resolved. His hands are tied by law.

[demodonkey]

9. Mark Ritchie is NO FOOT DRAGGER.

He is a Democrat, a progressive, and a good person.

And he is going by the law as it is written.

[Hippo_Tron]

27. What a concept, following the law

[seaker]

5. Yes

Acknowledge and move on.

[Historic NY]

6. me too I want another Democrat as a Senator.

[Occam Bandage]

8. Serious question: is there any precedent

for seating someone in the Senate who has not been certified as having been either elected or appointed to that position?

[Hellataz]

10. Seriously, it's time...this is getting pathetic on Colmen's behalf.

[backscatter712]

11. It's getting closer.

Now that Coleman rested his case, it's Franken's turn. Just watch his lawyers destroy Coleman over the next week or two.

I might be mistaken, but I suspect that once the court rules, there will be enough legal leeway that Pawlenty will be forced to agree to seat Franken, at least provisionally, while the appeals work through the courts.

[garryowenII]

12. I think a new election is in order...

I want to be consistent here, if Coleman were ahead after all the problems discovered in this election we would not want him to be seated. That said, there needs to be a new election with observers for both parties at every polling place.

This election as it stands now has been corrupted by both parties. We deserve HONEST and FAIR elections of our representatives. We cannot allow elections to be tampered with by either party.

[shawn703]

13. Too bad

Even if Coleman lost by one vote, he still lost. They know the rules and laws, and there's no do-overs. If Coleman wants to be senator, he can run against Klobuchar in 2012.

[GardeningGal]

14. Explain to me how Franken has tampered with the process.

The recount rules were agreed to at the time and each ballot was reviewed by both sides before counting either way. Now Coleman wants to back out of the agreement he made during the recount because it didn't go his way.

[garryowenII]

17. I didn't say Franken tampered the process...

This election is a mess. Democratic board members "found" votes, some precincts had more votes than voters, Coleman's camp disqualified votes, etc...

This whole process is corrupted. Seating either Franken or Coleman at this point is plain old wrong. To accept a corrupted election does a disservice to the entire nation.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. You are talking out of your ass.

"Democratic" board members didn't "find" votes on their own.


"Some precincts had more votes than others"....wtf does that even mean? All precincts should have the same number of votes?

The election isn't a mess. As a matter of fact, it has gone rather smoothly except for Normie's claims of victory on election night, his attorney's now retracted claim of "votes in trunks" and Normie's most recent cluster-fuck request for an extra-legal do-over.

The first count on election night was close enough (.5%) to trigger a MANDATORY recount. As a matter of fact, it was within the margin of error (IIRC, .2%) for a machine count - therefore a hand count is preferable and more accurate. Franken prevailed in the hand recount.

That's it. The rest is smoke and mirrors. Don't get led around by your nose like a sucker.

[jenmito]

23. Alerted. n/t

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

15. No. Upending the board and declaring "do-over" is NOT how we do things in Minnesota

That's the entirety of Coleman's argument. Most the "problems" that the Coleman camp have discovered were smacked down by the court.
And this election has NOT been "corrupted by both parties". It has been corrupted by the GOP.

And besides, there is no current legal provision to do a "re-vote" in my state.
Minnesota is far, far down the list of "States that need re-working of election laws." Our elections are fairly transparent, and our laws are clear.
The recount was regulated by state law. Coleman has intentionally muddled the process to try to force a "do-over".

Don't give me this "corrupted by both parties" crap. Sheesh.

:mad:

[garryowenII]

19. Oh sure. Minnesota is nothing like Florida. Your state election...

process is broken. If I lived in Minnesota I'd be calling my state reps everyday demanding that they fix the system. This election could not have gotten to this point if things weren't very wrong up north.

I believe that Franken could serve more effectively when he wins a re-election out-right. If he is seated now he is tainted whether he deserves it or not.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

20. Minnesota is NOTHING like Florida in regards to the election process

There is nothing wrong with our election laws.
It's the obfuscating by the Coleman lawyer team that's muddled up the process. Pity you've bought into it.

The election was close enough to trigger an automatic recount, which it did. The recount showed that Al Franken had actually received more votes.
The Coleman camp was allowed by election law to challenge this in court, which they did.
And then most of their motions were smacked down. (Not to mention the part where they wanted some votes counted, then didn't want them counted, then did want them counted, then didn't want them counted, then did want them counted.)

So spare me the whole "election is TEH TAINTED!!1!11!!!" crap.

You have no idea what you're talking about.

The election laws in Minnesota are much, much more transparent than they are in Florida, or Georgia, for that matter.

[Rosco T.]

22. You can have a new election....

in 2014 when SENATOR FRANKEN is up for reelection.

[demwing]

24. Oh please. the election has not been corrupted.

Especially by Franken's team, who are writing the book on how to stand up to Republican thug tactics when the race gets tight. A new election now wastes time and money, and simply shakes the etch-a-sketch, allowing the Republicans a whole new chance to cheat.

[grantcart]

26. there is no provision in MN law for a new election

[SalviaBlue]

16. I agree.. SEAT FRANKEN!!

rec.

[Posteritatis]

18. Your "having enough" doesn't override state election law (nt)

[wackywaggin]

25. Seat Franken and Sue Coleman for depriving Minnesota

of it's second voice in Washington.