Comments on: Reid, Punk’d by Blago over Burris, Rejects the Rule of Law http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/ Firedoglake weblog Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:32:22 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: SomeGuy http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1779200 SomeGuy Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:08:27 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1779200 <p>This is painful. Whatever your opinion of Sen. Reid, you can’t really want him to lose on this, if you are a Democrat. Sen. Reid is not going anywhere. If he loses, all the Democrats lose. President Elect Obama’s on the hook along with all the Senators who signed. </p> <p>The best we can hope for is a do-over where Gov. Blagojevich rescinds the appointment, and the State Legislature passes a law allowing a special election. </p> <p>Burris will probably win an election. Maybe he should win. He is the first elected African American to win Illinois statewide office. He would be running to fill President-elect Obama’s Senate seat. The prospect of the Senate becoming an all white body again, is not appealing to me. All most people have heard about Burris is widely televised high praise from Gov. Blagojevich’s opponents.</p> <p>Both sides could make a case for a moral victory.</p> <p>After giving in so many times Sen. Reid can’t afford to lose now that he is taking such a public stand. The Democratic party can afford it even less.</p> <p>Sen. Reid is not going anywhere. He is taking all the heat on this, but he is following Senate Democrats, and the President-elect on this issue, not leading them.</p> This is painful. Whatever your opinion of Sen. Reid, you can’t really want him to lose on this, if you are a Democrat. Sen. Reid is not going anywhere. If he loses, all the Democrats lose. President Elect Obama’s on the hook along with all the Senators who signed.

The best we can hope for is a do-over where Gov. Blagojevich rescinds the appointment, and the State Legislature passes a law allowing a special election.

Burris will probably win an election. Maybe he should win. He is the first elected African American to win Illinois statewide office. He would be running to fill President-elect Obama’s Senate seat. The prospect of the Senate becoming an all white body again, is not appealing to me. All most people have heard about Burris is widely televised high praise from Gov. Blagojevich’s opponents.

Both sides could make a case for a moral victory.

After giving in so many times Sen. Reid can’t afford to lose now that he is taking such a public stand. The Democratic party can afford it even less.

Sen. Reid is not going anywhere. He is taking all the heat on this, but he is following Senate Democrats, and the President-elect on this issue, not leading them.

]]> By: constantweader http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1779083 constantweader Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:45:44 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1779083 <p>There is an obvious solution here, and it requires Barack Obama’s getting off his high horse and negotiating a deal between Burris & the Senate Dems. My guess is that Burris really just wants to be Senator long enough to put the title on his already-built fancy tombstone-mausoleum thingy. So Obama just needs to get a written agreement from Burris that he’ll step down the minute Blagojevich is removed as Governor to make way for the new Governor to appoint someone else. In exchange, the Dems need to seat Burris, give him most privileges, let him have at least a skeleton staff and be nice to him. Everybody saves face that way; Burris get his title carved on the tomb & the Dems aren’t stuck with Burris for long (unless Blago doesn’t get removed, in which case they’ve got Burris for two years. Burris hasn’t won a statewide office or primary in years, so slim-to-no chance he’ll be back).</p> <p>Here’s hoping Obama has figured this out and we get this nonsense behind us. If he hasn’t, the Dems and the nation suffers, and Obama begins his presidency on a note even less auspicious than the Rick Warren pick affords.</p> <p>The Constant Weader at <a href="http://www.RealityChex.com" rel="nofollow">www.RealityChex.com</a></p> There is an obvious solution here, and it requires Barack Obama’s getting off his high horse and negotiating a deal between Burris & the Senate Dems. My guess is that Burris really just wants to be Senator long enough to put the title on his already-built fancy tombstone-mausoleum thingy. So Obama just needs to get a written agreement from Burris that he’ll step down the minute Blagojevich is removed as Governor to make way for the new Governor to appoint someone else. In exchange, the Dems need to seat Burris, give him most privileges, let him have at least a skeleton staff and be nice to him. Everybody saves face that way; Burris get his title carved on the tomb & the Dems aren’t stuck with Burris for long (unless Blago doesn’t get removed, in which case they’ve got Burris for two years. Burris hasn’t won a statewide office or primary in years, so slim-to-no chance he’ll be back).

Here’s hoping Obama has figured this out and we get this nonsense behind us. If he hasn’t, the Dems and the nation suffers, and Obama begins his presidency on a note even less auspicious than the Rick Warren pick affords.

The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com

]]> By: Teddy Partridge http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778918 Teddy Partridge Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:14:06 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778918 <p>Give ‘Em Head Harry</p> Give ‘Em Head Harry

]]> By: tam1MI http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778898 tam1MI Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:43:15 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778898 <blockquote><p>Burris has already filed with the Ill.Supreme.Ct. to force Sec.State to certify him.</p></blockquote> <p>Question: If through some bizarre circumstance the Illinois Supreme Court rules against Burris or refuses to take his case, what happens then?</p>

Burris has already filed with the Ill.Supreme.Ct. to force Sec.State to certify him.

