Senate // Current

Obama resigns, will miss key votes

Four years after winning election to the United States Senate, President-elect Barack Obama announced today that he is formally resigning his seat effective Sunday, which means he won't be on Capitol Hill for key upcoming votes.

Obama will miss the expected vote by Senate Democrats next week on whether Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who broke ranks and campaigned for Senator John McCain this year, should keep his post as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Obama has urged Senate leaders to find a compromise solution and wants Lieberman to continue caucusing with the Democrats, The Washington Post reported this week.

Obama's resignation from the Senate also means that he will not be a voting member during its special session next week, when Democrats hope to pass a new economic stimulus package to recharge the ailing economy. Obama has made the passage of a new stimulus bill a high priority, but the measure has been held up by President Bush and Senate Republicans.

In a statement, Obama, who today continued meetings with his presidential transition team in Chicago, said that serving the people of Illinois had been "one of the highest honors and privileges of my life."

"In a state that represents the crossroads of a nation, I have met so many men and women who've taken different journeys, but hold common hopes for their children's future," Obama said. "It is these Illinois families and their stories that will stay with me as I leave the United States Senate and begin the hard task of fulfilling the simple hopes and common dreams of all Americans as our nation's next president."

Obama's election as president has set off furious jockeying among Illinois politicos looking to succeed him as the state's junior senator. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will choose Obama's successor, who would serve the remaining two years of Obama's term. US Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. is believed to be among the leading contenders for the job.Four years after winning election to the United States Senate, President-elect Barack Obama announced today that he is formally... more

breakthepower
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5 days ago

Obama vacates Senate seat early

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama intends to step down from his seat in the United States Senate on Sunday, leaving... more

current89
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19 responses

5 days ago

Obama's doodle part of North Shore collection :: News :: PIONEER PRESS :: Glenview Announcements

He's a junior senator, community organizer, lawyer, future president and he can draw too. Some people get all the talent.

currentlyreading
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2 responses

6 days ago

Senator unveils universal healthcare bill

Senate Finance Committee Chairman and Montana's Democratic senator Max Baucus will introduce a sweeping healthcare measure... more

bansheewail
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38 responses

6 days ago

Chris Matthews for Senate?

Pennsylvania was at the epicenter of the fight for the presidency in 2008 and, just one week after the Barack Obama's... more

Coolidity
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6 days ago

McCain jokes about his loss on Leno

I don't see him the devil incarnate as some do. I think he can (if as before) continue to be a good Senator with a strong... more

InformedTexan
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13 responses

6 days ago

Congress Must Act Before January 20th Or There May Be No Accountability Ever

http://www.usalone.com/impeach_now.php [visit the link to take action] Congress Must Act Before January 20th Or There May Be... more

asherp
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5 responses

8 days ago

Lieberman's Senate power at risk after McCain support

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat turned independent who backed Republican Sen. John McCain for president,... more

InformedTexan
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1 response

12 days ago

Ted Stevens Holds Very Slim Lead

Roughly 60,000 absentee ballots still need to be counted within 10 days. Stevens had appeared to be trailing before Tuesday,... more

Future_America
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12 days ago

Democrats gain sixth new Senate seat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Jeff Merkley defeated Republican Sen. Gordon Smith in Oregon, the Portland Oregonian projected on... more

unimatrix0
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13 days ago

Democrats expand majorities in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats expanded their majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress in Tuesday's election to... more

hack26
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23 responses

13 days ago

Democrats take majority of Senate

With the elections not over yet, Democrats are taking 54 of 100 seats.

CHARMOSH
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14 days ago

Mislead Public Do Nothing Congress

The misleading claim by the republicans is how the democrats have had the majority and have done nothing. Below are the reasons as to why this is so.

CURRENT SENATE SEAT BREAK DOWN
Party: Republicans
Leader: Mitch McConnell (Kentucky)
Last Election: 49 Seats held by Republicans

Party: Democrats
Leader: Harry Reid (Nevada)
Last Election: 49 Seats held by Democrats
(+ 2 Independents: Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut i.e. Non-Democrats)

Essentially Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman are in the middle. They supposedly caucus with the democrats; however, as we all know, Joe Lieberman seems to be John McCain’s right hand man thus he has sided with the republican vote more than not. This does not make a strong majority! In fact as you can see it essentially makes it a fifty-fifty split. Wait there is more (the filibuster).

