Blago's To Name Us Senator

I must say, this guy really wants to drag Illinois through the mud as long as possible.

What's in store for the USA....Capital Police forced to handcuff the guy so he can't enter the Senate chamber?

=(
 
Last edited:
boloboffin said:
Some people are wondering if the Senate has the power to refuse an appointment like this, one being Jeff Greenfield of CNN.
Click to expand...
I think Jeff is probably right. Blago has not been indicted, he has not been impeached and he is not mentally unfit he is therefore the duly elected governor and has a constitutional right to name anyone he likes barring proof of a criminal act by the one being appointed.. If he does name this guy it will end up in the USSC and I have a feeling that the court will side with the Governor.
 
The Central Scrutinizer said:
Prediction: He'll be seated
Click to expand...

I disagree. The Senate has already clearly indicated their willingness to fight Blago's appointment. If they back down now, they run the all-to-public risk of appearing spineless. That's a bad way to start off a new Congress.

My Prediction:
I think Burris will last in the Senate for about a millisecond before he's booted. The seat will then remain empty until after Blago is impeached. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will then appoint another black person to the open Senate seat. Problem solved.

And if Blago and his allies play the race card on this one, let them. I'd say that most blacks are smart enough to see through this, and it's not like they're going to run to the "Barack the Magic Negro" GOP, are they?

Wow, what a circus. The only thing these folks are missing is the big, red noses and floppy shoes :rolleyes:
 
MattusMaximus said:
The Senate has already clearly indicated their willingness to fight Blago's appointment. If they back down now, they run the all-to-public risk of appearing spineless.
Click to expand...

:dl:

This crowd? The ones who give a 28%-approval-rating president anything he wants, the way he wants it, please, sir, let them know if they can assist him any further? The only risk they run is appearing to have a spine, because then they'll catch hades for not standing up to Bush before now.

I agree that Burris will not enjoy a Senate seat for long, but that's only because it's a Democrat (Blagojevich) who's wanting to see this done. If Blagojevich had had an R behind his name, they would have put up a fight for a little while and then settled down like good little lambs.

Like I say, you can trust Democrats with all three branches of government. We'll never do anything with it.

ETA: Oh, my gosh. I had posted this and then saw that a picture of Burris' tomb has been splashed onto The Politico. Wow, this got ugly in a hurry.
 
Last edited:
Alferd_Packer said:
I feel sorry For Burris. He's actually not a bad pick for a two year stint.
Click to expand...


In some ways I feel sorry for him though, but The comments that while he was attorney general he apparetnly did nothing about the incredible level of corruption in Illinois poltics has to be held against him, as does his accepting of an appointment as tainted as this one. He looks like a guy who has not really outside of attoney general been really sucessful at his political career, and just got to tempted by the vision of a senate seat.
The only way he has a chance in hell is if he promises..and keeps the promise..to only serve as a caretaker until 2006 or a special election is held.
 
dudalb said:
The comments that while he was attorney general he apparetnly did nothing about the incredible level of corruption in Illinois poltics has to be held against him
Click to expand...

He also was comptroller for 3 terms (with again no hint of scandal). You have to admit, his avoiding any charges of corruption after 2 decades in Chicago and Illinois politics is a point in his favor. But you are correct that he apparently didn't do much to fight corruption in Illinois. But then, who has? For example, did Obama? No. Did any of those who are now so supportive of Obama? Not that I can name. So I don't find the logic that Burris doesn't deserve the job because he didn't fight corruption all that convincing. Afterall, Obama got the job of Senator and he didn't fight Illinois corruption either. In fact, one might argue that Obama and his wife were a part of the machine. :D
 
dudalb said:
But I hope we cal all agree that the playing of the Race Card is truly reprehensible?
Click to expand...

I am a liberal. I am a Democract. I think having at least one black in the Senate is a decent goal.

But this way? With this governor? No @#$%&#$ way.

This is going waaaaaaay too far..and I fear more bigots will jump onto the race-card bandwagon.

Thank God, Obama is smarter then that. He has made up for his pathetic choice for Inauguration invocation speaker with this move.
 
dudalb said:
The only way he has a chance in hell is if he promises..and keeps the promise..to only serve as a caretaker until 2006 or a special election is held.
Click to expand...

In that case, he would make history as the only senator to serve his term in reverse! Senator Benjamin Button?
 
lol.....laughing...coughing.....stop being funny!!

..meow.
 
Last edited:
MattusMaximus said:
I think Burris will last in the Senate for about a millisecond before he's booted. The seat will then remain empty until after Blago is impeached. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will then appoint another black person to the open Senate seat. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to agree with you that they are sincere in trying to get him not seated, but booting a person after they get a seat (although it comes with less constitutional red tape than contesting his qualifications) requires a 2/3 majority. I really don't know how that would go down. Would Republicans purposefully vote for keeping him just to spite Democrats? Would enough a minority Democrats split over it's better to kick him out on principle or keep him in because he's a decently qualified Democrat aside from the particulars of his appointment? The dynamics might be weird if it got to that.
 
Last edited:
Here's the latest...

Democrats plan cool reception for Senate appointee

Senate Democratic leaders plan to grant few if any privileges next week to Roland Burris, the man picked by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to represent the state in the Senate, even if Burris arrives on Capitol Hill with the proper credentials.

Senate officials involved in the tangle of legal and logistical planning said Friday that a Democrat will object to Burris being duly sworn with the rest of his class and will propose that his credentials be reviewed for a period of time by the Rules Committee.

That would give Burris the status of a senator-elect to the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama in the juiciest of several dramas swirling around open Senate seats days before the 111th Congress convenes.

Senate Democrats are slow-walking Burris' appointment because they hope Blagojevich will be removed from office before the Rules Committee completes its investigation. ...
Click to expand...

Hmm, I didn't see this particular angle playing out. I still think this thing will end up in court.
 
Interesting new wrinkle...

Secretary of Senate rejects Burris, aide says

Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson has rejected Roland Burris' appointment to the Senate, an aide to the secretary told CNN.

Erickson rejected Burris' appointment because his certificate of appointment was missing the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, the aide said Monday. Rule 2 of the Standing Rules of the Senate states that the secretary of state must sign the certificate of election along with the governor.
White has declined to sign the certificate, siding with some Senate Democrats who say Burris should not be seated because of the cloud over Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat. ...
Click to expand...

Whoops. That's not something I anticipated. I wonder what this means for future litigation? Would this put it at the state level or federal level in the judiciary?
 
And Illinois between Obama's election and the Bicenentenial of Abraham Lincoln's birth (and yes, I know Abe was born in Kentucky but he will be forever identified with Illinois and the state is holding a lot of high profile celebrations) was hoping for a nice image change.......

Land of Lincoln, baby, Land of Lincoln.:covereyes
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom