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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 02/02/2009 : 20:11:09
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It's reported by CNN that New Hampshire GOP Senator Judd Gregg has accepted nomination as Obama's Commerce Secretary: WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire has accepted President Barack Obama's offer to be commerce secretary, two administration officials said Monday.
The officials said the official announcement is expected Tuesday morning.
If Gregg moves to the Cabinet, New Hampshire's Democratic governor would appoint a replacement.
That could give Democrats the 60-seat majority needed to overcome Republican attempts to use filibusters to block legislation. |
Since New Hampshire has a Democratic Governor with the power to appoint a replacement senator, the Democrats in the US Senate are in line to obtain a filibuster-proof 60-40 majority.
This will be a very big deal in terms of getting legislation passed.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2009 : 20:28:31 [Permalink]
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| I do not know if that was the goal of this precise nomination, but part of me hopes so, because that would be such a cunning move out of the president! |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2009 : 20:37:27 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Simon
I do not know if that was the goal of this precise nomination, but part of me hopes so, because that would be such a cunning move out of the president!
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Indeed! Especially if the Senator in question is expert and honest (even if a bit too desirous of the promotion from the GOP's viewpoint) and will be a good Commerce Secretary.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2009 : 21:51:52 [Permalink]
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In many states, the law is that the Governor must appoint someone from the same party as the person who is leaving the Senate. In other words, regardless of the Governor's party, if a Republican leaves the Senate early, a Republican must replace her/him. This was one of the main problems with Conservapedia's "hit list" of Senate Democrats from states with Republican Governors (even if that article turned out to be a hoax).
Is New Hampshire such a state? |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2009 : 22:44:58 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
In many states, the law is that the Governor must appoint someone from the same party as the person who is leaving the Senate. In other words, regardless of the Governor's party, if a Republican leaves the Senate early, a Republican must replace her/him. This was one of the main problems with Conservapedia's "hit list" of Senate Democrats from states with Republican Governors (even if that article turned out to be a hoax).
Is New Hampshire such a state?
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An article I read earlier said the governor there could appoint anyone he wanted to. Sen. Gregg himself is supposed to have assured the GOP Senate leaders that he'd not take the Commerce job if it jeopardized the balance in the Senate.
Also, from the article linked to by the OP:| Gregg's term is up in 2010. If he left the Senate, New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch could have named a Democrat to replace him, giving the Democrats the 60-seat majority needed to overcome Republican attempts to use filibusters to block legislation. |
I'll check further, though.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 02/02/2009 22:47:12 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2009 : 23:29:33 [Permalink]
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Aha!: | To replace Gregg, New Hampshire Democrats widely expect Lynch to choose J. Bonnie Newman, a Republican with extensive Washington experience and ties to both Gregg and Lynch. That assertion was endorsed by one person with knowledge of the successor discussion, who also said Newman would not run in 2010, when Gregg's term is up. That may mitigate Democratic anger over the highly unusual arrangement by giving the party a shot at winning an open seat. |
So the governor's planning on appointing a Republican, thus making this whole thread moot, the thoughtless bastard.
I never did find out for sure if it were possible form the New Hampshire Governor to appoint a replacement US Senator not from the reigning Senator's party, but I'm going to assume he could have.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 02/03/2009 00:22:18 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2009 : 05:41:46 [Permalink]
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It's Title LXIII Section 661:5 of New Hampshire Code:If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator, the governor shall fill the vacancy by temporary appointment until the next state general election, when a senator shall be elected for the unexpired term. So no, NH is not one of those states. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2009 : 05:51:25 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
It's Title LXIII Section 661:5 of New Hampshire Code:If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator, the governor shall fill the vacancy by temporary appointment until the next state general election, when a senator shall be elected for the unexpired term. So no, NH is not one of those states.
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Thanks. I read the NH Constitution, and saw no mention there. Glad you knew how to search. It's too bad the Gov there went along with the GOP's needs.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2009 : 07:29:14 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
It's too bad the Gov there went along with the GOP's needs. |
Well, Gregg basically said that he wouldn't leave his Senate seat if doing so would cause a change in the Senate make-up, so the only options left to the Guv would be to appoint another Republican or to pull a bait-and-switch (which would probably end his political career).
Gregg was up for re-election in 2010 anyway, so it's not like his vacating the seat would shift the election schedule ahead, either. Had he just been re-elected in 2008, the seat would have gone back up for a vote in 2010 instead of 2014, offering the possibility of getting a Democrat in there for a six-year term four years ahead of schedule regardless of who the Guv appointed as interim replacement.
So really, the whole thing seems like a non-issue. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2009 : 08:50:33 [Permalink]
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Well, that is disappointing.
One last thing to do, is to nominate a terrible Republican senator. A skirt chaser, or an alcoholic will do.
This way, this guy would naturally become one of the Republican contenders for the election, and drive the party down with him... |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2009 : 09:40:51 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Simon
Well, that is disappointing.
One last thing to do, is to nominate a terrible Republican senator. A skirt chaser, or an alcoholic will do.
This way, this guy would naturally become one of the Republican contenders for the election, and drive the party down with him...
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Are you suggesting "dirty tricks?" |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 03:15:12 [Permalink]
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Not using "Dirty Tricks (tm)" in politics would be revolutionizing, whouldn't it?
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 05:51:46 [Permalink]
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| Do you think it's a good idea for one party to control the White House, the House of Reps and to have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate? Democrats don't (currently) appear to be anywhere near as incompetant as the Republicans have recently been, but (relatively) unchecked political power is probably not a good thing for John Q Citizen. |
-Chaloobi
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 06:02:37 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by chaloobi
Do you think it's a good idea for one party to control the White House, the House of Reps and to have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate? Democrats don't (currently) appear to be anywhere near as incompetant as the Republicans have recently been, but (relatively) unchecked political power is probably not a good thing for John Q Citizen.
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Yeah, you bet I do. I want to see some decades-delayed progress at last. There hasn't been a liberal Congress and a liberal President in power for a generation or two, so almost no legislative progress has been made. Medical care, education and science have been neglected, while most of the world has begun to loathe America.
Hopefully, the GOP (or a successor Center/Right party) will recover in time to prevent the total corruption of the Democratic Party.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Hittman
Skeptic Friend
134 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 08:21:16 [Permalink]
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| Do you think it's a good idea for one party to control the White House, the House of Reps and to have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate? Democrats don't (currently) appear to be anywhere near as incompetant as the Republicans have recently been, but (relatively) unchecked political power is probably not a good thing for John Q Citizen. |
I've always preferred congress to be on party and the president to be another. The less government does the better it is for all of us. Gridlock is our friend.
I shudder to think the kind of nonsense we're going to see pushed through with the current setup. My guess is it will inspire a record turnout on 2010 to help restore some balance.
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When a vampire Jehovah's Witness knocks on your door, don't invite him in. Blood Witness: http://bloodwitness.com
Get Smartenized® with the Quick Hitts blog: http://www.davehitt.com/blog2/index.phpBlog |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 08:42:53 [Permalink]
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I disagree.
I think that, indeed, a lot of work is needed to put the US back on track: reducing the deficit, bringing health care and education standard back to that of a developed country, taking an aggressive stance toward global warming...
And, for that to happen, there is little room for a Congress to put politic before the good of the nation and the world.
Last week, the GOP showed us they had no intention of playing fair and were going to try blocking the actions of the new administration... We should not let them. |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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GOP likely to lose Senate filibuster weapon
