Not sre he will be popular among dems...seems to be more left than left of center, which is where most dems are...not sure if he would have voted for the half ass attempt at an energy bill

It's going to be very interesting to see how he votes. A guy with a high-honors degree in math from Harvard strikes me as unlikely to be as far left in the Senate as many expect. Until I see some votes, I will expect him to be a centrist or maybe just a hair left of center. People who major in math tend to be able to step back and be very objective. Pre-conceived notions or dogmatic reasoning just don't work with math. That quality would make him more of a centrist than a leftist.

Another Fool on the hill.

There is no doubt how he will vote.....

• Liberal... Check!
• Green... Check!
• Health-Care.... Check!
• Socialism... Check!
• Obama... Check!

I don't know much about Norm Coleman, but how he lost to Franken says much about the people of Minnesota and their bitterness towards the Republican regime. But I can't help but believe that they... like the rest of the U.S.... have shot themselves in the foot.

If the vote was taken today... Coleman would probably win by a vast majority.

Not hardly,,,,, How did Coleman vote ?? --- Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush

So he was a math major. Good, then maybe he can explain where the TARP and stimulus money went and why the administration just gave $40 billion to a car company that went bankrupt anyway.

How fitting, a comedian for a senator, a clown for a House speaker, and a joke for a president.

Jim,

There is more need now for intelligent and powerful Conservatives than ever. There is always a need in a Democracy for differing opinions. Please don't write off your opponents as idiots.

No one should be writing off Al Franken as an idiot or a comedian. He has a long history of being active in the Democratic party, and has long been a student of politics. He could be a valuable member of the US Senate. And being Jewish has nothing to do with any of that.

dEd Grimley,,,,, I will agree there is always a need for democracy in differing forms, not a doubt about it --- But, these conservatives today this country can do without

Lunch wasn't that great the first time around....ooof....now I have to taste it again. Someone have a tums?

From the folks who gave you Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura - professional wrestler and 'baccy-spittin' hunter of alien predators, we now have former unfunny comedian and currently unfunny U.S. Senator, Al Franken. Can Congressman Bart Simpson be far behind? Eat his shorts and like it, Minnesotans!

I'm thinking it's those long, harsh Minnesota winters. Makes people a bit nuts.

Col-

Concerning the tarp $, have you ever wondered why we couldn't just give a million to every person who held a SSN? That's 300,000,000 people so that would run what? $300 billion? If we are spending 787 billion on the stimulus why couldn't we really stimulate those who do the stimulating at 1/2 the cost?

Like I said before, I think the deep freeze in MN has them delirious & thinking they are really in California. Highest taxes in the country (in Minnesota?!?!?!?!), another hollywierd wanna be politician. This one trumps Iowa (wasn't it?) who elected Gopher from the Love Boat.

The "Conservatives" we're seeing today tend to not be Conservatives. It's the reason the term Neo-Con won't die. But we need to be respectful of opposing viewpoints, and if you're considering the like of Rush and Hannity, no, those people aren't helping anyone anywhere besides themselves.

Hail the Buffoon!

Finally, al has a full time day job as a comedian.

Love gangster politics, crips vs. bloods!  I love how it says "dems get 60 votes" when  it should have read "Minnesota gets its second vote".  But that is the degradation of America, that is what happens when politicians sell out the country.  They don't see themselves as representatives of their respective states, and their actions prove it.

United States hell, it is two united political parties and fifty separate states with a cobbled sense of sovereignty.  The only thing "united" about America is the unity amongst the disenfranchised minority social classes, and the equal unity shared amongst the political classes with the notion of dividing the previous.

Franken will make a good senator if he does one thing and one thing only: puts Minnesota first.  That is more than our senators do.  He will be a great senator if he does that and doesn't fall for corruption, greed, and steps down when appropriate.

Yep, he was a lame comedian and he will be an even worse Senator. Just another crypto-Commie liberal.

One more clown in Washington. Big deal. Why is this news?

I bet Franken as a math guy could at least multiply one million by 300 million.

----------

FoolsGladly

WHAT A JOKE HE IS..... should fit in with the rest of the liberals........they are all a joke.

Big Upps dm, nicely put

commen senz....that post of yours has been making the rounds for a few months now. The first time I saw it I was like you. It sounded so simple and it sounded like it would work. Problem is the math is wrong. 300 million people would get $1000.00 each to make 300 billion...not a million dollars each. Still maybe giving a thousand to every man woman and child would do more to stir the economy. Then again, I remember Bush handing out the surplus checks in his first term to every household. That didn't seem to stave off the recession.

Back to the story....Al Franken is without a doubt a very smart fellow. I've read five of his books and between the laughs are some sensible ideas. I only hope that he isn't discouraged with the political life so much that he forgets his ideals.

If we ever get to a place that allows Joe Biden to win the presidency then will the last person to leave the country please turn off the lights.

