Wilson Sends Dukakis to D.C.? (MA payback to Republicans who disrespected the Prez & lied about HCR)

[Pirate Smile]

Wilson Sends Dukakis to D.C.?

by Dan Payne

Joe Wilson may have paved the way to send former Gov. Michael Dukakis to Washington—in time to vote for health-care reform from Ted Kennedy’s seat, influential Massachusetts Democrats tell The Daily Beast.

Rep. Joe Wilson’s loss of self-control during President Obama’s address to Congress could give Senate Democrats a crucial 60th vote as they try to block Republican filibusters this fall. Wilson’s outburst has moved Democrats in the Massachusetts legislature closer to fulfilling Senator Ted Kennedy’s dying wish—to change state law on how his empty seat would be filled. And that could well put Michael Dukakis in the Senate.

Massachusetts, now short one U.S. senator, is weighing whether to return power to the governor to appoint an interim senator until a special election is held in January. As Kennedy, an astute head counter, argued before his death in a letter to state legislative leaders, the change would give the state two votes on crucial Senate legislation over the next five months.

The plan is not, however, a slam dunk. A new poll showed the state’s voters about evenly split on the proposal. Furthermore, legislators are wary of changing a law many of them supported, when Massachusetts House Speaker Tom Finneran and Senate President Robert Travaglini journeyed to Washington in April 2004, buoyed by hope that Senator John Kerry could win the presidency, allowing Republican Gov. Mitt Romney to put a Republican in the Senate. In exchange for changing the law, they asked for and got $50,000 from the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee to help elect Democrats to the Massachusetts legislature. But consistency has never been a virtue to state legislators.

Now Senate President Therese Murray, whose silence had been deafening, says Wilson’s outburst Sept. 9 may have provoked legislators to enact the plan as payback to Republicans who disrespected the president and have been making false claims about health-care reform in Washington. After a recent Democratic legislative caucus, Murray said, “There’s a lot of outrage about that…which I think might have moved some people to the other side.”
Others have argued that honoring Kennedy’s request for an interim appointment would not only be a tribute to him but also advance his lifelong cause of universal health insurance. Gov. Deval Patrick has promised to sign the bill and make the interim appointment if given the power.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-09-15/wilson-sends-dukakis-to-dc/

[ddeclue]

1. DO WANT!!!

[hyphenate]

2. What a pluperfect idea!

I've always liked Mike Dukakis. He would make an excellent Senator. Even if it's only for the interim, Obama has an ambitious agenda, and we will need whatever we can get for allies. The one joy of living in Massachusetts is that we are pretty liberal, and I have no real fear that pugs will take over. Even so, I shall cross my fingers to see how we're going to make out. We're still down one Senator for the most part--Robert Byrd, bless his soul, tries, but I don't think he will see another term.

[berni_mccoy]

3. Kepp Shouting PUKES! You're Doin a Hecuva Job! LOLOLOL! GO DUKAKIS!

[Pirate Smile]

4. Kick