20
Nov
2008
Challenged Ballots: You Decide
The Senate race in Minnesota STILL isn’t decided!
The race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat and former comedian Al Franken was too close to call after the votes were counted. In fact, after over 2 MILLION votes were counted, the difference was less than 300 votes.
LESS THAN 300 VOTES!!!
(Don’t ever let anyone EVER tell you that their vote doesn’t count)
The state of Minnesota is currently recounting the votes. While this seems simple, it really isn’t at all. Sometimes its hard to tell EXACTLY what the voters intent is!
Can you tell who the voter intended to vote for?
Challenged ballots: You be the judge – Minnesota Public Radio puts together a sample of challenged ballots like this one.
Check it out!
What do you think?
13
Nov
2008
Filibuster: The Next Great American Sandwich
Filibuster might be a sandwich, but more likely its a ‘stalling tactic’ used by the minority party in the Senate (currently the Republicans) to prevent legislation from passing through the Senate.
The big number is 60
With 60 votes you can invoke cloture – and end a filibuster. Because of the filibuster 60 votes (rather than a simple majority) are needed in the Senate in order to get any controversial legislation passed.
If you don’t have 60 votes and your legislation is controversial – you might as well go home.
The filibuster is not mentioned in the United States Constitution, but it is a long running tradition in the Senate. It gives the minority party a significant source of power, despite its minority status. The question is, however, should the minority party be able to wield this kind of power? More people did, in fact, vote for the other party.
Currently, the Democrats (along with the two Independents who caucus with them) have 57 58 votes with races in Alaska, Georgia and Minnesota still undecided after November 4th. This COULD lead to 60 Democrats and 40 Republicans. It’s doubtful that the Democrats will be this fortunate, however.
Update: Alaska’s seat has been called for the Democrat, Mark Begich. He upset incumbent Republican Ted Stevens
Even though the Democrats may not get 60 seats needed for a supermajority – the Republicans still won’t filibuster quite like they (and Democrats) used to.
Here’s an article that argues why!
Let’s count the actual votes on the Republican side of the aisle, asking which senators would have both the inclination and the will to join a filibuster. Every issue calls forth different levels of resistance, of course, but in each instance the opposition would need at least 41 total. In the very worst case, should the Republicans pick up all the remaining seats, they will begin with [44].
This means that the Democrats only have to pull three Republicans away from their party in order to prevent a filibuster. Only three. In a body where loyalty is rewarded, but not demanded, and in a political climate leaning left, this may not be very difficult.
In fact, the Democrats haven’t had 60 votes in the Senate since 1977 and the Republicans (if I do my math correctly) haven’t had a filibuster proof majority since 1923. Back then Robert Byrd (D-WV) was only five years old!
Does the Democratic supermajority concern you? After January 20th, the Democrats will control the White House and both Houses of Congress. Is it possible that this is just simply too much power for one party to handle?
Update: Politico mulls the idea of a Democratic supermajority
21
Sep
2008
A More Perfect Constitution
This week we’ll spend a lot of time talking about how we can change the Constitution. Every year dozens of amendments are proposed to the Constitution an in the entire history (230+ years) of the United States, we’ve only approved 27 amendments. Of those 27, the first 10 (the Bill of Rights) were more like an extension to the original Constitution. In fact, several amendments have been passed by congress and not passed by the states. Obviously its pretty difficult to amend it!
However, the Constitution is far from a perfect document. We have an Electoral College that prevents the people from directly electing the President, a Senate that isn’t truly democratic, and a Supreme Court that isn’t democratic at all! Some political scientists even argue that so many Americans are disinterested in the political system because an antiquated Constitution alienates them!
If you WERE actually able to amend the Constitution, what would you change?
I found a list of recently proposed amendments to the Constitution.
Some of the more interesting ones ( along with the Congress that voted them down) are:
109th Congress (2005-2006)
- To ensure reproductive rights of women
- To allow non-natural born citizens to become President if they have been a citizen for 20 years
- The “Every Vote Counts” Amendment – providing for direct election of the President and Vice President, abolishing the Electoral College
108th Congress (2003-2004)
- To lower the age restriction on Representatives and Senators from 30 and 25 respectively to 21
- To restrict marriage in all states to be between a man and a woman
- To allow Congress to pass laws for emergency replenishment of its membership should more than a quarter of either house be killed
107th Congress (2001-2002)
- To specify a right to “equal high quality” health care
- To allow for any person who has been a citizen of the United States for twenty years or more to be eligible for the Presidency
106th Congress (1999-2000)
- To provide a new method for proposing amendments to the Constitution, where two-thirds of all state legislatures could start the process
- To declare that life begins at conception and that the 5th and 14th amendments apply to unborn children
105th Congress (1997-1998)
- To provide for the reconfirmation of federal judges every 12 years
- To prohibit the early release of convicted criminals
Sanford Levinson, professor at the University of Texas, says we need to make some significant changes to the Constitution!
Larry J. Sabato, professor at the University of Virginia, makes of list of 23 amendments that should be made to the Constitution!
Some other interesting ideas:
- War Making Limitations
- Non-Natural Born Presidents
- Proportional Representation in the Senate
- Extending the length of House Terms
- Term limits for members of Congress
- End Lifetime tenure for Supreme Court Judges
- Mandatory retirement for Federal Judges
- Improving/Removing the Electoral College
- Automatic Voter Registration
- Mandatory National Service in the Military
What do you think? Should we add something new to the Constitution? What should we amend? Or should we simply have another Constitutional Convention and start all over?
And remember Thomas Jefferson’s ideas on the Constitution:
Every constitution, then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of nineteen years. If it be
enforced longer, it is an act of force, and not of right. – 1789
Download the assignment (.doc) here:
Amending the Constitution activity
You will use Microsoft Word, the textbook, and the internet to complete the assignment. I will let you know how to turn the assignment in at the end of class. Do not print it!
Take some time, when you’re completed with the assignment, to post some comments on MrOsman.com!
(Don’t forget your next test is on Wednesday the 24th)
14
Aug
2008
Mark Warner and the Democratic Convention
Mark Warner will deliver the keynote address on the second night of the Democratic Convention. Warner is the former Governor of Virginia and candidate for U.S. Senate. This is big for Mr. Warner!
Typically, the keynote address is awarded to an upcoming figure in the Democratic Party. The future. It’s not awarded to power, its awarded to potential. Previous keynote speakers include:
- Barack Obama, 2004
- Barbara Jordan, 1992
- Ann Richards, 1988
A speech at the Democratic Convention doesn’t guarantee success, however. Former House of Representatives member Harold Ford Jr. spoke in 2000. However, he lost a hotly contested bid for Senate in 2000. Today, he is a party insider, working behind the scenes.
Update: Politico has an excellent article outlining my ideas in this post. The major difference being their skill in political writing! Read it here.
5
Aug
2008
Texas Senate Race
Texas’ race for Senator is getting a little closer in the polls. John Cornyn (R), the incumbent, is up against Rick Noriega (D).
This is the second poll in a row where Cornyn’s numbers are below 50%. But don’t read too much into it. Cornyn has raised A LOT more money than Noriega. In addition, a Democrat hasn’t won a state-wide office in Texas in 10 years! The Dallas Morning News doesn’t think Noriega really has a shot, and CQ Politics rates the race as ‘Republican Favorite.’