Franken Beats Coleman—Link To Wellstone Action!

The Minnesota Supreme Court has confirmed what we already knew—By a 5-0 margin the Minnesota court has decided that Democrat Al Franken beat Republican Norm Coleman in last November’s Minnesota U.S. Senate race.

(Above–A nice Minnesota scene–A rock formation known as Palisade Head overlooking Lake Superior. )

Here is a story about the decision from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Here is Al Franken’s web home.

It is good that Mr. Franken has won back the seat once held by the great liberal Paul Wellstone. 

Senator Wellstone served in the Senate  from 1991 until his death in a plane crash just before the November 2002 election.   

After Senator Wellstone’s death, Wellstone Action! was established to, among other goals, help train a new generation of liberal and progressive activists and campaigners.

Here is the link to Wellstone Action.

I have made three donations to Wellstone Action. I’m overdue to make another contribution. Please review the Wellstone Action! link and see if you feel this group merits your support. 

Here is information on the life of Paul Wellstone.

The Specter Switch—Republicans Unable To Get A Hold On Senate Since 1929 Crash

The switch of Arlen Specter from Republican to Democrat leaves Republicans with just 40 Senators in the 100 seat Senate. After Al Franken is seated in Minnesota there will be 58 Democrats and 2 independents who mostly vote with the Democrats in the Senate.  

( Above–Arlen Specter with Martin Luther King. Please click here for the best Martin Luther King reading list on the web.)

This weak Republican presence in the Senate is not out of line with Republican membership in the Senate since the 1929 stock crash. Beginning with the 1930 election, the first after the crash, Democrats have reached 60 or more seats in the Senate 11 times. Mr. Franken’s seating will make that 12 times.

The peak of Democratic control was the 76 seats won in the 1936 election.

(Below–Charles McNary of Oregon was leader of the very small Republican Senate minority after the 1936 election.)

The Republican high since 1930 is just 55 seats. This mark was reached in the elections of 1996, 1998 and 2004. The last time Republicans were as strong in the Senate as are Democrats today was after the election of 1920 when they had 59 seats. The Senate at that time had only 96 seats as Alaska and Hawaii were not yet part of the union.

Democrats have won more than 55 seats in the Senate 20 times since 1929 in contrast to the inability of Republicans to win as many of 56 seats since that year.

( Here  is the link to the web home of the U.S. Senate. There is a lot of information to be found at the Senate site. Here is a link to the divisions by party going back to the beginning of the Senate in 1789.)   

The last time Republicans reached 60 seats was the election of 1908. Republicans won 60 seats that year in what was a 92 seat Senate.

Democrats have had two main periods of dominance in the Senate since was 1929.  In the years between and including the first election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, and his final election in 1944, Democrats never fell below 57 seats.

( Below—Republican Robert Taft of Ohio was Senate Majority Leader at the time of  his death in 1953. ) 

In 1958 Democrats won 65 seats and in 1978 they took 58. In between those years, they never went lower than 54 and seven times eclipsed 60.  

(Below–Mike Mansfield of Montana was Majority Leader of the Senate 1961-1977. That is the longest tenure in that position.) 

Republicans have only had two stretches since 1929 where they’ve won control of the Senate in consecutive elections. 

In the Reagan years, Republicans ran the Senate after the 1980, 1982 and 1984 elections. After the Republican Congressional landslide of 1994, Republicans won at least 50 seats each election up to and including 2004.  Though after the 2000 election Republican control was ended when Jim Jeffords of Vermont switched to the Democrats giving Democrats a 51-49 edge.

( Below–Howard Baker of Tennessee served as both Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate.)

A qualification to all this could be that many Democrats in the years of Democratic control since 1929 were Southern Democrats who often voted with Republicans. True control of the Senate often eluded the more progressive elements of the Democratic Party.

There is truth to that qualification. But it must be said that the New Deal and Great Society programs that conservatives would like to undo were passed in these years. Civil Rights legislation also passed in these years though it took a long time and required the principled support of some Republicans in the Senate.

Today’s strong Democratic majority has moderate members, but nothing like the segregationists of the past. 

For 40 years, since the Sunbelt driven election of Richard Nixon in 1968, we’ve been hearing about the supposed realignment of American politics towards Republicans. Well–Where is it?

( Please click here to read about the Senate’s art collection.) 

Today’s Democratic majorities and the states that Barack Obama won come from all around the nation. In the South, Mr. Obama won North Carolina, Virgina and Florida. Senator Specter’s switch only adds to the 80 years and counting slump of the Republican Party in the U.S. Senate.

( Coming soon -A look at membership of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1929. The story is much the same as it has been in the Senate.)

(Below—Democrat Robert Byrd of West Virginia has seen a lot of Senate history since he entered the Senate in 1959.  He is the longest serving Senator ever.) 

Mr. Obama Should Appeal To Non-Evil Coalition To Get To 60 Votes In Senate—Help For Unemployed Stripped From Stimulus

The Huffington Post is reporting that provisions helping  unemployed people maintain and acquire health insurance have been stripped from the Senate version of the stimulus bill.

