Thursday, December 14, 2006

Senator Tim Johnson: The Balance of Power

I don't have much time for you this morning, Bush. I'm trying to meet a deadline, and the job is far from finished. But I did want to put in a quick word about the stroke--no matter how you cut it, that's what it seems to be--suffered yesterday by Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota and its possible consequences on the balance of power in American politics.

First, of course, along with all right-thinking people, I wish heartily for the Senator's full and speedy recovery. Then again, I'm not sure what "right"-thinking people are thinking, since it might well serve their cause should the Senator not recover fully enough to serve out his term. If that turned out to be the case, the Republican governor of his home state would be in a position of unimaginable power: he could literally change the course of history with his little finger by tipping the scale in the US Senate back in favor of his own party. That would require, in my view, incredible hubris on his part--to override the decision of the people of his state (to elect a Democrat) for purely partisan political gain.

I don't know anything about the person who occupies the governor's mansion in the state ot South Dakota, but it's a fraught question: would he have the balls to single-handedly corrupt the will of the entire American electorate?

I trust that this one person will never be given this fateful power. I suppose a proponent of the selection of a Republican might bring up the example of Senator Jim Jeffords, who changed his alliegeance--and the balance of power--a few years back. But there it was the choice of a man elected to the seat to follow, presumably, the dictates of his conscience. In the case of Tim Johnson, it would be some other person usurping the power given him by the electorate.

I'm hoping that it doesn't come to this, Bush. I don't know about you. I very much fear that in your own evangelical hubris you might mistake this unfortunate medical event for the action of that higher Father you claim to hear whispering in your ear.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I woke up to this this morning. I sure do wish him a speedy recovery too! But even if he takes his time, he shouldn't be shut out of his position. There are those that have had problems before and been able to keep their positions. Like you say though, if that nut case gets it in his head to try to do something about getting rid of him, we may have problems. We also have another situation with something like, I think I read, 18,000 votes not counted in one state. The computer just nixed them altogether. I signed a petition for a re-vote in that state. Otherwise we are going to have a Republican, and that is going to throw this katty whompus too. So we have 2 Dems in situations right now. I'm quite sure that Bush has been appraised of this by now. Well, it's off to snoop the Net to find out more about what's happening with all this;D. Have a nice evening Peter.

Peter Clothier said...

Thanks, Gringo, for posting the piece about the scientists. It's past time for this kind of public statement from the world of science, so badly trashed by our numbskull leader. And PK, always a pleasure to hear your voice! Chhers, PaL