American Politics IV: 1400 Reasons Why(A Stimulus Serial)

[Shrillland]

McConnell has compiled a short list of successors in his home state of Kentucky, preparing for the possibility that he does not serve out his full term

The list is topped by his protégé, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and also includes former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft, whose billionaire coal magnate husband is a major McConnell donor, as well as Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, a former McConnell Scholar.

Under current law, the power to appoint McConnell’s replacement falls to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. But new legislation McConnell is pushing in the Kentucky General Assembly would strip the governor of that power and put it into the hands of the state GOP.

Hmmm....I'd agree if the law was that the Governor had to appoint someone from the same party, but to make it solely a party affair bugs me.

[San Lumen]

McConnell has compiled a short list of successors in his home state of Kentucky, preparing for the possibility that he does not serve out his full term

The list is topped by his protégé, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and also includes former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft, whose billionaire coal magnate husband is a major McConnell donor, as well as Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, a former McConnell Scholar.

Under current law, the power to appoint McConnell’s replacement falls to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. But new legislation McConnell is pushing in the Kentucky General Assembly would strip the governor of that power and put it into the hands of the state GOP.

How typical they want to change the law due to the governor being a Democrat. I guarantee if it was reversed and the legislature was Democratic and the Governor a Republican, the party would be screaming bloody murder at home unfair and power hungry this move is.

[Kowani]

McConnell has compiled a short list of successors in his home state of Kentucky, preparing for the possibility that he does not serve out his full term

The list is topped by his protégé, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and also includes former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft, whose billionaire coal magnate husband is a major McConnell donor, as well as Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, a former McConnell Scholar.

Under current law, the power to appoint McConnell’s replacement falls to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. But new legislation McConnell is pushing in the Kentucky General Assembly would strip the governor of that power and put it into the hands of the state GOP.

Hmmm....I'd agree if the law was that the Governor had to appoint someone from the same party, but to make it solely a party affair bugs me.

Yeah, even I can agree that making it be from the same party would ironically be more democratic than a gov appointment
…letting the party pick it, however, annoys me

[San Lumen]

Hmmm....I'd agree if the law was that the Governor had to appoint someone from the same party, but to make it solely a party affair bugs me.

Yeah, even I can agree that making it be from the same party would ironically be more democratic than a gov appointment
…letting the party pick it, however, annoys me

What is undemocratic about a gubernatorial appointment? The person can be voted out if people don’t like who is chosen.

[Salus Maior]

A lawyer for an accused Oath Keeper Capitol rioter says the group’s ‘quick reaction force’ of weapon suppliers was actually just one guy

In February, federal prosecutors arrested several members of the Oath Keepers – an anti-government militia group – on charges related to participating in the riot at the Capitol on January 6.

Prosecutors alleged that the Oath Keeper members had planned part of their attack. They wore tactical gear, held training sessions in the weeks before, and looked at then-President Donald Trump’s direction for their assault on Congress, prosecutors laid out in court documents.

One part of the Oath Keepers’ plan, prosecutors said, citing text messages, was having a “QRF,” or “quick reaction force,” nearby that could supply firearms to militia members “if something goes to hell.”

But that “quick reaction force” was actually just one guy who “is in his late 60s, obese, and has cardiopulmonary issues, a bad back, a bum knee, and is [in] need of a hip replacement,” according to a new court filing.

the storm, apparently, needed to do more cardio

Good thing too.

Could you imagine what would have happened if the stormers had serious weapons?

[Shrillland]

Yeah, even I can agree that making it be from the same party would ironically be more democratic than a gov appointment
…letting the party pick it, however, annoys me

What is undemocratic about a gubernatorial appointment? The person can be voted out if people don’t like who is chosen.

Nothing per se, but it really should be from the same party that the retiring member came from. The people voted for a Republican, so the new fellow should be one. As for being voted out, voted out after what? After that person voted for dozens of bills that are unpopular with the people? There's something to be said for Burke's famous quote on statesmanship, but when it happens repeatedly, almost out of spite, then it can't be said that there's any trust between the people and their representative.

[Omniabstracta]

Yeah, even I can agree that making it be from the same party would ironically be more democratic than a gov appointment
…letting the party pick it, however, annoys me

What is undemocratic about a gubernatorial appointment? The person can be voted out if people don’t like who is chosen.

Because, y’know, it’s an appointment. A Senator is supposed to be a representative of the people of the state, a specific person that they elected for a particular length of time. A governor appointing somebody to represent the constituents halfway through, somebody that those constituents had little say in picking, isn’t very democratic. I also think the party appointing somebody is bad, for the record, but at least they are inclined to share some values with the previous senator. Ideally, though, there’d be a special election as soon as possible.

[San Lumen]

What is undemocratic about a gubernatorial appointment? The person can be voted out if people don’t like who is chosen.

Because, y’know, it’s an appointment. A Senator is supposed to be a representative of the people of the state, a specific person that they elected. A governor appointing somebody to represent other people, somebody that those constituents had little say in picking, isn’t very democratic. I also think the party appointing somebody is bad, for the record.

What should happen then? The seat remains vacant until the next election?

[Shrillland]

Because, y’know, it’s an appointment. A Senator is supposed to be a representative of the people of the state, a specific person that they elected. A governor appointing somebody to represent other people, somebody that those constituents had little say in picking, isn’t very democratic. I also think the party appointing somebody is bad, for the record.

