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Senator Franken
There he is. The latest Senator from the land of a zillion lakes.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/30/franken.ruling/index.html
CNN
(CNN) -- Minnesota's Supreme Court has dismissed former Sen. Norm Coleman's challenge to the state's November election results and declared Democratic challenger Al Franken the winner.
Minnesota's Supreme Court ruled that Democrat Al Franken won the Minnesota Senate race.
The court's unanimous, unsigned opinion declared that Franken "received the highest number of votes legally cast" and is entitled "to receive the certificate of election as United States senator from the state of Minnesota."
Not sure how this liberal indi feels about this. I don't like the huge majority because they still won't have the stones to make Real Change. Every bill, every law, every effort that could spell real change for the environment or health care or just about any other issue. Every single one is being watered down in order to appease every frikkin one of us.
I don't want Obama to appease me and help my taxes. I want him to save the environment and give us true universal health care.
A goof article that got me going today over at the Financial Times
Obama is choosing to be weakBy Clive Crook
Published: June 28 2009 19:09 | Last updated: June 28 2009 19:09
As he promised last year, Barack Obama has brought climate change and healthcare reform to the centre of the nation’s attention. As well as evangelising, he is pressing Congress to act. Last week the House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill to curb carbon emissions, a measure that, if enacted, would touch every part of the US economy. Both House and Senate have drafted far-reaching healthcare bills, with stunning price tags.
Mr Obama aims to keep his promises, which is admirable. Unfortunately, there is a problem. This is not, as many Republicans argue, that neither issue requires forthright action. Both do. The problem is that the bills emerging from Congress are bad and Mr Obama does not seem to mind.
The cap-and-trade bill is a travesty. Its net effect on short- to medium-term carbon emissions will be small to none. This is by design: a law that really made a difference would make energy dearer, hurt consumers and force an economic restructuring that would be painful for many industries and their workers. Congress cannot contemplate those effects. So the Waxman-Markey bill, while going through the complex motions of creating a carbon abatement regime, takes care to neutralise itself.
...
On both climate change and healthcare, in other words, the US wills the end but not the means. This is where a president trusted by the electorate and unafraid to explain hard choices would be so valuable. Barack Obama, where are you?
Congratulations Senator Franken. You fought a long hard battle and deserve it.
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Personally, I can't stand Franken. There is just something about him that annoys the crap out of me. My personal feelings about him don't matter, though. What does matter is will he have the guts to stand-up and vote to give us what we want and not "go with the flow."
...that "just something?"
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
but do give him credit for getting behind AA Radio back when Democrats being elected meant something positive to me.
And may I say good freakin' riddance to "Chiclets" Coleman! How about showing some graciousness in defeat, Coleman?
Franken often said we needed the spirit of Paul Wellstone back in the senate. I'm counting on you, Al!
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
I hope he does not become an Obot, and uses his wit to spice things up in the stuffy, soporific Senate.
He's good enough, he's smart enough, and darnit, people like him! Go, Al, go!
...he's smart enough, and darnit, people like him!" Tee hee, madamab!
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
It's good news then for universal health care, Hampster. Franken is a real progressive Democrat, no Ben Nelson or Blanche Lincoln. He'll pull the conversation on health care back to the left, and has made a public option much more of a likely reality.
is not universal HC. What happened to his mandated health care for kids?
This president is doing evrything he can to accomplish absolutely nothing of lasting good.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
The public option is the most important piece of a series of complimentary pieces that will form a universal health care package. Having a real progressive like Franken in there moves the whole conversation further to the left. Rather than bargaining away a public option entirely, we'll likely be keeping a strong public option. A public option is how you build to single-payer, over the long term. The public option is the most important piece.
And the crappy senate just got crappier with the addition of this misogynist cretin. I wasn't planning on staying on this post much anyway cause anywhere Layla is, I ain't. And celebrating Al Franken as a United States Senator is more than I can bear. See ya'll later!
A Dishonest/Biased Media Is A Crime Against Democracy!