Al Franken became a senator on Tuesday, completing the transformation from comedian to politician.

comedian............politician--------what changed????????????????????

Another dog headed for the Gravy Train in DC! Definitely a joke on the voters!

"Al Franken became a senator on Tuesday, completing the transformation from comedian to politician."
That`s something for the Democrats to be proud of????
Maybe he will be funnier as a Senator...Because he sure wasn`t funny as a comedian.

Two quick comments:

- At least he's not a pro wrestler - they voted one in to be their governor...

- Hmmm Biden reading the oath and yet he was so critical of the Chief Justice...

Just curious, does he get back pay for those lost months?

Minnesota-come on! please! the "Send in the Clowns" song wasn't meant to be taken literally!

This is all one big stinkin' joke to you libs, isn't it? You don't mind desecrating the US Senate, do you? Franken, Minnesota, and liberals are a joke. They are just not funny.

He "promises to take his new job seriously." Great Caeser's Ghost!!!

Our government and people have sank to a new low... Democracy at it's worst. I think you should have to take an IQ test to vote. Giving everyone, including felons, welfare recipients, and morons the vote has brought us to this. God help the USA!!

Common senz, you must be a comedian. $1,000,000 * ~300,000,000 = $300,000,000,000,000. 300 trillion dollars, increasing our debt 27x. Ouch, not fiscally responsible for a conservative. Inflation would run rampant with house prices skyrocketing. I've got this nice shack in the desert to sell you, only $1,000,000.

To make this even funnier, Kevin's supposition is if they were to give us $1,000 per person would be better... oh wait... that IS in the stimulus bill. Part of that bill is ~$275,000,000,000 tax cut, putting $500-1000 in the average person’s pocket.

Amanda, I believe that the people of Minnesota, of which many where not dems, are the ones responsible for him being elected.

Funny how Palin wasn't qualified to be vice-president but a "comedian" is perfectly qualified to make federal laws.

Biden swearing in Franken.  Two of the biggest jokers in politics on the stage together.  If they have a cabnet meeting with Obama, Pelosi, harry Reid, Christopher Dodd, Barney Frank, they can reshoot the Cantina bar scene from the original Star Wars. 

If Franken is a Math major maybe he can explain how a country that collects $1 trillion in annual income tax from all individuals and small business can ever pay back a $2 trillion annual deficit with a $787 Billion economic non-incentive, a $850 billion CAp and Trade, 50 billion annual auto bailouts, a 39 mpg mandated fleet mileage that cannot be met and will generate huge penalties that will be passed on to us, a $1.5 trillion health care bill, and on and on.

I sure hope Minnesota is happy with the POS Acorn has chosen for them. Votes "found" in trunks, left in desks, recounted repeatedly until the Dems got the result they wanted. I bet in 2012 Comrade Obama will get 125% of the living voters votes, and well over 50% of the dead who rise to vote again. Remember, LIVE FREE OR DIE, AMERICA!!! Obama can only ruin the free world for two years if we vote correctly in 2010 (and Acorn doesn't count the votes.)

another comedian in the white house. joke's on us, now.

You right wingers don't have a leg to stand on: Which party elected a REAL-LIFE clown to the Presidency? Franken will put you all to shame, and with a sense of humor too.

Yes, Republicans should start with asking themselves and their elected presidents starting with Regan, then Bush Sr, and then with Bush Jr. Oh yes, I forgot, it's all Democrat's fault...

Al and Joe on the same ticket?? Sorry, can't see it happen... 2012 is far from a shoe-in for the Democrats. The only thing holding it togeth is the disorganized GOP.

Congratulations Senator Franken, glad to have another sane and humane Democrat in the senate.

good for you MN;..you voted in a politician with a sense of humour; instead of just another stale,boring corrupt neo-con hypocrite

First - Thank god for some real news!!!

Second - I'm glad that Senator Franken has finally been seated. I have to say that it is simply shameful how the republicans have ran their campaign, it is not ethical nor democratic to drag out a legal battle so as to keep another party from taking an additional seat. Those are the politics of a weak and desperate people.

Dear ME! Look at all the neocons here, fussing and FUMING because yet another Senator who actually cares about the good of the people was elected. Their party is going down in flames, and they can't do anything about it. oh well, sometimes the good do win.......

Where Is America,

"I don't know much about Norm Coleman, but how he lost to Franken says much about the people of Minnesota and their bitterness towards the Republican regime. But I can't help but believe that they... like the rest of the U.S.... have shot themselves in the foot."

Coleman won the vote by 250+ votes, triggering an automatic recount. Amazingly enough, after the "recount" the clown was ahead by 300+, then 500+, then 1000+ (the count grew as other races went liberal, as he was needed for the majority). If anyone thinks for one second that this "election" is valid, think again.

