The_Elucidator
08-06-2002, 03:33 PM
Daschle's declining Senate
August 5, 2002
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
'I hope people who are following this debate realize that we are having a debate about politics,'' said Sen. Phil Gramm, as he took the Senate floor last week amid consideration of prescription drug legislation. He called it ''a debate about the next election'' and ''hardly a debate about Medicare.'' Concluding a memorable Senate career, the Texas Republican again had brought clarity to a seemingly incoherent situation.
While purportedly debating legislation that would add prescription drugs to Medicare benefits, the Democrat-controlled Senate was setting the 2002 campaign table. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's procedure was guaranteed to fail. Whether or not it proves a boon for Democrats in this year's midterm elections, this failure typifies the Senate's continued decline under Daschle's leadership.
Daschle orchestrated a situation where 60 votes were needed in the closely divided 100-member Senate to pass prescription drugs--a nearly impossible undertaking. ''The Senate is too much for me at my age,'' 70-year-old freshman Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia told me. An independent Democrat who wants passage of a bill rather than creation of an issue, career politician Miller is baffled.
Read more here (http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak05.html)
I heard a rumor - and I am catagorizing a rumor because I can't for the life of me remember where I read it at but I read where Zell is considering a switch if the Pubs pick up 2 seats. He feels that R.I. Sen Chaffe (RINO) would flip if he did in order to give the dems the advantage. He felt McCain would remain. Now this could be from rumorsareus.com but I know I saw it somewhere.
I do agree with Novak on this one though - I think enough American people see through the Dems bullshit to have another good year at the polls.
On another note
August 5, 2002
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
'I hope people who are following this debate realize that we are having a debate about politics,'' said Sen. Phil Gramm, as he took the Senate floor last week amid consideration of prescription drug legislation. He called it ''a debate about the next election'' and ''hardly a debate about Medicare.'' Concluding a memorable Senate career, the Texas Republican again had brought clarity to a seemingly incoherent situation.
While purportedly debating legislation that would add prescription drugs to Medicare benefits, the Democrat-controlled Senate was setting the 2002 campaign table. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's procedure was guaranteed to fail. Whether or not it proves a boon for Democrats in this year's midterm elections, this failure typifies the Senate's continued decline under Daschle's leadership.
Daschle orchestrated a situation where 60 votes were needed in the closely divided 100-member Senate to pass prescription drugs--a nearly impossible undertaking. ''The Senate is too much for me at my age,'' 70-year-old freshman Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia told me. An independent Democrat who wants passage of a bill rather than creation of an issue, career politician Miller is baffled.
Read more here (http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak05.html)
I heard a rumor - and I am catagorizing a rumor because I can't for the life of me remember where I read it at but I read where Zell is considering a switch if the Pubs pick up 2 seats. He feels that R.I. Sen Chaffe (RINO) would flip if he did in order to give the dems the advantage. He felt McCain would remain. Now this could be from rumorsareus.com but I know I saw it somewhere.
I do agree with Novak on this one though - I think enough American people see through the Dems bullshit to have another good year at the polls.
On another note