...he is a "misogynist cretin?" I've never seen any evidence of this. He's been married to the same wonderful woman, Franni, for over 30 years, has two great kids, and is funny as hell. He was a vocal critic of the Iraq War, a strong supporter of Paul Wellstone, is pro-choice, supports same-sex marriage, strong environmentalist, directly took on that blowhard Limbaugh, went on USO tours to entertain the troops, supports universal health care, and wants to protect social security. I mean this is a guy whose working-class parents never completed high school and yet he graduated cum laude from Harvard. What's not to like here? Because we don't like BO, we're now supposed to "hate", "loathe" or "can't stand" all Democrats? I'm truly puzzled here.
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
I can't speak for Marge, in fact that might be a good way for me to become a mouse.
Speaking for little me, It's just demo overload plus this.
My primary thing with Al is what it comes down to for me with the Bama campaign and eventually the party. I Freekin agree with the policies, mostly. It's the methods that have made me sick.
All he and Air America tried to do was out Limbaugh the GOP. The eventual winner of that game was MSNBO and their battle to out fox FOX. Their primary/election stances were solely for audience growth and ratings drawing from the left rather than the right. The more Matthews tingled the higher the ratings and they could care less about the actual issues.
Al Franken IMHO was basically the beginning of my parties concerted effort to take the low ground from the repubs.
Does that explain it?
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
...Senator Matthews, it's Senator Franken. Does that explain it?
P.S. "...for audience growth and ratings...." Well, DUH! Of course. Now we're against businesses making profit? That's a bridge too far for me, Hampy. I may be a leftie, but I'm not anti-capitalist.
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
Politician overload.
They're all self-serving cowards who don't give a hoot about the rest of us, so long as they can get and keep their cushy jobs. I hate every last one of 'em, with the possible exceptions of Feingold and Grassley.
WHERETHEHELL IS MY ERA???
Feingold and Grassley are good guys creeper.
Unfortunately, you've hit the agenda of many (though not all) of the PUMAs right on the head. It starts with hating Barack Obama, then to personal loathing of all Democrats, then to rejection of left-of-center policy ideas, then to the embrace of right-wing policies, and eventually they're praising Glenn Beck and calling for the birth certificate. Like I said, not all PUMAs get this carried away. But a great many that I have met over the past year have gone off the right edge of the cliff.
I see that your personal experience has apparently involved interacting with some extreme cases. I will only speak for myself, but I don't "hate" Barack Obama, though I find myself disagreeing with his policies plenty, and find the path to his nomination utterly reprehensible. Layla, many people, including myself, were profoundly aggrieved at the caucus fraud that helped propel him to the nomination. Please understand that's just not something one gets over easily or in some cases, ever. I know it shook me to the core and all that I believed to be pure and true about my formerly beloved Democratic Party. (And no, I don't intend to re-hash all of that with you here now.)
But, for the record, I don't tend to "hate" much in this world, except maybe grapefruit (man, that stuff tastes like a tin can to me). ;) But seriously, I leave words like "hate" for someone who would cause harm to my family. Anyway, again speaking for myself, I have no "agenda" as you put it, and I still consider myself to be a left-of-center person and those issues are the ones that matter to me and my family. But I also know now that the GOP is not completely the devil incarnate as I had believed for so many years. So, I guess I'm a political hybrid these days finding both fault and constructive arguments on both sides. No party can automatically count on my vote henceforth.
I had hoped once BushCo was gone that this great left-right national divide might be mended. It's lamentable that not only has that not happened, but the intra-party warfare has escalated. I have made a personal commitment not to kneejerk respond emotionally to everything I hear coming out of 1600 or the Congress, but to evaluate each action, inaction or policy on its own merits. Why yes, I'm still pissed, but I also owe my progeny and their progeny not to be a reflexive naysayer to each and every thing this administration puts forth.
Layla, I often (but not always) disagree with what you write here, but to quote our old buddy Voltaire: "...I will defend to the death your right to say it." So yes, I'm glad you're here providing me the opportunity to challenge or even change my own viewpoint. And isn't Hampy just a swell guy for creating and maintaining that atmosphere in this forum?
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
Thank you for your many thoughtful remarks. I take issue with none of them. I appreciate that you have not fallen so far as to hate those you disagree with. The following graph from one of Marge's comments here is a refrain I have heard on pretty much every PUMA site I have ever visited:
Do those feelings sound healthy to you? They certainly don't to me. They sound like someone whose anger at a particular person or group has led them to almost totally dehumanize them in their heart and mind. This is the kind of attitude I was referring to in my original comment you responded to.
