Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

and why would you say a silly thing like that? .. DEMOCRATS NEVER HAD A MAJORITY in the senate FOR TWO YEARS! ...Scott was seated in January. I have a post that explicitly lays it out .. gotta go find it ... and oh btw! we vote YES on every damn bill that WE make to make veterans lives BETTER .. and your slimy snakes in the swamps VOTE NO! always .. and you are just like all the rest of your base .. Too damn dumb to know it! ... . .

In January 2009, there were 56 Senate Democrats and two independents who caucused with Democrats. This combined total of 58 included Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), whose health was failing and was unable to serve. As a practical matter, in the early months of Obama’s presidency, the Senate Democratic caucus had 57 members on the floor for day-to-day legislating.

In April 2009, Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter switched parties. This meant there were 57 Democrats, and two independents who caucused with Democrats, for a caucus of 59. But with Kennedy ailing, there were still “only” 58 Democratic caucus members in the chamber.

In May 2009, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) was hospitalized, bringing the number of Senate Dems in the chamber down to 57.

In July 2009, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) was finally seated after a lengthy recount/legal fight. At that point, the Democratic caucus reached 60, but two of its members, Kennedy and Byrd, were unavailable for votes.

In August 2009, Kennedy died, and Democratic caucus again stood at 59.

In September 2009, Sen. Paul Kirk (D-Mass.) filled Kennedy’s vacancy, bringing the caucus back to 60, though Byrd’s health continued to deteriorate.

In January 2010, Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) replaced Kirk, bringing the Democratic caucus back to 59 again.

In June 2010, Byrd died, and the Democratic caucus fell to 58, where it stood until the midterms. [Update: Jonathan Bernstein reminds me that Byrd’s replacement was a Dem. He’s right, though this doesn’t change the larger point.]

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/09/about-filibuster-proof-majority
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/fleeting-illusory-supermajority?lite=
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-16/news/ct-oped-0617-zorn-md-20120616_1_minnesota-democrat-al-franken-filibuster-proof-majority-barack-obama

OH! there's many many more! .. stop it!

AND I seem to remember that 'Senator Lieberman towards the end of his career .. and the beginning of Obama's career he began caucusing with repubs .. thanks joe, NOT. F6 knows a lot about Joe .. all I know is that progressives tried to get rid of him for YEARS and we never ever could.. the year he said he would retire was the year that was looking the best ever to finally get him out.. ! he quit rather than face losing .. whatever. Rooster, I sure wish you guys would smarten up! ... why oh why do you let these people use you like they do .. .. man you are full of outright BS and look stupid saying such bunk . .not a fact in sight .. and you take it! ... and they LAUGH! .. .. sheesh! .... .. they know what they're doing .. .it's you and your base that doesn't ... .. ...why?