Counting The Days: Will Kennedy's Quick Seating In 1962 Repeat Itself?

I would suspect that the House (in the case of Tsongas) and the Senate (in the case of Kennedy) suspended the rules in order to swear in their new members so quickly. I don't see any pressing need for the Senate to suspend the rules in this case...not that it matters.

If Brown wins, I sincerely believe HCR is dead. Whether he's sworn in tomorrow or six months from now will make no difference.

Yes. Seat him quickly!!

Then we can move quickly to reconciliation with a robust public option.

Good riddance to the BiPart, Super Majority, Joe Lieb ass-kissing B.S.

Does anyone know if Paul Kirk can still vote after election day prior to the next senator being seated?

Does it matter? I think the most practical and fastest way to pass the health care reform bill is just have the House pass the Senate bill and then spend the time to make adjustments through reconciliation.

If the House wanted they could pass the Senate bill in a couple of days.

Drag this out as long as possible.

Remember Norm in Minn?

Have the voters punished the GOP for that?

No.

So do what they did.

Is there a question???

Can a Senator-elect by sworn in and seated the next day after an election ? Technically, YES, if the Senate agrees by unanimous consent to waive its Rules. Fat chance on either side. Otherwise, the Senate Rules govern, as the Senate is the the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own Members (Art. I, Sec. 5, cl. 1), and has the authority to make its own Rules (Art.I, Sec. 5, cl. 2). Senate Rule II provides that to seat a “Senator-elect” and make such person a “Senator,” the Senate requires the presentation of “credentials” in proper form from the person claiming the seat. (Riddick, Senate Procedure, pp. 704, 708-710). Such “credentials” are the election certificates duly signed by the Governor and Sect'y of State. Senate Rule II, para. 3. Unless the Senate is in "sine die" adjournment, the Senator-designate appointed to fill the vacancy serves until the next Senator is elected and “qualified.” See Riddick, supra at 710. 2 U.S.C. sec. 36 “Qualified” here is used as a verb - and simply means given the oath of office by the Senate, i.e., seated because he/she meets the qualifications for office, and is shown by the credentials presented to be "duly elected."

According to S. Doc. 95-108, "The Term of a Senator - When Does it Begin and End?" by Floyd Riddick (Parliamentairan Emeritus), the Senate has agreed that: "The appointee holds the office and draws the pay until the Senator-elect takes the oath ..." (p. 13, see S. Res. 129, 85th Congress).

Ask Al Franken how he feels about it!

Pardon my French, but who the fuck cares what Republicans demand? After the shit Coleman pulled with Franken (with the full support of the GOP), Senator Cheesecake can cool his heels for two weeks and wait for MA certification. I honestly couldn't care less what Senate Republicans did in 1962 for Teddy, they've more than used up any favors owed to them since then.

At what point will everyone realize that Republitard days are numbered and just relax? In my lifetime, albeit perhaps some decades from now, the rise in population of Blacks, Hispanics and other minorities will overwhelm in absolute number the amount of racist, cousin-loving, Southern white-trash that forms the base of the Republitard party. How exactly do Republitards plan to win when they cannot win any percentage of minority voters that even approaches competitiveness?

All of this Scott Brown crap is just that, pure crap. Republitard days are numbered and the end is coming. They can put some know-nothing Uncle Tom at the head of their party, but it does NOT change the fact that a majority of their base is nothing more than a bunch of racist trash.

When the revolution comes, and it will come, I advise they refrain from standing in front of any brick walls. Others may not be as forgiving of their evil ways as I am.

@willia451

Thanks for the thoughtful debate of important issues. I guess when you really have no effective response, you can always turn to epithets. Well done.

Good luck maintaining the reality distortion field. Willful ignorance is going to become a full time job for you. But never mind what I think, it turns out I spoke too soon, I've now seen a second reference comparing Obama and Carter. How long until the Obama as Carter meme goes mainstream - care to place any bets?

http://www.politico.com/arena/

Larry J. Sabato
Professor of Politics, University of Virginia :

Dear Rahm,

I remember 2006, when you richly earned your reputation as a political tactician and energy machine without peer. Your talents are needed again, for your president is well on his way to becoming another Jimmy Carter. Like Carter (though it happened later in Carter’s term), Barack Obama has been dealt some dreadful cards. But lousy hands can be well played. Bill Clinton got a lousy hand, too, and he shrewdly turned adversity to strength, and won reelection. Which Democratic president will be your role model for Obama--Carter or Clinton? To ask the question is to answer it.

No sense re-hashing the mistakes of the past year. It’s obvious to almost everyone that Obama over-read his mandate, just as most presidents have done. Democrats have restored the once-discredited charge the GOP made against them: “Tax and tax, and spend and spend.” Oh, and now you’ve added a third phrase to the litany: “Debt and debt.” Yes, this is ironic to the max, considering that the Bush administration and a Republican Congress doubled the national debt and spent wildly without paying for its priorities. But political reality is what it is.

The way out is painful but simple. Make economic recovery your exclusive domestic focus. Reduce health care reform to bare-bones items that are supported by large majorities. Stop trying to remake the world in one fell swoop during hard times. The current jerry-built rig probably won’t work as advertised anyway. Drop the other controversial items from your agenda, such as most of climate change and all of card check. They aren’t going to pass, and there’s no sense encouraging mass political suicide in the Democratic congressional caucus by forcing unnecessary votes. As we’ll all see in November, there will be plenty of casualties as a consequence of votes already cast. Focus on incremental changes that matter, such as federal court appointments. Become the Democratic administration that solves the national debt and entitlement crises left by your predecessors of both parties. Aggressively fight for the little guy against the greed of the big boys in the banks and on Wall Street—and mean it.

Symbolic hand-slaps won’t do. Populism is good politics, but only if people believe you