Seconded.
Don't stop there. Tell me what you really think!
to go into my hatred for Franken too much here because I know that my take will not be welcome.
He "can't" be a misogynist because he's been married a long time and has children? Pretty low bar. Hard to find one then.
He was in on the "joke" on SNL about Todd Palin, his daughters, and incest. Not my idea of funny but then I never did think he was. I found his comedy styling silly not funny.
And I really don't give a crap about any of these people's "story". Who they are and what they do is all that counts with me.
My loathing of Franken far preceded my loathing of Obama. I usually like or dislike politicians as individuals. However I do make an exception for Obamacrats and loathe them as a group. I am probably far harder on Democrats because they fooled me into thinking they were better people that Republicans for so many years. Lotta resentment in that.
I'm beginning to think that perhaps I'm a poor fit here as I've been so many places before. Because I will continue to have my own point of view no matter who scolds me for daring to do so. And I also really do not have to explain the whys and wherefores to anyone. And now I'm leaving because I'm angry and I am saying things I will be sorry for later. But not very much.
A Dishonest/Biased Media Is A Crime Against Democracy!
then so am I, because we think alike on almost everything.
We Partizanes are bound to disagree on some things. That's not a bad thing. Without an occasional dissenting opinion, we'd all be preaching to the choir.
Have you thought of taking it to 'em? I mean crafting a glorious rant and then posting it on one of the kool-aid addicts' sites? Sure, you'd get trashed. But maybe one of them would hear what you're saying. Best of all, you'd unload some of than anger that I think you're trying not to direct here.
There is room for dissent on Partizane. What conflicts we seem to be experiencing are nothing compared to the commonalities we have.
Let me go on record right now as saying I would be really discouraged if you left. You're the closest thing I have to a role model.
WHERETHEHELL IS MY ERA???
...there is any such thing as a "poor fit" here. Hampy hasn't set up any litmus test to post on his blog, other than civility. I love the lively discourse here, and especially when folks disagree. That's what makes P'zane a special place on TehTubz. If I wanted a "preaching to the choir" kind of joint, well, there are plenty of 'em out there. I've come and gone with them because they didn't tolerate dissent or differing points of view.
"Scolded" for having your own point of view? No, of course, you don't have to explain anything to anyone. But we also are allowed to ask when trying to understand or maybe even come around to a dissenting point of view. Nothing wrong with that.
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
Marge, you're not a poor fit here...YOU'RE A WONDERFUL FIT HERE!!! Please don't leave! This is America...it's okay to just not like someone, for lots of reasons or no particular reason at all.
Marge, I agree with you -- I don't like Franken, though I did like his book "Lies -- and the Lying Liars Who Tell them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." I am afraid he'll just "go with the flow," though he was a very big admirer of both Bill and Hillary Clinton and as far as I know did not bash Mrs. Clinton whatsoever last year. (That last goes a long way, with me, but I want to see what Mr. Franken does in the Senate before I decide whether or not to change my overall opinion of him.)
And I really hope you don't leave this 'site; I enjoy what you write even on the very teensy, rare occasions I have disagreed even slightly. (Besides, we're not O-bots here; we listen to, and appreciate, all sides. Without sneering first, then co-opting the once-hated rhetoric later, and then saying it was the way "we" thought all along. Hmph!)
There's no excuse for this, DNC. You screwed the pooch; time to pay the piper.
Well said, LSekhmet.
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
I do my best; some days are better than others, y'know.
As for Franken, I'd rather see how he does as a Senator first before I bash him too much. He might turn out to be OK.
Btw, what do you think of Bill Clinton's planned attendance at Carolyn Maloney's fundraiser for the US Senate? Isn't that a bit odd?
There's no excuse for this, DNC. You screwed the pooch; time to pay the piper.
cannot figure out what started all the bad feelings I note toward the end.
Sure there are post that claim to love Franken and post that say they loath him so what's the buzz - tell me what's happening.
Marge, your skin is tougher than mine and you always add something to my understanding of politics and people. What has got your panties in a twist. I'd like to know.
