Yes our government is broken – no wait – our politicians are broken. A prime example follows:
We have all heard about the embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. We have all heard about his supposed sale of the Obama Senate seat. To date he has not been convicted of a crime nor indicted. We have heard how the good Governor tried to manipulate the Obama replacement, but little has been heard on how the sitting Majority Leader in the Senate from Nevada has tried to manipulate and manhandle the Governor and the people of Illinois on the appointment. Fox News reports that six days before the Governor was arrested, Harry Reid out and out told, pressured the Governor who He (the royal he) would accept in the Senate and who he would not accept, as Obama’s replacement. One name, among others, Jessie Jackson, Jr. who was initially tainted by a report that his people offered money for the seat until the news came out that Jackson was informing to the FBI on the matter, has apparently been banned by Reid.
After the Governor appointed Roland Burris to the vacated seat, Harry Reid proclaimed defiantly that Roland Burris is not acceptable as the junior Senator from Illinois - despite being legally selected by the sitting Governor, one who has not been convicted of anything, nevertheless indicted. Roland Burris is said to have a background of high integrity and is one who has a public service background, including serving as Illinois’ Attorney General. Reid, apparently, believes that he is empowered to participate in the affairs of the State of Illinois. The Senator from Nevada has demonstrated just what he is – a not very bright, heavily partisan, political hack, with power.
It is time for the Democrats in the Senate to rise up, show backbone and elect a new Majority Leader, replacing Harry Reid . They need a replacement who exudes class, competence, statemanship, and who commands respect. Yes, Barack Obama has also come out against the Burris appointment, and he might wish to rethink this position, yet it was his seat and he is a citizen of Illinois – he may have standing to take a position – Reid does not. It seems to me that the broken politicians in the Senate may want to look past their political infighting predjudices and allow the duely appointed junior Senator, Roland Burris to be seated.
The Constitution, supports Blagojevich and Burris, with the Seventeenth Amendment which provides for “…the executive authority (Blagojevich) of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies…”. Further Article I, Section 5 states “…Each House shall be the judge of the ….. Qualifications of its own Members…; … with the Concurrence, of two thirds to expel a Member. Reid has made a clumsy attempt at distorting the Congressional system and has inappropriately meddled in the affairs of the Sovereign State of Illinois. Perhaps he does not understand that in our system of governance, the Senate represents the States in Congress. The States in the whole are superior to the Senate in this Republic. Mr. Reid should back away quietly as he continues to embarrass himself on the national stage.
Speaking of Harry Reid, Senate Democrats and Constitutional qualifications, seems there are more immediate issues than Burris, namely BHO himself (WHY NO MEDIA COVERAGE OF THIS?) –
MESSAGE TO EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS:
When counting the electoral votes, either Congress finds by 1/8/09 that Obama — not being an Article II “natural born citizen” (father Kenyan/British, not American, citizen) — fails to qualify as President whereupon Biden becomes the full fledged President under 3 USC 19 (free to pick his own VP such as Hillary) or thereafter defers to the Supreme Court to enjoin Obama’s inauguration with Biden becoming only Acting President under the 20th Amendment until a new President is duly determined.
The preferable choice, at least for the Democrats, would seem obvious.