From the report— ….law professor and health care author Timothy Jost noticed that the Senate had removed the House provision that would allow people 55 and over who are laid off to continue COBRA coverage at a subsidized rate until they’re 65 and eligible for Medicare. The House version also made folks who were laid off temporarily eligible for Medicaid; the Senate version strips that out, Jost found. Every one percent increase in unemployment throws more than a million people into the ranks of the uninsured.

It does not surprise me that Republicans want this taken out. (Or that maybe a few Democrats have also signed on with this idea.) I have no expectations of Republicans in Washington. Many are not decent people. I’m not interested in compromising with most of them. I’m not sure why our President wants to talk to them. Though I guess if Mr. Obama feels we should talk to Iran, a view I support, I suppose we can also talk to these persons as well.

If we can’t get health insurance for unemployed people in the middle of an economic disaster, when are we going to make progress on universal coverage? Are we just going to get nowhere on this issue for all time?

Since my Texas Senators are cold-hearted and do not represent me in any meaningful way, I called the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and asked that these protections for unemployed people be kept in the stimulus bill. Mr. Reid’s office can be reached at 202-224-3542. I figure since Mr. Reid is a national leader that any American can give him a call.

I think people who kick other people when they are down are evil.  

I also called the White House comment line at 202-456-1111. I said I hoped President Obama would make sure that health insurance for the unemployed would be part of the final bill. I also said I don’t understand why he is trying to compromise with bad people.  

With 58 Democrats in the Senate, plus Al Franken when he is finally seated, and with Senate Republicans who retain some humanity,  maybe there is a non-evil coalition in the Senate that can help get the President to 60 votes on the big issues.

It’s more complex when talking about rank-and-file voters. People are often a muddle of good and ill. But many of these elected Republicans in Washington are just plain and simple bad folks. They gather up all the rotten thoughts and ideas people have, and bring them to the front and center. They filter out any decent thoughts that voters have.

If we can’t work around these people now, when will we ever be able to do so?

Senator Cornyn Silent On Hard Times For Texans, But Quite Vocal About Al Franken

Our terrible Texas Senator John Cornyn has very little to say about our current economic troubles, but he sure goes on a lot about the closely contested U.S. Senate race in Minnesota.

(Please click here to read the latest report on Senator-elect Al Franken’s ever expanding lead in the Minnesota count.)

Senator Cornyn has been all over making sure that the next U.S. Senator from Minnesota, Al Franken, must face every possible obstructionist hurdle before he can take the seat he won at the ballot box last November. Senator Cornyn has said he will help filibuster any effort to seat Mr. Franken.

Yet on the portion of his U.S. Senate web home labeled “Jobs and The Economy“, Senator Cornyn has added only one update since October 27. The subject of that one update was the proposed auto bailout. Here is some of the wisdom the Senator offered on that issue—

“The nation’s top automakers this week presented their proposals to the Democratic Congressional leadership on how they plan to turn around their businesses and get out of debt. I have yet to see the details of their proposals so I cannot comment on the merits…”

Where are the Senator’s viewpoints on what Texas needs from the upcoming stimulus package? Or his suggestions for job creation in these hard times? How many Texans have lost jobs since October 27 while Senator Cornyn is MIA on issues of substance? 

Above you see a picture of Senator-elect Franken. Those two Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have no problem with the idea of Senator Franken. It is clear from the picture above that Mr. Franken is a friend of Texas. I think he may even be in love with Texas. (He was on a USO tour of Iraq in this photo.)

So what is Senator Cornyn’s problem?

One thing is that Senator Cornyn has plenty of time on his hands ignoring the needs of the hard-working Texans. Idle hands are indeed the Devil’s workshop.

In fact, Senator Cornyn is now getting involved in the Illinois Senate dispute as well. 

The other issue is that the Republican rump of 41 Senators has selected Mr. Cornyn as Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 

If only Senator Cornyn worked as hard for all Texans as he does for his apparently more important constituency of the few remaining Republican Senators in Washington.

Texas Liberal Election Predictions

Here are my Texas Liberal election predictions. Please take them to the bank. They are certain to be correct.

President— Senator Obama will win 52.0% of the vote. Senator McCain will win 46.8%. 1.2% will go third party candidates. I don’t know what the final electoral vote count will be, but Mr. Obama will have at least the 270 needed for victory. That’s good enough.

Once in the voting booth, some of our fellow Americans, though not enough to shift the outcome, will have “second thoughts” about Mr. Obama. The motivation will in part be racial, but the larger factor will just be how fully different an Obama Presidency will be from we have known in recent years. Even a bad situation, if familiar, can be comforting. 

The racists have already made up their minds against Mr. Obama. But the good thing is that some racists will vote for Senator Obama and some of these people will see the world in a new way after Mr. Obama is President.

We all have room to grow. 

