The Al Franken Decade Begins

I first became aware of Al Franken as a political figure after reading his book "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right" Gotta love the way he puts Bill O'Lielly in his place. If Franken should call someone a liar on the Senate floor it will make for some interesting C-Span programming. Franken also penned a best selling book called "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot: And Other Observations" Gotta love that title. Franken is my kinda guy. Smart, funny, outspoken and honest. I never did get to hear him on Air America radio, since the radio stations in the Lehigh Valley are dominated by right wingnut talk shows. Some facts you may not know about Al Franken:

He graduated from Harvard in 1973: Political Science

He scored a perfect 800 on the SAT Math section

He won 3 Emmy Awards for his writing on Saturday Night Live

He holds strongly progressive liberal beliefs

More at this site: http://usliberals.about.com/od/senatecandidatesin2008/p/AlFranken.htm

Now that Al Franken has won and will finally take his place in the Senate, the Democrats will have a filibuster proof 60 vote-majority in the US Senate. But will that really make a difference?

Senators Kennedy and Byrd are ill, and possibly not in attendance, so that could be only 58. There are two Independents, Lieberman and Sanders, but Sanders is from Vermont and is very liberal, and has spoken out in favor of a public health care option. Lieberman leans right. So it could be only 57.

What will be the Democrats' excuse for not getting things done now? Lack of bipartisan support? Been bought off by the insurance companies and drug companies? It's time for Senators to stop being pusillanimous and pass a public universal health care option, really fight for equal rights for gays, ban assault weapons, and represent THE PEOPLE for a change, not just the campaign donors and lobbyists.