View Full Version : No super-majority
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94QVMDO0&show_article=1
SFW
well....all it takes is a swing vote here or there....:rolleyes:
Still, something to hope for.
handed the GOP a firewall against Democrats eager to flex their newfound political muscle in Washington, winning a bruising runoff battle Tuesday night that had captured the national limelight.
Chambliss' victory thwarted Democrats' hopes of winning a 60 seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. It came after a bitter monthlong runoff against Democrat Jim Martin that drew political luminaries from both parties to the state and flooded the airwaves with fresh attack ads weeks after campaigns elsewhere had ended.
Minnesota—where a recount is under way—now remains the only unresolved Senate contest in the country. But the stakes there are significantly lower now that Georgia has put a 60-seat Democratic supermajority out of reach.
With 92 percent of the precincts reporting, Chambliss captured 58 percent to Martin's 42 percent. Chambliss' win is a rare bright spot for Republicans in a year where they lost the White House as well as seats in the House and the Senate.
Chambliss portrayed his win as an encouraging sign for Republicans looking to regroup as they head into the next election cycle.
"I'm excited to be the first race that leads us into the 2010 campaign because it'll be a tough fight," Chambliss said at a victory party in Cobb County.
Martin called Chambliss to concede before 10 p.m., then emerged to tell supporters as his voice cracked: "For me and my family and campaign team and all of you this is a sad moment."
Chambliss' mantra on the runoff campaign trail was simple: His re-election was critical to prevent Democrats in Washington from having a blank check. Chambliss, 65, had angered some conservatives with his vote for the $700 billion bailout of the financial services industry and his early support in 2007 for the guest worker provision in President Bush's immigration bill. But fearful of unchecked Democratic dominance, some came back into the GOP fold Tuesday
Martin made the economy the centerpiece of his bid, casting himself as a champion for the neglected middle class. He also linked himself at every opportunity to Barack Obama and his message of change. The Democratic president elect was a no show on the campaign trail in Georgia but did record a radio ad and automated phone calls for Martin.
In the end, Martin, a 63-year-old former state lawmaker from Atlanta, wasn't able to get Obama voters back to the polls in large enough numbers to overcome the Republican advantage in Georgia, which has become an increasingly a reliable red state since 2002.
Turnout was light throughout the state Tuesday. A spokesman for Secretary of State Karen Handel predicted between 18 and 20 percent of the state's 5.75 million registered voters would cast ballots—far less than the 65 percent who voted in last month's general election.
The runoff between the former University of Georgia fraternity brothers was necessary after a three-way general election prevented any of the candidates from getting the necessary 50 percent.
Chambliss came to the Senate in 2002 after defeating Democratic Sen. Max Cleland in a campaign that infuriated Democrats. Chambliss ran a TV ad that questioned Cleland's commitment to national security and flashed a photo of Osama bin Laden. Cleland is a triple amputee wounded in the Vietnam War.
He was a loyal supporter of President Bush and, as a freshman, rose to become chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. the former agriculture lawyer from Moultrie has been the ranking Republican on the panel since Democrats won control of the Senate.
Some 3.7 million people cast ballots in this year's general election, and both sides have since tried to keep voters' attention with a barrage of ads and visits by political heavy-hitters.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore both stumped for Martin.
Several ex-Republican presidential candidates made appearances for Chambliss, including GOP nominee John McCain, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Chambliss brought in Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's vice presidential pick, as his closer. She headlined four rallies for Chambliss across the state Monday that drew thousands of party faithful.
Associated Press writers Greg Bluestein, Kate Brumback and Errin Haines contributed to this report.
So this bodes well for us if the Dems try and push another AWB through right? The Republicans can just filibuster and it won't be voted on, right? Hopefully someone here can shed the proper light on this.
30 cal slut
12-03-08, 07:24
Dear Lord,
Thank you for this small but important victory.
Business_Casual
12-03-08, 08:32
If you expect hyper-partisanship from Republicans in the Senate you haven't been paying attention to the last 100 years.
M_P
Gutshot John
12-03-08, 09:09
So this bodes well for us if the Dems try and push another AWB through right? The Republicans can just filibuster and it won't be voted on, right? Hopefully someone here can shed the proper light on this.
Technically yes, however it's not quite that easy, but generally speaking yes it's good for us.
There will be anti-2a Republicans as well as pro-2a Democrats. Who will cross the aisle when they vote on cloture?
Cloture performs the same function as filibuster, which they don't actually do anymore. Essentially if they keep the same "rules" cloture requires 60 votes even before it comes to the actual vote. Essentially what having 41 Republican seats is that any such legislation would have to get 60 votes for cloture (some Republican) before it even comes up for a vote on the floor where it still might be voted down.
Though it might seem counter-intuitive, Senators often vote for cloture knowing full well the actual legislation will be defeated. (Voting for it, before voting against it). It's all part of the game.
The question is how the next AWB is presented. As stand-alone legislation? or as part of a broader bill?
If part of a broader piece of legislation, will the value of the other legislation outweigh concerns about gun rights? Will gun rights, galvanize opposition and an insistence on having it stand-alone guarantee that it will almost certainly die.
Jay Cunningham
12-03-08, 09:20
I am almost at the point now where I have a morbid desire for the Democrats to have their supermajority so that they are 100% without question completely in control of the federal government.
They promise Utopia on Earth if only they were in charge - okay guys, you got it! Let's see you work your magic!
As much as I would hate to see it, in a way your are correct. If they were indeed to be fully in charge there would be no reason that they couldn't cure everything that ails us, right? Yeah, I'll be waiting!
I am almost at the point now where I have a morbid desire for the Democrats to have their supermajority so that they are 100% without question completely in control of the federal government.
They promise Utopia on Earth if only they were in charge - okay guys, you got it! Let's see you work your magic!
This is likely to be very important!
I am almost at the point now where I have a morbid desire for the Democrats to have their supermajority so that they are 100% without question completely in control of the federal government.
They promise Utopia on Earth if only they were in charge - okay guys, you got it! Let's see you work your magic!
The only fly in the ointment is that they have the 'magical mystical media' spin and the powerful voices of the Hollywood elite at their fingertips....You have to realize that no matter what they do, it will be cast in good light!!!:mad:
Jay Cunningham
12-03-08, 10:48
If they are unquestionably in charge of everything then the spin can only last so long and blaming George Bush can only last so long. Either that, or they really will create Utopia!
Robb Jensen
12-03-08, 11:20
As much as I would hate to see it, in a way your are correct. If they were indeed to be fully in charge there would be no reason that they couldn't cure everything that ails us, right? Yeah, I'll be waiting!
Yeah they'll fill up my gas tank and pay my mortgage! ;)
Yeah they'll fill up my gas tank and pay my mortgage! ;)
Dang it! I wish I had a lake house and a BIG SUV! :rolleyes:
Oh please let them fill the tank in my 1997 Suburban. The tank holds 42 gallons. When gas was 4.00 per gallon I felt like I was getting gang raped in prison. :eek:
Yeah they'll fill up my gas tank and pay my mortgage! ;)
Yeah they'll fill up my gas tank and pay my mortgage! ;)
lol. Don't we already do that in a way through social programs?
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