What will carry the the day for Mr. Obama will be increased turnout of black voters and young people. I don’t feel polls have captured these voters well. There are so many black folks who have just sat elections out over the years.

With the election of Mr. Obama we will be, for the time being at least, emancipated from the post 9/11 era of fear based politics. America’s political majority will be a multi-racial coalition of people who have hope for a decent future. 

That’s the side that I want to be on!

United States Senate—I predict 58 Democrats and 42 Republicans. Then 57 Democrats after Election Day when we do what is right and kick Joe Lieberman out of the Democratic caucus. This would be an overall gain of 7. 

I sure hope that Al Franken beats Norm Coleman in Minnesota. The Idea of Mr. Coleman sitting in Paul Wellstone’s seat just makes me sick.

United States House—I see a Democratic gain of 24 for a 257-178 Democratic Majority.

Here in Houston, Nick Lampson and Michael Skelly will lose their House races. Local Democrats will say how sad that all is, but in fact many Democrats will bid both men a hearty good riddance. Mr. Skelly’s campaign in particular has exceeded what is needed to win a Republican district. Is it really so that liberals are unlikely to be successful business people? As for Mr. Lampson, he got his two extra years in Congress and now he can pay his karmic debt for his terrible 2006 campaign. 

In my other hometown of Cincinnati, my parents will still be afflicted with Mean Jean Schmidt as their Congressperson, However, across town, increased black turnout is going to finally, after all these years, nail Steve Chabot. I don’t feel that my parents should move across town to live in the Democratic district. Maybe they could just drive over there every so often. 

Texas—Democrats will win back the Texas House, but fail to have a working majority because they refuse to move Texas into the 20th-century with a party-based majority system. Freelance House Democrats will hold out on the vote for Speaker to see who offers the best deal. Some will support a Republican for Speaker. The public will lose out and I’ll say I told you so.

Harris County, Texas—Democrats will win all offices but for County Judge Executive. They will win back the judgeships.  

The first thing I’ll be looking for is major reforms of how we conduct the death penalty in Harris County. Hopefully, the new District Attorney will pursue a course far less bloodthirsty and barbaric from what we have seen from the seemingly inhuman men who have been elected to this office in the ten years I’ve lived in Houston.

It will be up to rank-and-file Democrats and all people of Harris County to see that the new Democrats in Harris County office really represent a change. There is more to our county than traffic and hurricanes. There are many people who need help from government.

Urban voters are used by Democrats all the time. The switch to Democrats in Harris County reflects demographic trends, high turnout for Mr. Obama, and campaign money that flowed on in from big donors when it seemed likely Democrats could win the county. It is not some grassroots rebellion.

They’ll use us if we let them. Let us remain vigilant and make life better in our county.   

For those opposed to my views this Election Day, I offer nothing but the back of my hand. For those on my side of the aisle, let’s hope that this time the wheel lands on our number.

My Night With Al Franken & Chris Bell

 

I attended a fundraiser last week for Al Franken hosted by 2006 Texas gubernatorial nominee Chris Bell. The event was held in Downtown Houston at the Rice Hotel.

Mr. Franken is running for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota for the chance to oppose vulnerable Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. Mr. Franken said he was the likely primary winner and running within five points of Mr. Coleman. 

I learned about the event on Perry Dorrell’s blog. Mr. Dorrell wrote that he is saving his money to elect Rick Noriega to the U.S. Senate from Texas. That’s a good position to take and I’ve donated to Mr. Noriega.

However, it’s also important that Paul Wellstone’s seat be won again by a Democrat.

I think Mr. Franken shares many of what were Mr. Wellstone’s values.

Mr. Wellstone was a true liberal who was neither strident in tone nor remote from average people. I was an original donor to Wellstone Action and I’ve donated at least twice since.

The invitation for the event at the Rice suggested $500 as a minimum contribution. I called the Franken people and said I did not have $500. They were nice.  They had my name at the door when I arrived. I gave them $50.

Mr. Bell said he knew Mr. Franken from appearing on Air America when Mr. Bell was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Houston and pursuing ethics charges against the disgraced Tom DeLay.

Mr. Franken hit all the right notes in his talk at the fundraiser. He discussed public funding for campaigns, universal health care and the War in Iraq.

Mr. Franken also talked about how he had been to Iraq twice on USO tours before Mr. Coleman had visited that nation a first time as Senator.

Mr. Franken said he was going to run a tough campaign against Mr. Coleman. He said he will hit back against negative attacks.  

Mr. Coleman has hired the same smear artists who ran the ads linking, in essence, former Georgia Senator and disabled Vietnam Vet Max Cleland to Osama.

I spoke to Mr. Franken for about two minutes. I asked him if he enjoyed this process of attending fundraisers and campaigning. He said he did enjoy the process and that he liked meeting people.

There you have my Texas Liberal exclusive—Al Franken likes meeting people.      

I’m looking forward to Mr. Franken’s victory just over a year from now.