You mean you expect ME to support Republicans?
SUCKERS!!!
I'd like to thank all the RINOs who vote for six years of Harry Reid!!!
Posted on 01/06/2007 9:03:57 PM PST by FairOpinion
Johnson spent his 60th birthday last week in the intensive-care unit of George Washington University Hospital, where he has been in critical condition since emergency brain surgery Dec. 13.
He has not spoken since the surgery, said a spokeswoman, and he remains on a ventilator at night.
Johnson is up for re-election in two years, but until then no authority can remove him from office.
Should Johnson die, however, all eyes would be on Gov. Michael Rounds of South Dakota. He is a Republican, and would be under pressure to name a Republican to the Senate seat - thus giving control back to Republicans.
(Excerpt) Read more at capecodonline.com ...
Calling Bob Woodward, calling Bob Woodward, we have a comatose patient ready to give an interview for your next anti Republican book.
This doesn't make medical sense, unless he has a tracheostomy . He can't "be on a ventilator" unless he has a breathing tube. If they've removed the breathing tube from his mouth, they can't reintubate him every night. If extubated, he could be on CPAP with a mask at night, but that isn't a "ventilator".
If a patient still requires ventilation two weeks out, at that time they would consider a tracheostomy, which is probably what has happened. When the patient eventually recovers the tracheostomy is removed and it heals back. However, patients two weeks out with a trach are on a chronic trajectory, and are looking at a long haul at best.
Johnson is up for re-election in two years, but until then no authority can remove him from office.
Those wire reports are so authoratative.
I hope Independent Joe Lieberman remembers the Republican voters who helped him back to power, after his own party gave him the boot.
Remember when Senator Coverdell died in 2000?
No controlling legal authority.
What you say makes a lot of sense. I sonder too, i9f he can breath during the day, why can't he breath at night. But, see this:
Excerpts from his doctor's statement on Jan. 3, as posted on Sen. JOhnson's website::
"Today's angiogram revealed no evidence of residual arteriovenous malformation," said Dr. Vivek Deshmukh, MD, neurosurgeon. "Senator Johnson continues to be responsive to both his family and physicians-- following commands, squeezing his wife's hand, and understanding speech."
Senator Tim Johnson underwent surgery for an intracranial hemorrhage caused by an arteriovenous malformation at George Washington University Hospital on December 13th. As a consequence of the initial hemorrhage, Senator Johnson developed fluid in his lungs. Doctors placed him on a ventilator to assist his breathing. "His breathing has steadily improved and now he only requires ventilator assistance at night," says Dr. Deshmukh."
http://johnson.senate.gov/~johnson/releases/200612/2007103933.html
This is a point that needs to be emphasized. If he's not attending or voting, he's not representing.
Senator Johnson Named Chairman of MilCon-VA Appropriations Subcommittee
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Washington, DC— U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) has been named the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. Although Senator Johnson underwent surgery for an intracranial hemorrhage on December 13th, he retains his seniority in the Senate and will lose none of his rights during his absence. Johnson's office remains open for business while he recuperates.
"As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Tim has helped direct millions of dollars to Ellsworth Air Force Base and South Dakota National Guard facilities. This new Chairmanship speaks to his commitment to helping our nation's veterans and building a strong national defense," said Julianne Fisher, Communications Director for Senator Tim Johnson. "Senator Johnson will retain his seniority and the staff remains active working on behalf of South Dakota while he continues his recovery process."
"Tim has always made fiscal discipline a cornerstone of his work in Congress. This new chairmanship had been discussed as a possibility prior to his surgery in December. He was excited at the possibility of working with Chairman Byrd on restoring order to the process and funding South Dakota's priorities," Fisher continued.
Senator Johnson's staff remains busy in his absence. His staff members continue to visit with constituents in his Washington, DC office and across South Dakota. Staff will continue to address casework issues from South Dakotans, and his legislative staff remains active. Senator Johnson would need to be in the Capitol building to vote on Senate business. As such, while he recuperates, he will be considered necessarily absent.
Your husband is fortunate to have such a caring wife.
Johnson is up for re-election in two years, but until then no authority can remove him from office.
Should Johnson die....
Surely the kind thing to do is the kindness shown to Terri Schiavo, I mean, does this guy have a living will?
Is it fair to deny him the "euphoria" of slipping away slowly through starvation as Schiavo did?
"He may retain his seat, but the dems won't have his vote."
BUT so long as he's alive and 'holds' the seat, THEY have the majority and Chairmanships, and therefore set the agenda.
From another article:
"Deshmukh said the senator had developed fluid in his lungs, an effect of the initial bleeding, which is why Johnson has been on a ventilator. Johnson also had been sedated for about two weeks to rest and minimize swelling on his brain.
That was a relatively long stretch - often patients are sedated for only a few days - that doctors say indicates the senator's condition is severe, his symptoms difficult to shake, and the risk of long-term damage that could affect his ability to move and talk still significant.
Johnson was rushed to the hospital after becoming disoriented on a call with reporters and had surgery hours later.
Johnson's doctors have said that when he arrived at the hospital, he was feeling weakness on his right side. Based on that, doctors have said the tangle of vessels probably was on the left side of Johnson's brain. Damage in that area can cause permanent speech problems and areas of paralysis on the right side of a patient's body.
Dr. Keith Siller, medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Care Center at New York University Medical Center, who is not involved in Johnson's care, said the big question, now, is how much damage Johnson's brain suffered in the initial bleed.
"The surgery does not erase the stroke that has taken place," he said.
Johnson faces long road to recovery
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070104/NEWS/701040337/1001/NEWS
With Johnson not showing up for work, the Senate convinced with 49 Republicans, 48 Dems, and 2 "Independants"
Our buddy, the "Independant" Joe Lieberman, voted with the 48 RAT Senators to put Harry Reid in charge. Then the other "Independant", socialist Bernie Sanders, also voted to put Reid in charge. Do the math, that's 50 to 49 in favor of Reid.
Incredibly, all the conservatives who donated time and money to Al Gore's buddy instead of George Allen, Jim Talent, and Conrad Burns are STILL pleased with their "symbolic" statement about the WOT.
No wonder the RATs are in charge when so-called "conservatives" think Joe Lieberman is their savior.
"Don't put anything past them. They want every vote to count. I wondered when they'd get around to mentioning that he hadn't spoken yet. That hemorrhage was one of the most serious types and isn't something that is recovered from quickly and some never recover."
I believe his wife will want to take him home to South Dakota. She will need family support. I doubt she is as concerned about his vote as Harry Reid is. I do hope she does the right thing and takes him home when the doctors say he can go. Everything I read about them tells me they are a very good family. May God Bless them.
Dems will probably argue that as long as he draws breath, but common sense should set a reasonable limit.
The Constitution requires equal suffrage of the states in the Senate. If Senator Johnson can't vote, the state of South Dakota has the right to relace him with another senator who can vote.Article V.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
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