Everyone else, drop the Ventura thing, he did a great job of promising "change" in MN when things were tough here (seems I've heard that somewhere before, can't put my finger on it). A lot of sheep followed, didn't work out so well, but didn't affect the rest of you thank God (and no, in case you are wondering I didn't vote for "change" that time either).

Again all I can say is I am sorry America, there are a few of us with a brain in MN, but unfortunately it seems to be a monority. On the other side, how many of you voted for Obama.

Sorta remimds you of Florida. in 2000, in ther Preidential election, then, right "Proud" to be an American? Stolen election there, eh???

common senz

Col-

Concerning the tarp $, have you ever wondered why we couldn't just give a million to every person who held a SSN? That's 300,000,000 people so that would run what? $300 billion? If we are spending 787 billion on the stimulus why couldn't we really stimulate those who do the stimulating at 1/2 the cost?

That's because you don't have any math common sense pal..........

300,000,000*1,000,000 = 300,000,000,000,000 Yes that is 300 TRILLION DOLLARS!!!!!

Coleman won the vote by 250+ votes, triggering an automatic recount. Amazingly enough, after the "recount" (sic) the clown was ahead by 300+, then 500+, then 1000+ (the count grew as other races went liberal, as he was needed for the majority). If anyone thinks for one second that this "election" (sic) is valid, think again.

You should go to the store and get some Preparation-H for that butt hurt.

The election was 100% valid, the absentee ballots that were originally rejected but then counted were valid (as determined by the MN election oversight body). Also, the final vote difference was 312 votes, not "1000+".

Maybe next time you should understand a topic a little better before you embarrass yourself in this way.

I'm not hurt, I am just sad and sorry that this clown represents our state.

I don't remember saying the "final vote difference" was 1000+, I simply stated that he was 1000+ votes ahead at some point in the "recount".

The absontee ballots were the ones that were rejected, check your facts.

I'm not sure what "understanding a topic" has to do with anything, and I didn't think I embarresed myself, but hey, if you think the clown represents your ideals, good luck with that, and I feel sorry for you.

If Franken is a Math major maybe he can explain how a country that collects $1 trillion in annual income tax from all individuals and small business can ever pay back a $2 trillion annual deficit with a $787 Billion economic non-incentive, a $850 billion CAp and Trade, 50 billion annual auto bailouts, a 39 mpg mandated fleet mileage that cannot be met and will generate huge penalties that will be passed on to us, a $1.5 trillion health care bill, and on and on.

I don't know maybe Bush can explain how he spent almost 900 billion on the Iraq/Afghanistan wars,700 billion on the banking bailout,724 billion on Medicare D,202 billion in stimulus in 2001 & 2008.

All while racking up 4.9 trillion in debt during his Presidency after giving 1.8 trillion in tax cuts for the rich during 2 wars and having the 5 highest deficits ever at the time during his terms. Were you complaining then also ????????

To date, $830.2 billion dollars have been allocated to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, $77.1 billion dollars have been requested in the recent supplemental that further fund these wars, for a total of $907.3 billion dollars.

Bear in mind that the Bush tax cuts cost around $1.8 trillion over a decade.

How much will Medicare Part D cost taxpayers? When the plan was being debated and voted on in Congress in late 2003, the cost was estimated to be about $395 billion over the next decade. But a more recent estimate of $724 billion nearly doubles that, troubling many fiscal conservatives.

Not sure where you are coming up with the 4.9 trillion??

For sure we shouldn't have spent the 900 billion (again not sure where you are coming up with that figure, but I'm sure there is a liberal web site ready to support that figure) on those worthless wars in Afphganistan and Iraq (I'm guessing you haven't served in the military, and don't have any close relatives that are, and I'm sure our heroes over there appreciate fighting for your right to express your opinion) but last time I checked there hasn't been a terrorist attack on American soil (but maybe we shouldv'e talked nice to Binladen and the rest of Alquida).

It amazes me how many people just can not figure it out.

Dustin:

How about your Al Gore demanding a recount of the votes for President. He thought he won!---what a waste of taxpayers money---he tied up Bush's win--it was all a ploy by Gore to mess things up. He is now noted as a weirdo. Be proud.

Gore claimins Global Warming is equal to fighting the Holocaust---there's never any reality with some of you Dems. Shameful.

Glad to see it. It should energize voters next November to deny the bedwetting Democrats their fillabuster proof majority!

Meganame,

Al Gore conceded so as not to interrupt the change in powers, you need to read before you open your ill-educated mouth.

Gore is a man of opinion, just like many in politics. Thankfully, the vast majority of the crazy out in the political arena is on the conservative side, you are living proof. And by the way, while Gore has miss-stepped from time to time, he is seen both in the business and political world as a very respectable man. Your opinion doesn't change the truth in that.

Your party alone is responsible for impeding the democratic process, not the Democrats.

