Franken Dealt A Blow

[frazzledgear]

Harry Reid already said that 'the senate' will decide that race, which means Franken will be appointed even if he losses the recount.

Harry Reid needs a refresher course on the Constitution then.

The Senate race is a state election -not a federal one. The US Senate will in NO way decide this race. The Senate doesn't get to decide the outcome of ANY state election. It doesn't get to take over the choice of the people of Minnesota and impose their own choice on them all.

Only if the race is a DEAD HEAT -each candidate having the exact same number of votes, will the winner be chosen by a different method. And it depends on what the Minnesota state constitution has set out as the proper procedure in the event of a tie. And it must be a DEAD tie before it kicks in -a win by a single vote is a win. In the event of a tie, most states have a coin toss. A couple of states allow the state legislature to make that decision and a couple allow the governor to choose the winner.

But in NO case does the US Senate get to decide it. Not ever.

 

[DiveCon]

Harry Reid needs a refresher course on the Constitution then.

The Senate race is a state election -not a federal one. The US Senate will in NO way decide this race. The Senate doesn't get to decide the outcome of ANY state election. It doesn't get to take over the choice of the people of Minnesota and impose their own choice on them all.

Only if the race is a DEAD HEAT -each candidate having the exact same number of votes, will the winner be chosen by a different method. And it depends on what the Minnesota state constitution has set out as the proper procedure in the event of a tie. And it must be a DEAD tie before it kicks in -a win by a single vote is a win. In the event of a tie, most states have a coin toss. A couple of states allow the state legislature to make that decision and a couple allow the governor to choose the winner.

But in NO case does the US Senate get to decide it. Not ever.

a slight correct though, no election we have is a federal election
they are ALL state elections

 

[frazzledgear]

The Congress decides who to seat. So even if Franken loses the Senate could in fact decide to seat Franken, the House did it once, I believe in the 80's. A Republican won but a recount was required. The Republican won the recount but the House disagreed and sent their OWN investigative team and at first refused to seat the Republican then agreed to seat them both till the end of their investigation.

I'd like to ask Reid exactly WHERE in the Constitution it says the Senators from the other 49 states who were elected to represent people OTHER than those in MN - get to tell the people of MN who gets to represent THEM? Kind of reminiscent of Alexander Haig declaring he was in charge after Reagan was shot -when in fact it was the VP. The US Constitution does not give the US Senate the right to be the tie-breaker in state races -since none of them were elected to actually represent the people of MN. That is because there is no pretense that they will suddenly put the best interests of the people of MN ahead of what may be conflicting best interests of the people of their own state. State races are always decided within the state itself and the tie-breaking method for state elections is specifically outlined in all state constitutions.

Just because the winner of this state election will be going to the US Senate, didn't change the fact it is a state election and the winner will only be representing the state and people of MN and no other. A state election is one in which only the people within that state get to vote for whoever will fill that seat. I don't get to vote for the representatives of other states -and neither do my elected representatives since they are elected to represent ONLY the people of MY state and not those in some other state.

 

[frazzledgear]

a slight correct though, no election we have is a federal election
they are ALL state elections

The Presidential election is both a state and federal election. The President is not chosen directly by the people but by our federation of states. When we vote for President, we are not voting directly for President. We are telling our state who we want the state to give our electoral votes to.

In the event of a tie in the electoral college is when our elected representatives in the House get to break the tie. The House gets to do this because the number of representatives from each state is based on the population of that state, and the Senate isn't -and therefore a more accurate reflection of a tie being broken based somewhat on population the same way how many electoral votes each state has is based on population.

But if the vote for President within a state results in a tie, then the method for breaking that tie is not determined by any other method than that laid out in their state constitutions. The election for President within a state -is a state election. But once that has taken place, it becomes a federal election in the electoral college.

 

[DiveCon]

No -the Presidential election is a federal election. The President is not chosen by the people but by our federation of states. When we vote for President, we are not voting directly for President. We are telling our state who we want the state to give our electoral votes to. In the event of a tie in a Presidential election, that is when our elected representatives in the House get to break the tie. The House gets to do this because the number of representatives from each state is based on the population of that state, and the Senate isn't -and therefore a more accurate reflection of a tie being broken based somewhat on population the same way how many electoral votes each state has is based on population.

wrong, when you vote for president, you are voting for state electors, not the president, it is STILL a state election

 

[rayboyusmc]

[QUOTEIt baffles me that even the most radical liberal could put any faith in someone like Franken. The guy is a babbling idiot who even makes Barney Frank seem like a scholar. They complain about Bush, yet support Franken!][/QUOTE]

If Franken is a babbling idiot, Bush is even lower on the language skills, so how would you describe him.

I wonder how many who are saying he is an idiot have even heard him talk on radio.

 

[rayboyusmc]

P.S. How about our little Minnesota congresswoman, Bachman. How anyone could vote for her is truly amazing.

 

[Xenophon]

Who here believes Senate democrats will follow the law.

 

[frazzledgear]

Al Franken graduated cum laude in 1973 with a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard.

So he has a bachelor's degree in general studies. Whoop-de-doo. It means he knows a little about a lot of stuff -but doesn't know a lot about anything.

It isn't as if he has actually been doing anything since then except acting, comedy writing and comedy -hardly the kind of gravitas people would normally want from their Senator. Of course we are talking about Minnesotans -who thought it would be a lot of fun to elect a professional wrestler as governor. Even though he too didn't have the education, background or work experience to suggest he was capable of it. It shouldn't have been a big surprise to them then when he didn't do a very good job of it.

Franken's behavior in recent years is far more suggestive that the guy suffers from a very real and serious mental illness than it suggests he has the mentality and capabilities to actually do a good job as Senator. I think he belongs in a mental institution myself -certainly not the Senate.

 

[JimH52]

Al Franken graduated cum laude in 1973 with a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard.

The recount was a automatic recount under the states laws.

No matter...he scares to crap out of me. Democrat or not, he is scarey...

 

[Caligirl]

Who here believes Senate democrats will follow the law.

I'm coming late to the thread. Is this a reference to Stevens?

 

[Caligirl]

I don't think there are many on either side who are too eager to see Franken win, some want the number 60 but they won't get it since Chambliss leads by four in georgia, and Franken is a bizarre choice for senator. Friend of mine ran into him once about 12 years ago, he was rude as all hell too.

 

[DiveCon]

I'm coming late to the thread. Is this a reference to Stevens?

no, stevens lost

 

[Truthmatters]

I fail to see what is scary about the man and why you insult a cum laude graduate of Harvard who worked his way into school?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I fail to see what is scary about the man and why you insult a cum laude graduate of Harvard who worked his way into school?

Remind us of your opinion of Bush. He graduated also. And higher then Kerry.

 

[Chris]

Remind us of your opinion of Bush. He graduated also. And higher then Kerry.

And then Bush spent 20 years as a self admitted alcoholic and burnt his brain out.

He can't even speak English.

 

[dilloduck]

And then Bush spent 20 years as a self admitted alcoholic and burnt his brain out.

He can't even speak English.

What's your excuse ?

 

[DiveCon]

What's your excuse ?

he's a moron
LOL

 

[Chris]

What's your excuse ?

When you argue with idiots, they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

 

[DiveCon]

When you argue with idiots, they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

which is why no one wastes their time arguing with you