What should happen then? The seat remains vacant until the next election?

Ideally, a byelection would be held. If not, however, it should at least be from the same party to maintain political continuity.

[San Lumen]

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-envir ... nomination

Murkowski votes with Senate panel to advance Haaland nomination

https://www.wsls.com/news/virginia/2021 ... k-herring/

In a truly stunning move VA-Gov Ralph Northam has endorsed State Rep Jay Jones over incumbent AG Mark Herring. If elected Jones would be the first African American attorney general in Virginia and probably the youngest statewide official in the country. He is only 31.

[A-Series-Of-Tubes]

What should happen then? The seat remains vacant until the next election?

Ideally, a byelection would be held. If not, however, it should at least be from the same party to maintain political continuity.

Until the by-election is held, why not appoint from a line of secession lodged by the member themselves?

I guess this only works for deaths in office. It could be abused by strategic resignations, and I wouldn't count on the people "in their wisdom" to punish that at the by-election.

[San Lumen]

Ideally, a byelection would be held. If not, however, it should at least be from the same party to maintain political continuity.

Until the by-election is held, why not appoint from a line of secession lodged by the member themselves?

I guess this only works for deaths in office. It could be abused by strategic resignations, and I wouldn't count on the people "in their wisdom" to punish that at the by-election.

How could you have a line of succession for the senate?

[Kowani]

Federal judge orders Exxon Mobil to pay a $14.25 million civil penalty Tuesday in an 11-year-old lawsuit alleging it violated the Clean Air Act for eight years at its flagship Baytown, Texas, refinery.

[A-Series-Of-Tubes]

Hmmm....I'd agree if the law was that the Governor had to appoint someone from the same party, but to make it solely a party affair bugs me.

Yeah, even I can agree that making it be from the same party would ironically be more democratic than a gov appointment
…letting the party pick it, however, annoys me

How about letting elected members of their party pick it? Specifically, the caucus of that party in the state legislature?

I also think any interim appointment should be ineligible to run in the by-election or next special election. If they were never elected before, they should not have an incumbency advantage.

[San Lumen]

Yeah, even I can agree that making it be from the same party would ironically be more democratic than a gov appointment
…letting the party pick it, however, annoys me

How about letting elected members of their party pick it? Specifically, the caucus of that party in the state legislature?

I also think any interim appointment should be ineligible to run in the by-election or next special election. If they were never elected before, they should not have an incumbency advantage.

I don't think that would be constitutional.

[A-Series-Of-Tubes]

Until the by-election is held, why not appoint from a line of secession lodged by the member themselves?

I guess this only works for deaths in office. It could be abused by strategic resignations, and I wouldn't count on the people "in their wisdom" to punish that at the by-election.

How could you have a line of succession for the senate?

Each Senator writes some names on a piece of paper, lodges that with the Parliamentarian.

[Sundiata]

I'm not some apathetic elite. Really? Do you really think I drink champagne on my yacht in disgust for the poor? I'm not out of touch with humanity. I am in touch with humanity. Coal mining jobs aren't coming back.

It’s complicated because, Jeffrey Epstein was clearly an elite, and nobody can say he wasn’t in touch with humanity

My point is that a person can be upper class and a friend to the poor.

[A-Series-Of-Tubes]

How about letting elected members of their party pick it? Specifically, the caucus of that party in the state legislature?

I also think any interim appointment should be ineligible to run in the by-election or next special election. If they were never elected before, they should not have an incumbency advantage.

I don't think that would be constitutional.

It doesn't have to be. Not unconstitutional is the standard of an electoral law.

[Sundiata]

I don't think that would be constitutional.

It doesn't have to be. Not unconstitutional is the standard of an electoral law.

A law can't ever be unconstitutional.

[San Lumen]

I don't think that would be constitutional.

It doesn't have to be. Not unconstitutional is the standard of an electoral law.

barring someone from running simply because they were appointed and not elected to the seat is discriminatory and unfair. appointed senators have lost primaries and general elections on number of occasions including last year in Georgia.

[A-Series-Of-Tubes]

It’s complicated because, Jeffrey Epstein was clearly an elite, and nobody can say he wasn’t in touch with humanity

My point is that a person can be upper class and a friend to the poor.

You're just asking for a slap from Jesus, and didn't you want to drop it before?

Odreria was just making a sleazy joke about "touching" btw.

[Kowani]

Manchin out here opposing minimum wage while having stakes in companies that pay less than minimum wage

[San Lumen]

https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/20 ... cy-reforms

67 PERCENT OF AMERICANS SUPPORT H.R.1 FOR THE PEOPLE ACT or the election reform bill Biden said he would sign.

57 percent of Republicans support the bill.

[Kilobugya]

How could you have a line of succession for the senate?

Why not do like with the President, elect a Senator/Vice-Senator ticket, so if the Senator resigns, dies or is Impeached, the vice-senator takes office? Sure there would be cases in which both would die/resign but it should be rare.

[Kilobugya]

Manchin out here opposing minimum wage while having stakes in companies that pay less than minimum wage

I'm somewhat ambivalent on Manchin. On one hand, he does have pretty bad positions on many issues. On the other had, if it were not for him, his state is so red a Republican would hold his seat and McConnell would still be Majority Leader. So... hard to decide.