Not sure where you are coming up with the 4.9 trillion??

For sure we shouldn't have spent the 900 billion (again not sure where you are coming up with that figure, but I'm sure there is a liberal web site ready to support that figure)

Proud

The 4.9 Trillion Bush added to the Debt is a known fact if you would just look at the Debt Clock or any other site that list the Debt by President. When Bush 43 took office it was at 5.7 Trillion and when he left office it was at 10.6 Trillion.

But I guess that would just ruin your view of Bush as a Conservative wouldn't it........

As for the 900 billion spent on the wars again it is a fact that you can look up on many news sites that list the wars spending bills thru the years all non budgeted and on emergency bills even after we were fighting for years and knew what we needed to spend to continue.But that would have meant that the budget deficit would have looked to big at the time the budget was passed and Bush is a Conservative so that can't happen........

Ask yourself just why Bush ran up at the time the 5 highest deficits in history in his last 5 years in office during what was called by Conservatives a booming economy.Didn't his tax cuts create more tax revenue and therefore take care of the deficits as Rep's always like to say will happen but yet never does as the last 3 Rep Presidents have run up 80% of the Debt by the time Bush left office.

I didn't say in my post about whether I supported the wars or not that is moot now for we are there.I simply stated the cost while saying that Bush still kept the tax cuts for his rich buddies in the top 1% of the income scale while racking up almost a trillion in war spending.

If you wish to not see the truth because of your political leanings don't blame me for it................

To put some perspective on how out of control our borrowing has become, it took the country about 200 years to run up its first trillion dollars in debt. Then President Reagan took office in 1981 and the national debt started to soar, quadrupling to $4 trillion by the time the first President Bush exited the White House.

Under President Clinton, the national debt grew to $5.7 trillion, and has since nearly doubled on Bush Jr.'s watch.

Put another way, the country's debt load represented just a third of gross domestic product when Reagan arrived in Washington. By the time Bush gallops back to Texas in January, our debt will represent about 70% of the overall economy.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/05/business/fi-lazarus5

Just another joker in the U.S. senate. Franken will fit right in.

I take a man with humor over a man preaching morals and ethics any day.

You will take humor over ethics? Did you really mean to say that? If that's what you want ,then that says a lot about your character...

GregL: Don't be stupid and read the complete sentence. Unless you're already standing on top of the soap box preaching how we should be. I don't think I had spelling or grammar errors...

"...man preaching morals and ethics..." STUPIDITY never cease to amaze me. Heck, I even reduced it down to 1 line and 1 sentence. The right wing idiots are still trying to cut & paste or take it out of context.... Geez!!!!

Is there some sort of competition to see how many lame Comedian-Politician jokes can be cramed into this thread? Do people still say "Another clown on Capitol Hill" and think no one else has said it yet?

I don't think Al Franken has ever been funny. Certainly he is not funny now.

He is only a comedian by definition, he was accepting pay for writing jokes which means he was a professional. Now the joke is on our country, an un - funny, sad little joke.

You can always tell the MSNBC threads, the ignorant right shows up and spews hatred against our president. What a sad bunch of aholes.......

Nothing can top the comedy coming out of Alaska these days! LOL

He'll be a better senator than Roland Burris.

Better than Burris? Not exactly setting a high bar for excellence, are we?

Even though he's missed a lot of days with the recount, he'll spend more time working as senator than Obama. How's that for a compliment?

bartman, to you it's a comedy because you are a liberal moron like franken and the others..... if sarah was a liberal woman you would be pee'ing all over yourself with joy at such a bright, articulate woman.... but since you liberals don't have any women as bright as this, you don't understand and you never will... oh well.... shows the demographics once again...... drink some more kool-aid, you fool.

Nothing can top the comedy coming out of Alaska these days! LOL

? Yet another jab at Palin? What is it with some people and their infatuation with her? She lost with McCain so why not move on?

toni....I seriously don't understand your post. Are you implying that Sarah Palin is "a bright articulate woman"? Anyone listening to her speak the other day when she announced she was stepping down (anyone who speaks English that is) would beg to disagree with you. Also what do demographics have to do with your argument? Do you think that "demographics" have something to do with "democrats"?

Kudos though for being the first to reference kool-aid on the board. That one never gets old does it?

Kind of like the Actor the repubs love so much!!

the comedian is sworn in by the clown, let the circus begin. Pea-nuts anyone? Popcorn? Gin and tonic?

Chris,

My standards are pretty low, seeing as all politicians are crooks. As long as he's honest I would be exstatic.

toni, the liberals are scared of Palin. That's why they attack her like they do. Right now they think they have ran her off. They are afraid the conservatives of this country might just unite behind her or someone like her and vote out all this idiocy the liberals are bringing to this country.