THIS IS HOW IT BASICALLY WORKS. If a bill passes the House then it moves to the Senate. The Senate can pass or vote the bill down. If there is a tie, the Vice President, (Dick Cheney), is the one who is required to break the tie. If the bill passes the Senate the President can still veto the bill thus it fails. If the bill makes it through the House, the Senate, and the President, it becomes law. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS IS NO MAJORITY BY ANY MEANS.

THIS IS KEY!
The democrats keep being coined as a do nothing and/or as a miserably failing congress. This is very misleading. In addition, a little known or understood fact or at least one that is either overlooked or ignored by the masses is that of a filibuster. The term 'filibuster' is seen as a tactic for pirating or hijacking a debate or a vote.
The parliamentary procedure known as a FILIBUSTER, or "talking out a bill", is a form of obstruction used in a legislature or other decision-making body. An attempt is made to infinitely extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay the progress or completely prevent a vote on the proposal taking place. Thus the republicans literally can and do hamstring (block) the democrats from accomplishing much of anything. With a republican President to back the republicans, the democrats have essentially been incapacitated.
Going into the 2008 election, the democratic strategy clearly envisions reaching a filibuster-proof majority of 60 in the Senate.

The point here is the democrats have not been able to accomplish much as they are easily blocked by the republicans if the republicans so desire it. Obviously they have so desired!
The misleading claim by the republicans is how the democrats have had the majority and have done nothing. Below are the reasons as... more

JuliusBC
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17 days ago

Sen. Bond Warns Palin Crowd That Obama Wants Judges Who Empathize With “The Gay”

How dare one be empathetic? That is SO un-American. Taking the stage as one of the pre-program speakers at a Sarah Palin rally... more

Apocalipstick
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1 response

19 days ago

Senators want more NFL games on TV

...because hey, they just "rescued" our economy, what else are they going to do with their time? Here's the... more

sajh
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20 days ago

Senator Dianne Feinstein: "Vote No on 8"

Senator urges us to vote no on proposition 8 and not to eliminate the rights of any citizens.

queerunity
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17 responses

21 days ago

Palin pals around with the corrupt and convicted

Guilt by association? you decide.

Apocalipstick
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2 responses

22 days ago

Campaign Update 10/27/08

Barack Obama and John McCain hit the homestretch. One of them is winning. One is named John McCain. Watch to find out which is... more

berlich
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13 responses

22 days ago

Why Should They Care

This is the most vital election in America's history. There are so many things that hang in the balance. The significance goes much deeper than some of the personal issues that so many quibble over. It is not about whether you are a republican or a democrat. Right now the entire world is holding their breath as to the outcome of what we do in this election. There is an extreme build up of energy and tension that is soon to be set free on a global scale. The direction this energy will take us (the human race) is why this election is so important. So many things are intertwined across the globe in such a way that we are no longer impacting only our selves with our choices.

We have two choices in candidates to pick from. They both have distinct differences in their perceptions, desires, and focus of purpose. McCain is of the nature to war first and use diplomacy second; just look at his and Sarah Palin’s response to the attack on Georgia. If we would have attacked Russia as they had implied that we should, Palin would have seen missiles rather than Putin’s head launched over her 40 mile stretch of Bering Strait into Alaska. War mongering is not the mentality we want to continue to spew into the world as a nation.

Diplomacy is extremely vital at this point in the journey of humankind as world tensions are mounting. Barack Obama is of the nature to use diplomacy first and then use military force as a last resort. This is not a weakness as some would like to imply. Look back at President Kennedy’s response to the Cuban missile crisis. If McCain and Palin would have been in power at that time, just imagine how different the world would be now! Please note that Obama will not hesitate to use military force if the situation is warranted.

The rest of the world recognizes these distinct differences between Obama and McCain. It is time for more Americans to see this difference as well. There are an increasing number of staunch republican politicians voicing their support for Barack Obama such as Colin Powell, Scott McClellan, and Chris Buckley. They are realizing that this country needs a change and it is not the one that McCain and Palin will bring. They will bring a change but let’s not go there. Vote Barack Obama and Joe Biden into office and the bulk of the world community will get behind us in making the world a safer, greener, and more stable place. Our economy and the rest of the world economies will once again become stable as well.
Peace
This is the most vital election in America's history. There are so many things that hang in the balance. The significance... more