I'm sorry but the appointment of Roland Burris was a good one. He's well respected, honest and would do a good job for Illinois and America. So what that he was appointed by a dope. Remember Truman. Wasn't his sponsor the head of an organized criminal enterprise? It's guilt by association and it is un-American. And, by the way, Blago is still legally the Governor. I don't like it anymore than anyone else, but until he leaves he has the power and in my view the obligation under Illinois' Constitution to appoint a Senator. And what do the powers that be say? No, Burris is not going to be allowed to sit and Illinois isn't going to be represented because it would have the taint of impropriety of such an august body? Please.
I've seen so much stupidity, timidity, and incompetence coming out of the Senate for far too long and now they've suddenly gotten balls. My God, we torture people and the Senate hasn't done anything. We spy on Americans and the Senate hasn't done anything. We went to war based on a lie and the Senate hasn't done anything. We are on the verge of a Depression and the Senate hasn't done anything. God forbid we have a member who was appointed by a dope. And by the way, what's so good about the actual members sitting now.
Didn't Larry Craig sit as a Senator for more than two years after being caught soliciting gay men in an airport bathroom? His punishment? Nothing of substance. The "august" body allowed a United States Senator to remain a member who had been caught looking for a hummer in an airport. You wouldn't want to get rid of him.
And Ted Stevens? A convicted felon who is still a Senator. Evidently, a convicted felon can sit as a Senator, but someone appointed by a Governor who has not yet been convicted can't. Does that make sense?
In fact, my recollection is that these two bums were cheered, cheered, by their fellow Senators after giving their last speehes on the floor.
Well, I could go on. Kansas and Oklahoma have Senators, who might not be crooked, but sure are dumb. Evidently, stupidity doesn't prevent one from being a Senator, but being appointed by a stupid Governor does.
But, what irks me the most is the fact that unless Burris is admitted, Illinois comes up short a Senator. I get it, Blago should leave, but unless Fitzgerald releases more tapes or the State Senate initiates impeachment proceedings, it isn't going to happen. In case you haven't noticed, Blago's nuts. One wonders how smart these guys are to think that not allowing Blago to appoint a Senator is going to put pressure on him to resign. It's no wonder nothing gets done in the Senate given the failure to recognize the obvious - Blago isn't leaving unless he's pushed by Fitzgerald or the State Senate.
So, as it stands right now, unless the Senate seats Burris, Illinois will be one Senator short and the people of Illinois won't get the representation we are Constitutionally entitlted to recieve. And the reason? The sanctity of the Senate must be protected. I live in the real world, where choices aren't black and white and sometimes good people are promoted by bums and I'm under no false illusion that the Senate is such a sanctimonious place. I'd hope common sense would trump the mob but I doubt it. What an opportunity for sitting Senators to prance around claiming their virtues to their constituents as the country goes down the crapper.
Lastly, I just can't help concluding that this all is going to break bad for the Democrats in Illinois, and it probably should. Between Blago, his wife, and, most importantly, his Chief of Staff, they know quite a bit of how Chicago works and what illegal activity occurs.