Yes, the very same people who would dismantle the military and scream bloody murder first if someone invaded or "violated their rights." Or yell for an NRA member if someone broke in their house.

Not seeing much reprobate from the libs? Are they gone yet?

Nope. Still here .......just taking a long time getting back in our seats from laughing at all the less than original comments posted. Cheers.

I don't know much about Norm Coleman, but how he lost to Franken says much about the people of Minnesota and their bitterness towards the Republican regime.

Not just bitterness, downright distrust. The Republicans have shot themselves in the foot by adopting an increasingly non inclusive platform. You can't appeal to fewer and fewer people with your ideas and expect to regain power.

So many Republicans, and so negative. I keep expecting them to go all Jonestown and let the rest of us work on righting the wrongs of the Bush years, but no such luck.

Republicans are like Satan, they would rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven, so they keep trying to destroy this nation; they hate America because they failed at ruling America. Or was that ruining America?

Even though he's missed a lot of days with the recount, he'll spend more time working as senator than Obama. How's that for a compliment?

I bet he spends more time as a senator then Palin did as Governor...............

? Yet another jab at Palin? What is it with some people and their infatuation with her? She lost with McCain so why not move on?

For the same reasons we have been hearing about Bill and Hillary Clinton and Al Gore for the past 8+ years......................

Toni,

Sarah Palin is not bright, nor articulate. The following women, like them or not, are powerful and bright women in government who can hold their ground in any debate:

Condoleeza Rice
Hillary Clinton
Nancy Pelosi (I know what you all think of her but, she's extraordinarily intelligent)
Hilda Solis
Judy Biggert
etc...

Sarah Palin was a tool used by McCain to achieve two things:

1 - Bring a woman on his team.
2 - Bring the far-right conservative vote.

Running for vice president did not provide her any merit...more, it put a spotlight on many of her shortfalls.

Please don't idolize an idiot because you're told to, support the people who are really intelligent and capable. The people who are intelligent and creative rarely fit into a PR plan.

Franken may be a comedian but Palin is much more funny. Wish Palin would have her doctor check her eye out. She had a bad twitch when she was with McCain.

funny how the libs are in love with Sara P--they try to inject her in every blog! love it!

and Kevin--yes, Palin is a bright articulate woman--you are just not used to anyone speaking off a teleprompter,.......

Dustin - per your comment:

Please don't idolize an idiot because you're told to, support the people who are really intelligent and capable.

and we are stuck with BO as POTUS????? This buffoon can't speak unless there is someone else writing for him. Talk about an idiot!

Are you SERIOUS!?!?!?!

You IDIOTS voted "Dubya" into office!!!!!!!!

Obama is enormously intelligent and obviously far greater a public speaker! He held NUMEROUS town halls during the campaign where there was not a speech writer to save the day! Bush tripped ALL OVER HIMSELF whenever there weren't cue cards available.

Rod_Father,

I'm sorry to admit I'm from Minnesota and if there is a bigger joke of a Senator than

Al Stuart Smalley Franken I pity that state!! I'd call him a moron but I refuse to insult morons!!!

What state do you live in? Prove that Franken is a bigger clown than your 2 Senators.

That probably wouldn't bee too hard to prove.

Franken is already smarter than 40 Senators because he is smart enough to not be a Republican.

What state do you live in? Prove that Franken is a bigger clown than your 2 Senators.

Wisconsin-Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold. So far they've proven to be less of a clown than Franken, though I'll never vote for these two.

You declare Franken a clown of Congress and he was just sworn in, hmmmmmmmmm. Biased are we?

Are you saying Sarah Palin is a faulty female clone of Franken? Sarah is faulty, but moron likely a clone of George Bush. But we've all been there, done that, and Sarah quit.

Personally, I'm considered moderate, leans a little conservative, and yes have my doubts about Obama. However, I think it's high time we do - BOTH SIDES - get off this philosophy:

"I won/you lost." 

You really want to know what is hurting us - those four words in quotes. We need to stop acting superior against the other political party and instead think this:

"What can WE do for OUR country TOGETHER?"

(((((((((((((((((((((((

Now, as far as Franken, I do have my questions if he was elected fairly (yes, there are suspicions on the recounts). However, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he actually will be a good senator or another one to add to our current laughing stock Congress. Remember - Bush did have a low popularity vote (no one can deny this), but Congress' was LOWER at the time.

The time is NOW to see if this Congress will do things that will benefit us, or if there will be another major seat change in the next year or so. The Democrats have a lot of weight on their shoulders right now, and if they pass too many laws that people don't like (and mind you, there are many that I know most moderates and even some liberals do not like let alone conservatives), there will be another major change. 

haha, I was thinking the exact same thing, Richard. So much crying and whining. It's great. Love it. Right back at ya, r-wings!

Richard,,,David,,,Look at the States and cities run by Democrats, They are all failing,in the area of fiscal responsibility,why is that?

