Posted on 09/19/2002 8:28:11 PM PDT by jdontom
Democrats Preparing to Block Reorganization if Carnahan Falls
By Mark Preston
Senate Democrats are prepared to bring legislative activity to a screeching halt in a lame-duck session if Sen. Jean Carnahan (D-Mo.) is defeated in November, an outcome that would temporarily give Republicans control of the chamber before the 108th Congress is sworn in. Democrats have already mapped out a strategy to defend against a quick takeover by the GOP during a lame duck if former Rep. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) defeats Carnahan in the midterm elections, several sources said.
"By God, if Republicans think we are going to roll over while they try to jam through the harshest elements of the White House's right-wing agenda, they got another thing coming," said a senior Democratic aide speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Another top Democratic staffer added that the floor would be tied up in knots "unless the legislation is something we wanted, or agreed-upon items such as an appropriations bill."
According to most readings of Missouri law, should Talent defeat Carnahan, he would be eligible to be sworn in to replace her immediately because she was temporarily appointed to the seat until an individual was elected to fill it. The most recent independent poll, taken in early September, showed the race in a dead heat.
Republicans said they would move for Talent's immediate swearing-in if he wins and the Senate is still in session mopping up the unfinished business of the 107th Congress. His victory would give Republicans 50 votes and the majority, while Democrats could have no more than 49 votes.
Even if Independent Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.), who caucuses with Democrats, officially joined the party, Vice President Cheney - in his role as President of the Senate - would cast the tie-breaking vote for Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) to be Majority Leader.
"That is the way the rules work," said a senior Senate GOP aide. "It's not that we dislike her."
But Republicans would not have full operating control of the chamber under such a scenario. Democrats plan to prevent the GOP from passing a new organizing resolution to give Republicans control of the committees if they seize power in a lame duck.
"You wouldn't do an organizing resolution for a month," said Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.). "We didn't do that in January [2001] when I was the Majority Leader for 14 days, so you wouldn't do it for a few days either. But she is not going to lose, so that is not a question we are concerned about."
While Lott would be recognized as the Majority Leader on the floor, his committee chairmen would consist of liberal Democrats such as Sens. Edward Kennedy (Mass.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), who would still retain their one-seat majorities on the panels.
A Senate Republican leadership aide said such preparation shows that Democrats fear the worst in the Missouri race.
"The Democrats are so scared they are going to lose the majority they are beginning to plan for the loss of Senator Carnahan," the aide said. "It looks like they are getting ready for minority status."
A Democratic Senator, who asked not to be named, charged that Republicans are trying to raise money in the final weeks before the election by continuing to talk about the possibility of a lame-duck coup.
"First, she is going to win, and secondly we are not going to have a lame duck," the Senator said. "It sounds like something somebody is trying to do for a fundraising letter."
Still, some Republican Senators suggested the potential for a majority switch in a lame-duck session is leading to increasing support for a long-term continuing resolution if Congress fails to complete its work before it leaves for the midterm elections.
"What it all says is, you don't have a lame duck," said Senate Republican Policy Chairman Larry Craig (Idaho). "You have a lame duck to do things, and if they won't let anything happen, nothing gets done. So you don't have a lame duck."
"It would be very easy of them to obstruct," added Senate Minority Whip Don Nickles (R-Okla.), who favors a CR through February. "We have about 10 races across the country that are too close to call, so it is hard to see how you can get anything substantive done in that period of time."
A Senate Democratic aide agreed with the Republican leaders that a majority shift would be a "recipe for disaster."
"One thing is clear under such a scenario, we would never get anything done in the Senate," the staffer said.
Still, Republicans are taking the necessary steps to ensure that they wield the gavel should Talent win and the Senate returns to work after the elections.
"I have asked the question that under current law, if Jim Talent is elected in Missouri and certified, is the current Senator then able to be on the floor legally voting in a session following the certification?" Craig said of possibilities he has asked the Senate counsel to explore.
"Before we go out of session, I'll know clearly what should happen," Lott said.
I stoped reading here. Yeah, Zell Miller is a regular Phil Donahue clone, isn't he?
The people who cry wolf around here are as bad as the clowns on DUhhh who scream about the "Corporate Media"...
Zell Miller is a Democrat. Are you saying that he would get a rating of a 75 or better from the ACU?
Trent Lott's ACU ratings the last four years are 100, 100, 96 (voted for NEA funding), and 92. That means, out of the 100 votes he cast, 97 of those were rated as the "right" vote by the American Conservative Union. Ted Kennedy's last four ACU ratings are 2, 4, 12 and 0. That means he has voted on the wrong side of 96 of the last 100 votes as measured by the ACU.
And I am supposed to sit back and let the jackoffs here say that Lott is not conservative, that there is no difference between he and Ted Kennedy?
No can do. The morons and outright frauds around here need to be exposed.
No can do. The morons and outright frauds around here need to be exposed.
There must be some confusion...I agree with you. I don't like the "RINO Screaming Chicken Littles" either...
No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen.
Note the words "when elected".
Mel Carnahan was not an inhabitant of Missouri at the time of the election, and so therefore was ineligible to be elected for the U.S. Senate seat. His votes should have been null and void.
(I just got around to reading your post this morning, sorry for the delay in response.)
The New Jersey case, however, even fails the questionable status. A candidate withdrawing due to a worsening reputation does not provide grounds for his party, who duly nominated him, to provide another candidate. The voters of New Jersey should have a choice for the Democratic party this fall, and that choice should be Robert Torricelli, the man they nominated for the seat during the Primary.
And Joe McCarthy's goddaughter.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.