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I'm not a Burris hater, he seems like an amiable but eccentric old coot, but he would be a sitting duck statewide in 2010. Hope he enjoys his time in the spotlight, because we will primary his ass a year from now.
i'm more fascinated with how hillary restrained herself from asking diaper david vitter if his effectiveness wasn't compromised by the prostitution scandal...
I agree. It would be very poor form to tell your sugar-daddy to quit after he just handed you a $100k+ job guaranteed for the next few years.
Clearly the unelected senator-designate just identified his first conflict of interest. He thinks he works for Blago, not the people of Illinos who didn't elect him.
Come to think of it, didn't we recently have issues with some rube who was appointed to high elected office, rather than actually being elected by his constituency?
The 17th amendment to the constitution was on Burris' side. Harry Reid only reinforced what everyone already knew about him. When the cards are on the table, he'll fold like a lawn chair.
As far as 2010, Harry Reid needs to worry about his own seat. His senate seat has been identified as the most vulnerable Democratic seat and that was before this latest fiasco.
As far as Burris being noncommital about Blagojevich, he is absolutely correct. It isn't his place. What place is it of the United States senate to start getting involved in state politics? NONE!! Perhaps Harry Reid and the other Democrats should learn that.
It now seems that the courts have given Patrick Fitzgerald another 30 days to try and make his case. It seems he doesn't think he has enough to win an indictment yet!! Oh how fast we are to jump on a fellow Democrat when the republicans have been wiping themselves with the constitution for eight years. Our answer to that was "impeachment is off the table".
I'm not sure I agree with your assertion about state v. fed government representatives not being permitted to address or comment on the other.
They are all representatives of the people of their home state, presumably they have the people's interests foremost in their minds as they perform the duties to which the were elected. You really think state and federal governments should operate in a vacuum, completely isolated from each other? That doesn't sound very efficient or effective.
If a Senator's job is to further his or her state's interests in the federal government and someone back home is making his job difficult, he most certainly does have the right and the obligation to be involved.
Granted, I don't know exactly what the Constitution says about it, but when was the last time anyone in our federal government gave a shit about what the Constituton had to say about anything (except gay marriage)?
I would think that the work of the president, Senate and House of Representatives at this point would be to pass a stimulus package, health care legislation, the Employee Free Choice Act, The Lilly Ledbetter Act, expansion of unemployment benefits, get our troops out of Iraq, work on a peace plan for Israel and the Gaza Strip, etc. Rod Blagojevich is merely a sideshow distraction.
Dick Durbin and Roland Burris can further Illinois' interests without interference of the state governor. I don't think Washington operates in a vacuum but I also don't believe these senators have to run home and check in with their states' respective governors to pass legislation.
Like most locals, I've never been in there, but there was a great Dennis the Menace comic book years ago about his visit.
And, it's funny as all hell to watch Rod wheel and deal. Dude may be a bit corrupt, but the reality is that Blagojevich has successfully passed progressive legislation in Illinois. He's not a DLC type. One thing that the media has not reported is the Blagojevich is VERY popular among Latinos and African-Americans because he has delivered for those communities, especially after 20 years of Republican governors (including Illinois' last governor, convicted felon George Ryan).
P.S.
What's up with the ageist comments? "Old coot"? Come on.
Otherwise, we resort to trial by press, reputation and mob rule.
It's funny that those 50 senators didn't ask that Vitter or Craig resign; of course, they were already senators and we know how they protect their own in The Club, but have no compunction about telling the top executive of a sovereign state to step down, even before he's been tried.
And how about trials for BushCo? Any murmurings from the Senate on that? I mean, gosh, after all the electoral crimes of 2000 and 2004, the prosecution of the war in Iraq, the Katrina deaths and destruction, yada, yada, yada. Probably not, because most of them went along with everything Bush.
He'll probably get through, though, as he's coughing up the taxes as we post...
This article says Blago was arrested (and impeached) for TRYING to sell a Senate seat. That's it? I think not, even though Fitzgerald has chosen to hold off for 3 months. If he is so guilty of heinous crimes, why wait?
And, of course, the same group that applauded (literally) Tubes Stevens, after he was CONVICTED of numerous crimes, has the gall to demand that Blago be removed after an ARREST?
Show me the money! If Blago has committed all these crimes, SHOW THEM TO ME. If not, ATTEMPTING to sell a Senate seat is small potatoes.
When will America wake up?
But they let Bush, Cheney, and their accomplices run free?!!! Why are they so afraid to initiate Impeachment in Congress for the good of the world at large?!! I know that it's supposed to start in the House, but their reticence to press the issue is disgusting.
Dems in Congress seem so fatalistic about Impeachment, unless it attacks an outlier to the corporate hegemony...
I really pray that Obama can both withstand and reverse the magnitude of the Hypocrisy that dominates the party!!!...
God help us.