Hey Richard, Look at California. It's in the worst shape of all the other states and they are majority democrat. Doesn't sound like they have a handle on the situation either.

Democrat = Republican

stormerf

the largest state in population is California. Run by you guessed it ARNOLD, who is you guessed it again a Republican.

I do find funny the largest state that's in the black (and BTW, only six states are not in state debt) is Texas. That's the state with the Republican governor who gets laughed at because he vaguely mentioned leaving the states.

Have to admit - he's got a point. Texas was almost out of it's recession/depression in the 1830s-'40s before they joined the union and probably could've been a nation all its own.

But, Texas is where Bush is from, therefore Texans are stupid. Sure don't see it when they can get a hurricane devastate town up and running (even if there is still work to be done) in less time than one that saw a hurricane four years ago.

And yet, here you are among them.

Texas was a republic for a little while before joining the U.S. And Texas doesn't wait around for government handouts. We take care of ourselves and are very proud of that fact. Maybe if more people took responsibility for themselves, the country wouldn't be in this situation.

And i would love for people to come to Texas and call Texans stupid. It would be the last time they said something with a full set of teeth.

When Republicans won, it was clearly "I won/you lost", and they would not even allow Democrats to offer amendments. Now Republicans are losers and want to change the rules so the losers get to dictate how the government acts. Sorry. What goes around comes around.

I agree, there's no reason for petty partisan politics. And as for the Texas comments, you have to admit MCLV, just your comment alone doesn't offer credibility to Texas (even though I've been there and it's just like any other state in the union).

As far as states that are in the black, some are that way because they put too much of a strain on services. I live in Utah, we're doing fine....however, the only reason why we have such an enormous surplus is because we cut our school budgets to extremes while whipping teachers for better productivity. Our state could use some reasonable relaxes in spending.

New York state is run by the Democrats...We are taxed to the max..People are leaving left and right...There isn't a tax they don't love...

Outside of NYC the state a middle of the road political wise,but NYC runs the state...I really wish we could break off from NYC....

libs? Wisely? Now there's an oxymoron

With three and a half years left of the Oscama nightmare there may not be much left of this country to save. This Joker looking clown is just representative of the unqualified Bozos that run and get elected these days. This clown is way liberal!

Cry more.

Spend more......oh that's right youre doing that....OK

If anyone thinks a super majority in either house is good for the country,they are sadly misinformed...Checks and balances is what works best...This goes for Democrats and Republicans alike..

I didn't hear republicans whining when they were in control....

You're missing the point, Chris - I know lots of folks with whom one can have an intelligent discussion, but it's the "trolls", as you call them, that provide the real insight. I submit that it is impossible to understand the American psyche or the American government without taking into account the vast number of people who not only have the capacity to believe that which is demonstrably false, but who are willing to fight for their beliefs against all contrary evidence and the dictates of logic. And that goes for both sides.

With 40% of the electorate on each side of the ideological divide, the 20% of reasonably rational individuals in the center have the capacity to control the fate of the country, but it is first necessary to understand how the fringes think. These blogs are a great insight into those mindsets, especially as the anonymity of the web allows people to be genuinely honest and forthcoming in expressing their insanity.

I wish this were true. That 80% have allowed themselves to be blinded by the ideology of one side or the other to the point that they have been fooled into thinking that the D or R party has any other interest than to keep themselves in power and make sure the most of our tax money goes to thier donors. Until something happens to snap them out of their stupor, we are just going to have just follow them down the slope while listening to them screech at each other like the ignorant children that they are.

Don't be disheartened, phish - the 20% of rational individuals in the middle remain, in fact, the determining factor in any election.

The problem is that both parties, starting about 1992, developed a "strategy" which emphasized currying favor with their respective "bases", abandoning the center and forcing the center to align with one side or the other, for want of any better choice. Thus, the Republicans, who used to have a conservative, a moderate, and even a "Rockefeller liberal" wing, now only nominate the most obnoxious "Neo-Conservatives" (an inaccurate term and one which reflects a political position wholly at odds with traditional conservatism), while the Dems have increasingly been pulled to the left, nominating only the most wild-eyed liberals. The holders of the deciding vote (i.e., the 20% genuinely "uncommitted" in the middle and an additional 40% who merely "trend" liberal or conservative) have been co-opted by the radical, fringe minorities who control the selection of the candidate - BUT that is historically an anomaly. That was made abundantly clear in the last Presidential election - every time McCain showed his moderate side, he rose in the polls. Whenever the R's insisted that he come back into the fold and espouse only their pre-arranged "conservative message", he slipped in the polls. Now the Republican Neo-Cons are congratulating themselves that McCain's failure betokens the death of the moderate wing of the Republican Party, however, the leadership fully understands that they lost not because they weren't (Neo-) conservative enough but because they were "too conservative". If Obama stumbles, the D's may also have to reassess their liberal trend and the fight will, once again, revert to the courting of the center and we might then see some lessening of the political rancor which has attended the last five Presidential elections.

