World Agenda: Democrats not all smiles as Al Franken enters Senate

London Times ^ | 7/7/2009 | Catherine Philp

[discocrico]

The comedian Al Franken will be welcomed by fellow Democrats at a lunch on Capitol Hill today after he has been sworn in as senator, taking the party’s Senate vote bank to the magic threshold of 60.

His arrival makes the Democrats the first party in three decades to attain the fabled super majority, allowing them – in theory – to override Republican filibusters and implement their legislative agenda.

A week after Mr Franken was declared Senator of Minnesota, however, doubts are growing as to how politically useful a super majority will be when the hard bargaining over controversial issues such as healthcare and climate change begins.

[NewJerseyJoe]

There's also the possibility that some of these Dems may be just smart enough to realize -- they will totally OWN every bad thing that happens from now on. They won't be able to get away with "Oh, some Republicans voted for it, too," as the Republican votes won't matter.

Will be interesting to watch the clash of the lib party-ideology herd mentality versus the instinct for political self-preservation.

[cartoonistx]

[MrB]

[Pistolshot]

He’s going to assault someone on the Senate floor.

It's happened in the past, and betting on Franken losing it on the Senate floor is a no-brainer.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Were I a Senator, I would be ashamed to have someone like Franken on an equal footing with myself....How demeaning!

Were I a towelboy, I would be ashamed to have someone like Franken on an equal footing with myself . . . How demeaning! There, fixed it.

[MrB]

Guess I won’t get you on a “sucker bet” then... :)

[The Great RJ]

Franken will be an embarrassment and will soon resort to his idiotic rants. The people of Minnesota will come to regret him being their US Senator.

[slumber1]

There's also the possibility that some of these Dems may be just smart enough to realize -- they will totally OWN every bad thing that happens from now on

Bingo! - All their excuses are gone. They can no longer hide behind the threat of a filibuster to avoid difficult decisions (and it has been the threat of filibuster that both sides have used to avoid hard votes since no actual filibuster has been attempted in years.)

Now the screaming leftists will demand the entire agenda be passed forthwith - this is going to be fun to watch.

[Pistolshot]

Try liberals. They bet on losers all the time.

[True Republican Patriot]

You inadvertantly left out:

BORAT!
KEITH OLBERDUCHE!

Schucks! The rest of the MORONS are already ensconced in their DEMORAT Seats in CONGRESS!

[Don Corleone]

2 Senators, Kennedy and Byrd may not be able to make it to the floor to suppress filibuster.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Democrats not all smiles as Al Franken enters Senate...

[sunmars]

Can’t we just get these 2 removed, i mean its like having the president on a life support machine during a nuclear strike. Useless and unavailable.

[Old Grumpy]

Dear Lord, what is that? I agree that picture should be plastered all over the internet and especially on this site - regularly.

[MrB]

[OB1kNOb]

That’s a scene from his earlier days trying to be a comic on Saturday Night Live. He was a clown fool then and he’s a clown fool now, only he’s SENATOR clown fool from Minnesota now.

[matginzac]

I’d like to add to the predictions - as nice as I’m sure his wife is, I think the - ahem - stresses that come with the job - i.e. temptations for someone with power - he will be caught with his pants down first....just predicting...

[LeonardFMason]

Who will be the Rebublican to NEEDLE and irritate this buffoon into a certain Senate floor meltdown?

[listenhillary]

They will all do what Obama tells them to do.

Not if it means the loss of their position of power. There is no higher god to them than being re-elected.

[Iron Munro]

Democrats not all smiles as Al Franken enters Senate

No amateur comedian likes to be upstaged by a professional.