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To: Condor who wrote (1408)	10/30/2002 7:38:17 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6901

the shenanigans that appear to go on in the US system. You want "Shenanigans?" Try the link I provided within this post on our prospective "Recycled" Senators. Night of the Living Career Dead By Nick Gillespie Just a couple of years into them and the '00s are already shaping up as a massive rerun of a decade, with dangerous levels of "been there, done that" hanging in the air like so much Russian mystery gas: another Bush in the White House, cataclysmic threats tied to the Middle East, the familiar pit-of-the-stomach dread of more Star Wars movies, and on and on. Nowhere is the trend more evident?or odious?than in current senatorial politics. How else to explain the resurgence of not only upper-chamber nonentity Frank Lautenberg, who stands poised to misrepresent the fair residents of the Garden State once again, but Walter Mondale, the Alf Landon epigone whose last run for office fizzled so spectacularly that the former vice president and ambassador to Japan's place in history had been downgraded to being the father of a possible Bill Clinton consort?http://www.ishipress.com/emondale.htm Lautenberg's return wouldn't be so bad if he were half as colorful as the openly corrupt figures who bookended his Senate days (Sens. Harrison Williams, of Abscam fame, and Robert Torricelli, supergroupie). But this Nosferatu pol's lasting contributions to American politics were by-the-numbers smear campaigns and a ban on smoking on domestic airplane flights. Surely, the world's greatest deliberative body?not to mention the state that invented guide dogs for the blind?can do better. For his part, Walter Mondale's main political skill, notes the The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz, is his "knack for being in the right place at the right time." Which is perhaps about as much as you can ask of a guy who has largely gotten by on equal parts "Norwegian charisma" and timely quoting of Wendy's old "Where's the Beef?" ad campaign. As former Chicago Tribune scribe Bob Greene was fond of noting back when he still had a job, F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said that there are no second acts in American life. Sadly, that has apparently turned out to be true only for Fitzgerald, who peaked early and died a rummy's death in Hollywood. (Greene, recently canned for sexual improprieties, is no doubt studying Bob Crane's unpredictable comeback.) When it comes to this electoral season, there are at least two second acts too many. Nick Gillespie is Reason's editor-in-chief.

To: Condor who wrote (1408)	10/30/2002 7:55:09 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6901

Before you get upset...think about it....the armtwisting, deal making and manoevering is something to see... No reason to get upset.. your points are valid.. Here's a quick run-down on how a bill becomes a law here in the US: cdfactioncouncil.org Also, bear in mind that even a minority party has considerable power in the Senate. A minority senator can "filibuster" discussion on a bill, basically commanding all the time that he wants to discuss (there are no time limits).. The only way to stop a filibuster is to have a 2/3 majority (called Cloture), which means you're going to need to convince minority senators to halt the filibuster.. What will occur if the Republicans take the Senate and hold the House, is something that you discussed.. counter arguments and public exposure of the issues... And the ability to tack on a few pork barrel projects in order to "persuade" them against filibustering a bill.. Like I said.. lots of "checks and balances"... Kinda like the Canadian Senate acting as a balance against populist and hurried legislation in the Canadian parliament.. (though I must confess I don't know how much power the Canadian Senate actually has).. Bottom line.. the Republicans win the Senate, and they "run the show"... The closest thing to Canadian parliamentary government we're yet to see... Hawk