Meanwhile, these blog sites provide an excellent opportunity by which to understand the passions of the ideologues of the right and left. I mean, c'mon, some of these notions are absolutely amazing! Once you know how they think and what they think, it becomes that much easier to figure out how to break their current stranglehold on power. And that is why I suggested that Chris NOT edit these people out. You don't learn anything listening to people who agree with you. For that, you need people who don't.

If all you have is name-calling, you are childish and immature and your opinion carries no weight. Give me a real argument with some substance and I'll listen. Give me some numbers (along with their sources) and I'll listen even more attentively. But just call someone names and I can only assume that you are intellectually bankrupt. Sorry. I just have never, in my 65 years, ever met anyone worth listening to who had to stoop to name-calling.

Chris,

Most of the people who frequent these blogs,have no clue..You can point out that black is black,they will say no that's an off shade of dark purple...You will never change their minds,no matter what...My philosophy is, i may not be right all the time,but i am certinly not wrong all the time either...

If some one make a statement i think is erroneous i do my best to to research and post my results...If they are correct i will move on...

I almost never name call either,but i have been drawn into it,by someone baiting me...

If he is such a math genius he should already know this simple equation. Liberal + Loser = Ass Clown. I must be a genius also, I have been laughing my ass off at you liberals since you elected the Dumbo/RuPaul comedy team. Then there is Biden..enough said.

From Nance: As usual the right wingers only see what they want to see. The guy is VERY smart. Math grad with honors.

I'm not sure what he could possibly use a math degree for in the Senate. No one even looks at balancing numbers there. Maybe they'll have him counting votes on bills or something. So he's an honor graduate with a degree in math, and he became a half ass comedian??

You know what they say, a great sense of humor is a sign of intelligence. To bad some of the posters here have neither.

Are you saying Franken has a sense of humor? I guess it had to be a joke with him running for Senator, so maybe so. A lot of straight democratic voting on ballots helped him out, along with more people voting for senator than voted for President in several precincts. (How the hell did that happen?) Not sure if any of this makes me think he's intelligent though.

He must have cheated at math too! Was ACORN around then?

Didn't Air America fail miserably? Isn't this the genius who founded the organization?

Now THAT is leadership.

haha, cry more, repubs.

We aren't crying, we are laughing at the lib's stupidity!

more like whining.

Air America is still on

you must be as smart as he is..... HA!

Nance,

I believe your mistaking "smart" for "intelligent". Have you taken the time to listen to him speak, or read anything he has written? If you had I do not believe you would use either "smart" or "intelligent". As for a sense of humor there are a lot of very funny people to laugh at, on both sides of the aisle.

Act2--

WRONG! Hitler was not smart in any sense...He was a Corporal in charge of an army!

optomist....I've read five of his books. I find him hilarious when he wants to be and both intellegent and thought provoking in between the laughs. Tell me what you've read by Franken just so I'll have an idea of what your talking about. My favorite book of his is "The Truth....with Jokes". His ability to predict the 2008 elections right after the 2004 ones was uncanny....definately showed some insight there.

go to Amazon and get this one about Franken.

Pants on Fire: How Al Franken Lies, Smears and Deceives (Hardcover) by Alan Skorski

Visit Amazon's Alan Skorski Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Yes Nance and Kevin - Franken sees through the political hypocracy and rightly finds it ludicrous ie: laughable. Another is Jon Stewart, telling it like it is. I'll take a comedian any day as opposed to the pompous ones who only speak what is politically correct for their re-election, whether Democrat or Republican.

What an idiot. Franken never had any off color jokes!!!!!! At least Bush acted presidential unlike the odumbo in office who has yet taken any responsibility for his job yet!

Yeah right, LOL ----- Bush spent his time between the ranch & reading novels refusing to listen to briefs from his advisors

This President is on the global stage rebuilding our nations reputation

Jim, Franken is highly intelligent, only when compared to you.....

On global stage making him and us the laughing stock of the world. He should be here taking care of business with the economy. Never mind, he will make even worse. He has already turned a recession into a depression! I wouldn't bring up time off comparisons with Bush! I believe it was odumbo that said the pork bill needed to be passed in such a hurry that reading it was not an option. When it passed, he went on a three day vacation before signing it! Bush didn't blunder like the 9/11 fly by in NYC. Bush didn't leave his wife in France to shop for days costing taxpayers in the hundred of thousands. Your man is an incompetent joke!

Settle down Sac2. Your paranoia and hate is clouding your thought process. You're probably starting to see things that are not even there.

I know, O'Reilly will die of apoplexy, but Minnesota may have just elected the best Senator ever.