I started saying I dunna like Franken because I don't like his comedy. I think that's what I said. So then Cal comes along and gives me heck for not giving him a chance. Me being a wimp, kinda agreed with Cal.
Then Marge came along and told us how she loathes Franken but nobody here will like her for that. I don't know where that idea came from since I don't even care if someone here loathes me or good goddess, Hillary.
Partizane is specifically about not being an echo chamber and if I banned people, and I never would, I would ban faster one who demanded someone else be banned. banned for expressing their heartfelt feelings I may not agree with? Never
I think the real problem with Marge this week is she's a secret Michael Jackson lover who refuses to acknowledge her sadness at his passing. Just a guess by the way.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
NH that was hitting below the belt.
I am not and never have been a Michael Jackson fan. I find the amount of time spent in the media on him since his death repulsive. And a moment of silence in the congress? Yuck!
That said, I hope I am a decent enough human being to be sad at anyone's passing. I just wish I didn't have to hear about it 24/7. RIP. And move on. But I suspect like the Anna Nicole lunacy we will hear about this for months. He was after all a much bigger "star".
And my twisted panties do tend to make me testy. Being chaffed is no joke ya know.
I forget which of you folks said something about my having "thick skin". Now that's funny. One of the things my mother used to say about me, other than that I had a big mouth and a nasty temper, was that I was born with one layer of skin too few. Age has wrinkled it but it hasn't thickened it.
A Dishonest/Biased Media Is A Crime Against Democracy!
that's the marge I've come to love
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
I'm just glad they settled it within the state. Whatever went on there, Coleman had unclean hands when he took the office after Wellstone died. So what comes around... Franken said he's his own man, we shall see after he gets around Pelosi, Reid, and Frank.. He's no Wellstone, but, I ain't hatin' him, yet.
Glad to meet you Swell528! Yes, it is good that they finally decided who to give the seat to. Like I said, it doesn't matter how I feel about Franken. What does matter is whether he will show some chutzpah or fall in line with the other Dem lemmings. Paul Wellstone was a great man, and I don't know that anyone will ever be able to fill his shoes.
Nice to meet you too. Wellstone wasn't afraid of anybody. I didn't always agree with him, but he was probably the one of the last politicians that was who he said he was. For that reason alone, I always heard him out. Funny, I feel the same way about Palin. I believe she is who she says she is. I believe Obama is a total fraud.
You'll fit in here just fine, Swell. You want that spot over by the rear wheel of the bus or would you rather be next to the tranny? Sorry for the crowding. Our relief bus was canceled by the gas czar. Fool thought we were going to be riding in it.
WHERETHEHELL IS MY ERA???
Doesn't really matter where I sit. Best advice I ever got in my life, came from my Dad, when he peered over his shoulder, from the front seat of the family station wagon and said, "Shut up and ride".
Yep Swell528, Sarah Palin is the real deal. I really admire her. She really knows how to connect with people in a way that few others do. I am just plain sick and tired of the media and others constantly attacking her and her family. I have never seen this kind of nastiness toward anyone in politics before. You're right....Obama is a fraud, and a lot of the people he hoodwinked into voting for him are coming to that realization now, even if they don't want to admit it.
Oh, We've seen this kind of nastiness before, when it was aimed at Hillary. Going after the kids, well, that just shows you how truly sick and pathetic the Obots are.
Oh, do please give it a rest with the calling of Obama supporters "sick and pathetic." Just like you, I am truly tired of seeing "this kind of nastiness". The majority of Obama supporters never engaged in these kinds of tactics, just like the majority of McCain supporters didn't, just like the majority of Hillary supporters didn't. You're talking about 70 million of your fellow Americans here. Please stop tarring us all with that brush.
I was under the impression that my opinions in here would be respected. even if disagreed with, without fear of personal attack. Do not talk to me that way.
At NO point did I "personally attack" you. You want to come in here and debate, fine. You call me and any other Obama supporter "sick and pathetic", and/or "sick puppies", then YOU are the one doing the personal attacks, and you will be called on them. Do not talk to ME that way.
