Animal wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 1:57 pm
The argument here isn't how they wasted their use of that time, its whether the time existed in the first place. which it did.
Yes, it existed. I've already said that. (try paying attention)
The Dems didn't have a Supermajority when Obama took office. The Dems didn't have 60 seats until Franken was seated in July 2009. But even then, there were 2 Dems who were busy dying, so the Dems had 60 seats but only 58 votes. It was a Supermajority in name only.
After Kennedy died his seat was taken by Kirk so the Dems had 60 seats but only 59 votes. Again, a Supermajority in name only.
Robert Byrd died. (Dem)
The "Supermajority" was lost when Brown was seated in Jan.2010.
The Dems had a Supermajority for 72 Senate working days out of 191 days the Senate was in session. Not a year and a half. Not 2 years. 72 days.
Here's the timeline:
In January 2009, there were 56 Senate Democrats and two independents who caucused with Democrats. This combined total of 58 included Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), whose health was failing and was unable to serve. As a practical matter, in the early months of Obama's presidency, the Senate Democratic caucus had 57 members on the floor for day-to-day legislating.
In April 2009, Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter switched parties. This meant there were 57 Democrats, and two independents who caucused with Democrats, for a caucus of 59. But with Kennedy ailing, there were still "only" 58 Democratic caucus members in the chamber.
In May 2009, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) was hospitalized, bringing the number of Senate Dems in the chamber down to 57.
In July 2009, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) was finally seated after a lengthy recount/legal fight. At that point, the Democratic caucus reached 60, but two of its members, Kennedy and Byrd, were unavailable for votes.
In August 2009, Kennedy died, and Democratic caucus again stood at 59.
In September 2009, Sen. Paul Kirk (D-Mass.) filled Kennedy's vacancy, bringing the caucus back to 60, though Byrd's health continued to deteriorate.
In January 2010, Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) replaced Kirk, bringing the Democratic caucus back to 59 again.
In June 2010, Byrd died, and the Democratic caucus fell to 58, where it stood until the midterms.