7mathew1520,

And you base that on what facts? I swear if the Democrats elected Satan,the same partisan hacks would be in here defending him..

and a little womanizing, drug addiction etc....

Careful now we Minnestoans are considering running Andrew Dice Clay for our Governor.

Andrew Dice Clay for our Governor. I would move to Minnesota to vote for him..Could you just imagine his speeches from the Senate floor...It would almost be worth watching cspan2.

Cry more.

I love it. :)

"witch in turn" ??

Duuuuhhhhh!!

cd-08,

yuck it up.

This is why democracies do not work. The majority will always take away the rights of the minorities.

That is why the founding father established a constitutional republic. No one is above the law, not even the president. Throughout history, democracies always opressed the minorites.

shiftIV,

On another thread i did a whole post on pointing out how the birth of the Democrat party came about.. Not one person responded..I guess they couldn't find any info to dispute my post...

The Republicans started the NAACP..

The Republicans Freed the Slaves..

The KKK was started by the Southern Democrats..

The Republicans passed the civil rights laws of the 1860’s that were overturned by the Democrats when they took over Congress in 1892..

These are just a few facts...They are easy to find on the net..

No, accuracy is always a good thing. Some people are not able to make the distinction between a Democratic senator and a senator that is a member of the Democratic caucus. Subtle perhaps, but still significant.

The real issue is to prevent the GOP from abusing the filibuster so that bills can be voted on. On many issues, there will be a handful of senators from both parties that, although not necessarily supporting the legislation, will join the block on the filibuster so that progress can be made and the bill can be brought to a vote.

Don't worry, I get it - Democrats like to think that the Independents vote Democratic most of the time. While there is some validity to this, it's not always true based on times I have actually watched C-SPAN and saw the vote.

I think a lot of the liberal Democrats want to claim this just so they can gloat of having a "supermajority," when as you say, it's simply not true based on party affiliation.

I think it is a fair requirement that to caucus with the Democrats means you cannot support a filibuster. It is also fair that when a bill comes up for a vote, you can vote your constituents interest, but you cannot expect to block your own party's agenda on a procedural vote without serious consequences.

I, for one, would be glad to see legislation debated on its own merits rather than hear about how some small group of Senators managed to thwart the will of the majority.

The problem is lately, it's become apparent that many of our congressmen don't even read the bills. To not have the ability to filibuster (either party) can inadvertently impact all of us long term, doubly when there are things in those bills we don't need (i.e. the $100 million or so in pork project spending in the stimulus Bill - actually INCREASING the bill, not balancing out).

What an embarrassment Coleman was,,, Contesting the election

I hope I don't hear another conservative gripe about wasteful spending

Didn't Al Gore contest an election fairly recently? Or is it OK for Democrats to contest an election because they're obviously entitled to win, at least according to Democrats?

Obama, Biden, Reid, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Jefferson, Waters, Schumer, Durbin, Boxer, that stupid bitch from Florida...etc, did you have a point?

quitter, adulterer but won't resign, gay but won't resign (how nice for his wife), adulterer , pedophile and most of these have come in the last month, your list left off Hillary Clinton, our esteemed Secretary of State!

Oh I get it, Obama quit to run for president, they are all adulterers, Frank is gay and ran a prostitution ring from his office, but didn't quit, Just look at Dodd, he has to be a pedophile along with Frank and Boxer....I give Hillary a pass because she technically falls under the classification of, "battered and abused wife".

Thank you for helping me to clarify.

You are so stupid with your comparisons! Franks - gay brothel in his home - still in office, not to mention having a big role in our financial breakdown. Studds molesting under aged pages - got reelected. Kennedy - murder, still in office. Cliton - committed sexual harassment and obstruction of justice while in office but didn't resign. List goes on and on!

I'm talking recent chit, I don't need to go back one or two decades, I only need to go back one or two weeks, you gotta do better than that, what have you done for me lately...!?

Jim A-371003,

History didn't start a few weeks ago....If you want to point fingers i am sure i could match you looser for looser..

the key phrase being voted, the Senators were elected by a majority of votes, Democrats over Republicans, also known as the will of the people, it says something about the job the Republicans were doing, don't ya think?

I respectfully disagree. I'm not a democrat, don't ever want to be, but in the last election they got my vote because they were better for the country.

So, I don't know what glitz and glamor I voted for because both candidates were very similar stuffed suits.

President Obama graduated from Columbia and Harvard, not exactly what I would classify as stupid.

Walt Jabsco, I am interested in why you think Obama was better for the country. I researched him,i read 2 of his books and looked at his quilifications...He was not Presidential material... I have said this before,but here it goes again...White guilt elected him..

If any white canidate tried to run with the same record as his they would be laughed at...

Jim A-371003

President Bush graduated from Princeton and Yale,but has been called an idiot...So what's your point is Obama an idiot also?