"Oh, do please give it a rest...and tarring us"? These are pretty agressive words you aimed directly at me. Maybe I'm not understanding the non-confrontational, indirect meaning of your style. I do get the gist of your cut and paste weaponry. I'm just saying, don't practice that with me. If I use "hostile rhetoric" aimed at a group of voters, such as "Obots", well that's the nature of politics, same as the term "goopers" and "teabaggers". If I ever decide to lay into someone directly, I would ask them if they wished to step outside the forum. That way I wouldn't have to embarass and drag all the other innocent participants in the forum into the drama. MmmmmKay?
Nowhere near as aggressive as your "sick and pathetic". And not personal in any way.
I have no problem with "Obots". My problem is with the hateful rhetoric of "sick and pathetic", "sick puppies".
Where we would go for this digitized battle? The set of "Tron"?
I could see that one coming.
Layla, I don't think most people consider everyone who voted for Barack Obama an Obot. We reserve that appellation for people who have suspended all critical thinking where he is concerned. Even you don't qualify as an Obot, since you've expressed at least some reservations about his actions.
Don't forget where you are and who you're blogging with. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
WHERETHEHELL IS MY ERA???
I appreciate (I guess) that you don't consider me an "Obot". I have been called an Obot by just about everyone else here on this board at one point or another, and since I am the resident Obama-supporter, I have a pretty good case to make that when someone here references Obots, I am included in that group.
Yes, because I'm sure you would stay quiet if someone on your daily forum showed up and described you as "sick and pathetic". Don't give me that "can't stand the heat" line--one could lay it on you for ditching the Dems after the primaries, and you would rightfully tell them where to stick it.
but quite frankly I've come to think of Obot as a friendly term. I even call my wife the bot.
But if it offends I will refrain from using it.
Can I still call Rush followers wingers and gopers?
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
Honestly, I don't really mind the name, Hamp, provided it isn't accompanied with lots of hostile rhetoric. Most often the case, it is. Mind you, I know that you haven't trafficked in that kind of rhetoric. But a lot of people have. I wouldn't care a hoot if it wasn't usually some version of "stupid Obot", "mindless drone Obot", "sick and pathetic Obot", "sexist Obot", etc.
But I also don't want to be be overly sensitive about this. If it's "our resident Obot", or "our Obot Layla", or plain ole "Obot", I can live with it. "Layla" is naturally preferred.
I insist.
On all points. Well said.
WHERETHEHELL IS MY ERA???
Wow. That's a rarity for us. I'm opening the Veuve Clicquot right now!
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
Yes, you're right Swell, Hillary has been a punching bag for the media ever since Bill first started his run for President. It has always been a free-for-all on women in politics, and these days, women in general.
These so-called 70 million votes, how many of them were just people voting against Hillary, then Sarah. Obama doesn't have the support he thinks he does, never did, and no matter how many polls the media fakes, it's starting to show, thank the Lord. I'm off to bed now. I'll visit again, soon.
Personally, I agree with you about all of it -- though I don't like some of Palin's politics, I do believe she is who she says she is and is far more genuine than BHO. I also agree wholeheartedly that Coleman played "dirty pool" to obtain Wellstone's seat -- Walter Mondale should've been the winner, and would've been, without the nasty stuff Coleman and the RNC backers behind him said, and I believe Mondale would've been an excellent Senator in the style of Wellstone (he'd always been a responsible public servant before, with a highly progressive attitude; look at his voting record before he became VP).
I despise Norm Coleman and am glad he's out; I would've liked to know more about the Libertarian candidate, who obtained (IIRC) something like 15% of the vote? That's a really good showing for a Libertarian in a hotly-contested race like this one; d'you have any idea why it was this particular person did so well in MN? Or was it just "a pox on both your houses," too many people voting who just couldn't abide either Coleman or Franken?
There's no excuse for this, DNC. You screwed the pooch; time to pay the piper.
From the state that brought you Independent, Reform Party, Governor Jessie (The Mind) Ventura and Invisible Day. They do things their own way in Minnesota. God Bless them all. Anyways, Ventura got his panties in a bunch over some perceived politicizing of the Wellstone funeral, and appoints a reform party guy Dean Barkley, over a democrat to replace Wellstone for the remainder of the term. Barkley ran against Franken and Coleman this last time round. Seems Barkley got Ventura elected, but couldn't get it done for himself. lol Barkley was the Reform Party candidate, he got the 15%, the Libertarian, Charles Aldrich, not so hot, less than 1%.