Question: If through some bizarre circumstance the Illinois Supreme Court rules against Burris or refuses to take his case, what happens then?

]]> By: noblejoanie http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778797 noblejoanie Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:09:34 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778797 <p>I added some “facts” that made one answer less automatic, but I agree, generally there is a stronger answer on an exam, as there is in the real world, but you look for advocacy, the ability to see the various angles, as well as the “right” answer, IIRC.</p> <p>But I’d love to see the Bush/Cheney war crimes question addressed, on an exam but also for real. Having just finished The Reader which deals in part with post-Nazi Germany’s attempts to confront its past, I think we’re going to have to deal with this somehow, someway, but, regrettably, unlikely in a forum like The Hague or an impeachment trial.</p> I added some “facts” that made one answer less automatic, but I agree, generally there is a stronger answer on an exam, as there is in the real world, but you look for advocacy, the ability to see the various angles, as well as the “right” answer, IIRC.

But I’d love to see the Bush/Cheney war crimes question addressed, on an exam but also for real. Having just finished The Reader which deals in part with post-Nazi Germany’s attempts to confront its past, I think we’re going to have to deal with this somehow, someway, but, regrettably, unlikely in a forum like The Hague or an impeachment trial.

]]> By: wagonjak http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778796 wagonjak Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:09:11 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778796 <p>“Fightin” Harry Reid has ascended to the throne of <strong>most hated man</strong> in the Progressive Blogosphere, punking Joe Lieberman for the honor!</p> <p>And dammit, he’s worked very hard to acquire this crown of shame!</p> <p>Every move he makes digs the hole deeper for him and his fellow Dem Senators…at this rate they won’t have the political capital to help O pass the necessary bills to improve the financial situation in this country.</p> <p>The only gift Harry has is the ability to <strong>self-castrate</strong>!</p> “Fightin” Harry Reid has ascended to the throne of most hated man in the Progressive Blogosphere, punking Joe Lieberman for the honor!

And dammit, he’s worked very hard to acquire this crown of shame!

Every move he makes digs the hole deeper for him and his fellow Dem Senators…at this rate they won’t have the political capital to help O pass the necessary bills to improve the financial situation in this country.

The only gift Harry has is the ability to self-castrate!

]]> By: reader http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778780 reader Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:59:52 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778780 <p>Reid is a Republican. They are all corrupt.</p> Reid is a Republican. They are all corrupt.

]]> By: NMvoiceofreason http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778776 NMvoiceofreason Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:57:04 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778776 <p>While law school is designed to get you to think of all the ways to argue something, statutory construction is designed to give one “right” answer (in the case of well written law). Precedent then further limits statutory interpretation. The Founding Fathers would believe that there is one right answer, one in line with Natural Law and the Rights and Dignity of Man.</p> <p>Just as interesting is the question whether once George Bush and Richard Cheney leave office, can they be arrested and extradited to the International Criminal Court in the Hague to face the War Crimes charges against them? Do the Geneva Conventions apply?</p> While law school is designed to get you to think of all the ways to argue something, statutory construction is designed to give one “right” answer (in the case of well written law). Precedent then further limits statutory interpretation. The Founding Fathers would believe that there is one right answer, one in line with Natural Law and the Rights and Dignity of Man.

Just as interesting is the question whether once George Bush and Richard Cheney leave office, can they be arrested and extradited to the International Criminal Court in the Hague to face the War Crimes charges against them? Do the Geneva Conventions apply?

]]> By: ThingsComeUndone http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778769 ThingsComeUndone Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:53:08 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778769 <p>True since there was no special election the Dems left in all in Blago’s hands and screwed themselves.</p> True since there was no special election the Dems left in all in Blago’s hands and screwed themselves.

]]> By: NMvoiceofreason http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778766 NMvoiceofreason Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:49:21 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/02/reid-punkd-by-blago-over-burris-rejects-the-rule-of-law/#comment-1778766 <p>Remember the red meat state that voted Stevens out of office (you can see Russia from their house!)? People get tired of corruption and incompetence (uncle Toobz!). Democrats last fall determined that with the Blago corruption problems, they did not want a special election (a mistake, but they folded their tent and now have to sleep on it). All the legal authority left to fill the seat is in Gov.B’s hands.</p> Remember the red meat state that voted Stevens out of office (you can see Russia from their house!)? People get tired of corruption and incompetence (uncle Toobz!). Democrats last fall determined that with the Blago corruption problems, they did not want a special election (a mistake, but they folded their tent and now have to sleep on it). All the legal authority left to fill the seat is in Gov.B’s hands.

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