Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames Fan, Ph.D.
Once again, you just ignore facts and make do with your own "I'm pretty sure" set of rules.
Kennedy officially died on August 25th, 2009, and was basically absent from the senate since spring of 2009. Franken did not get sworn in until July 8th.
But also important is that part of the mythical 60 that the democrats would have had included two independents and Specter. At best, your claimed supermajority lasted between 6-7 weeks from Franken's swearing in to Kennedy's death, a time where Kennedy was effectively inactive and bedridden. But even with Kirk seated in Kennedy's place until the Brown election, there was no mandate from the voters and there was no supermajority. Kennedy didn't even vote in the Senate for the health care reform.
Don't let the facts get in the way of your pleasant narrative though.
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Kennedy was willing and able to come in if needed for an important vote; He said as much. Also, you failed to add in Kirk's time before Brown's election. The 2 independants and Specter were not going to philibuster anything Obama proposed. Obama didn't need 60 Senators to pass anything. He just needed 60 Senators who didn't feel strong enough against something to join the Republicans in a philibuster. He had the hammer and more effective control than any other President in modern times. I don't know how you can excuse his impotence.
And your line about Kirk not having a mandate is laughable. He was there to replace Kennedy. If you want to talk about mandates why don't you talk about the Republican mandate given them in 2010 to balance the budget? The majority of Americans elected representatives who promised to balance the budget while preserving the tax cuts. Instead of Obama heeding that call he is doing everything in his power to create class warfare under the false notion that the rich don't pay their fair share and that is why American's don't have jobs.