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Edited on Tue Oct-27-09 09:34 AM by Rudy Adams
You know, at times like this, I kinda wish we had the same type of governmental system as the Brits or Canadians: In those countries, a Prime Minister with a parliamentary majority can pretty much do whatever the hell s/he wants.
Of course, if you're a member of the PM's party, you can, if you wish, vote against your leader. But guess what happens then? You get kicked out of the party! You don't lose your seat in the parliament, but you will not be your former party's candidate in the next election. You can cross the aisle and join one of the opposition parties, or you can run as an independent next time around (which is even more difficult in parliamentary democracies than it is here).
My ruminations upon this matter, as you've already guessed, have been prompted by Sen. Reid's announcement yesterday that a public option, though not as robust as many of us had hoped, will be a part of the final bill submitted to the Senate.
Call me suspicious. Call me paranoid. You can even call me cynical if you wish, but the question now turning over and over in my mind is, "Which Democrat(s) will commit the political treason of supporting a GOP filibuster on this crucial legislation?"
Lincoln? Lieberman? Landrieu? Or perhaps I'm having a Sesame Street flashback and fixating on the letter "L" this morning.
Nelson, maybe?
The point is, of course, that any non-Republican who fails to vote for cloture needs to fail in his/her next election campaign! I can only hope that President Obama, the DSCs, and, most importantly, WE, shall make the utmost of efforts to ensure that any and all closet Republicans who would deprive us of this badly-needed, life-saving, nation-changing action be banished to the electoral outer darkness forever!
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