Now that Al Franken has been declared the winner in Minnesota, it is in the Senate democrats interest to also seat Roland Burris. As 538.com explains, seating Burris would get the democrats a little closer to the filibuster-proof 3/5 vote they need to push through the Obama agenda without fear of the Jon Cornyn’s of the world.
At the moment, Nate Silver reminds us, the dems hold 57 seats out of 98 seats in the senate. 3/5 of 98 is 59. If Franken is seated w/o Burris, they get 58 seats out of 99 seats. 3/5 of 99 = 60, leaving the dems 2 votes shy of overriding a Cornyn filibuster. With Burris seated alongside Al, the dems get to within one of the magic 60. It will be much easier to convince one of Maine’s 2 republican moderates to join the dems. than to convince both.
So, assuming Harry Reid comes to see Roland Burris as the man who could help President Obama enact his New New Deal, Roland Burris I think we can rest comfortably in thinking that Burris shall indeed be awarded the seat.
1 response so far ↓
Steve Koulish // January 6, 2009 at 5:34 pm |
Greetings, family!!! You are correct about WHY Burris should be seated. Here’s HOW to do it with a minimum of embarassment for the Senate Dems: Reid talks to the Illinois Lt. Gov and both announce that should Blogo quit or be forced out, the Lt. Gov would have no problem appointing Burris. Reid already has stated something to the effect that Burris is not the problem, its Blogo. Since Burris would thus be legit and politically expedient, he could then be sworn in as Dem 59. Sounds easy, no?