Did losing Kennedy's Senate seat REALLY change anything?

[bulloney]

When the media gerbils kept harping about the Democrats holding 60 Senate seats, that 60 included people like Lieberman, Nelson and other Senators who were essentially Democrats (or Independent) in name only.

When push comes to shove, would the Democrats ever have had 60 votes to prevent a filibuster on key legislation like HCR? Or other major legislation?

I highly doubt it.

The 60-vote majority has been largely a media fabrication to sensationalize the situation.

[Lasher]

1. Yes.

The Democratic base is starting to wake up.

[cali]

2. Why yes, yes it did.

it changed the entire political landscape for Nov, particularly when coupled with yesterday's heinous SC decision.

[wellst0nev0ter]

3. Yes

It gave the Dumbocrats only THREE more senate seats Dimson enjoyed throughout his whole presidency, when he rammed tax breaks, CAFTA, the Medicare boondoggle, Eye-Rack and other goodies down our throats.

It's like the Dems WANT to be irrelevant.

[crazyjoe]

4. yes, HCR is dead, cap and trade is dead, instead of concentrating

on passing legislation, Dems in the house and senate just entered CYA mode.
the list goes on.

[groundloop]

5. Well, the biggest effect is that repugs will be clucking about it for years

As far as a substantial change in the Senate, not that much.

Face it, a year ago Democrats had 58 Senators. It was a small miracle that Al Franken prevailed. And nobody could have predicted Arlen Specter changing parties.

And of course there's Lie-berman. Right behind him are Baucus, Nelson, and Landreau. So even for that short time that we had that "super majority" it was never really all that super.

Overall that one seat is more of a PR point for the right than anything. Of course it makes me sick that it was Ted Kennedy's seat, but to me that says the Democratic party had damned well better wake up and start kicking some ass. I think a lot of people figured it would be easy to get things done with the supposed 60 votes in the Senate, now it's time to get over that notion and figure out how to use the significant lead that we've got.

[DrDan]

6. yes

[ReverendDeuce]

7. I agree with the OP... This just gives Lieberman cover...

Almost like it was designed this way. Hmm...

[Vinca]

8. Think of all the things Republicans rammed through when they

had far fewer than 60 votes. I'm afraid the loss of that seat gives elected Dems an excuse to retreat to the corner and act even more spineless than they already do. They should be kicking ass, but it seems they are now preparing to kiss ass.

[Tailormyst]

9. After the supreme court decision, doesn't really matter.

Even as a group we will never be able to compete with corporate propaganda.