I Rather Enjoy Facts

[billroper]

Facts are a wonderful thing. I work on collecting them, because they help me to have an informed opinion.

If I am wrong on a factual matter, then I would appreciate the correction.

If I am actually correct on a factual matter -- say, for instance, the fact that the Democrats had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate for a brief time during President Obama's first term -- you will not win points by saying there were actually only 58 Democratic senators during that time, because Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman were independents caucusing with the Democrats.

*thud* *thud* *thud*

Comments

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

60 democratic votes doesn't really count as a filibuster-proof majority because Democrats are too undisciplined to all vote the same way. (half :-) / half *sigh*)

[grey-lady.livejournal.com]

I suppose that it an additional fact, although it does seem rather pedantic.

Although, in full disclosure - I have been known to be unnecessarily pedantic. *sigh*

[ericcoleman]

Joe endorsed John McCain in the 2008 election. He continued to caucus with the Democrats in 2009, but it was very tentative and mostly at President Obama's request. Considering that he really is a conservative at heart, albeit an old fashioned one, he could not be counted on to maintain that majority.

[billroper]

Of course, he actually did maintain that majority.

And he had agreed to caucus with the Democrats after winning re-election in 2006 as an independent, which gave the Democrats control of the Senate then, so...

I mean, they could have taken serious action against him when he endorsed McCain, but if he had stopped caucusing with the Democrats, it would have cost them control of the Senate.

[ericcoleman]

I see what you're saying, and kind of agree, but I think you're stretching a bit.

Even if he did follow everything that the Democrats did, and he didn't, it was for a total of about 4, maybe 5 months spread out over two periods of time. Not enough time to get anything done.

Politics are, always, more than the numbers suggest.