Obama on the Daily Show

[Restrat]

"everyone has equal say" only if you look at states as the individuals being changed by policy and not the people in them

[Anton]

Funny clip, but I guess it's working as intended...

I dunno. Canada threw away the Senate as a useful tool years ago - now it's basically a trophy case for Canadian folk heroes and political drones. Not like ours does much better, but at least they shut up and go straight for the rubber stamp.

Fun fact: Canada is one of few countries that has absolute parliamentary power. It's called the notwithstanding clause- If, for some absurd reason, the Canadian people wanted to murder every 10th first born son (cause that's what canadians want to do in this hypothetical), the majority leader could pass a bill legislating their deaths. The bill would then go to the Supreme court justices, who will shit their Depends, and say "That's unconstitutional - you cannot do that". The Prime Minister can then invoke the notwithstanding clause "The people of Canada have spoken, and so I will ignore the Charter of Rights and freedoms, the bill of rights, any judicial review, etc and invoke this bill not with standing the Charter section on murder". The people will celebrate, and blood will fill the streets.

Of course if you're so foolish to invoke the clause for a lark and not be totally loved, you will probably incite a revolution. Thus, no Prime Minister reaches for that button.

Fun Fact 2: In the very few instances where the clause has been invoked, Saskatchewan holds the distinction in invoking the NWSclause to override a labour clause in the Charter... only for someone to tell them the law they passed was actually legal all the way... so for no reason at all.

[Acturus]

A case can most certainly be made to reform the process by which each chamber of Congress moves legislation through (i.e. filibusters, committee timetables, pork addendums), but the fundamental form of each chamber is sound, and using both chambers together can still work.

[Atreides]

Ted Kaufman (D-DE, the guy appointed to take over Biden's spot) actually had some really interesting comments on the Senate when he was on the Daily Show a few days before Obama, that according to Washington/Jefferson essentially the entire point of the Senate is to put a stop to things from the House, so the constant filibustering is actually the Senate working as intended. Of course, that's still pretty depressing but yeah.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-epi...10-ted-kaufman

[Anton]

Ted Kaufman (D-DE, the guy appointed to take over Biden's spot) actually had some really interesting comments on the Senate when he was on the Daily Show a few days before Obama, that according to Washington/Jefferson essentially the entire point of the Senate is to put a stop to things from the House, so the constant filibustering is actually the Senate working as intended. Of course, that's still pretty depressing but yeah.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-epi...10-ted-kaufman

The day before Obama came on the Daily Show, Jon Stewart had a good interview with Senator Ted Kaufman.

If you're wondering about the Senate's effectiveness, this is a good piece to watch:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tu...10/ted-kaufman

Looks like ted kaufman's job is pretty secure

[Atreides]

oh whoops, didn't see that. Yeah I was really impressed by him, if I was living in delaware I would definitely be hoping he'd actually run after his term ends

[Acturus]

Looks like ted kaufman's job is pretty secure

I fully embrace my place in the demographic of people who primarily get their news from comedy shows like the Daily Show and SNL's Weekend Update.

[Atreides]

oh nvm, looks like Ted Kaufman's seat is the one that Coons and O'Donnell are running for. That's pretty sad, I wonder what the guy will do come january

[Kuya]

Yes, it is. It keeps the balance so the bigger states aren't pushing the smaller states around and everyone has a more equal say. No one said it is a perfect system, but it is better than the suggested alternative

A case can most certainly be made to reform the process by which each chamber of Congress moves legislation through (i.e. filibusters, committee timetables, pork addendums), but the fundamental form of each chamber is sound, and using both chambers together can still work.

I disagree completely. The Senate is a hindrance and anachronistic. It's purpose is long gone. It was fundamentally a compromise between individual States (with a capital S) in order to form a union. Rhetorically, it was said that the Senate was meant to be a counterweight to the populist impulses of the House, but it was must be said that the ones who framed the Constitution were all property owners while most of the Country was not.

Seeing as how the individual states in the US can barely be called Sovereign States, that, if not appealed to, may use their military power to secede from the union, the Senate as a compromise between previously Sovereign States has outlived its use.

[Priran]

kuya, no one gives a shit what puerto rico thinks about states' rights

[Kuya]

Priran, why you gotta stick a dick in my soup

[Priran]

purple fag day tradition

[Kuya]

What do dicks and purple fags have to do with the senate

[Priran]

what do dicks and purple fags have to do with anything if not the senate

[Kuya]

I don't have an anwer to that. So i fold.

[Egon]

I didn't watch it, so I can't comment.

However, it's funny to me that the GoP is about to win the senate and some people here now want to kill some/all of the senate's power.

With the few years I've been coming to BG I have never once seen anyone post anything anti-senate. But, maybe I've been blind all these years. It's a smart move on y'alls part though. The GoP is going to do cut, after cut, after cut, and you'll need to show that they have way to much power.

[Kuya]

I have never once seen anyone post anything anti-senate

lol

[Atreides]

"I didn't watch it so I can't comment, but I'm going to comment anyway"

[Kazen]

"I didn't watch it so I can't comment, but I'm going to comment anyway"

Replace that with "I don't know" and you just created the new tea party slogan.

"I don't know so I can't comment, but I'm going to comment anyway"

[Anton]

I didn't watch it, so I can't comment.

However, it's funny to me that the GoP is about to win the senate and some people here now want to kill some/all of the senate's power.

With the few years I've been coming to BG I have never once seen anyone post anything anti-senate. But, maybe I've been blind all these years. It's a smart move on y'alls part though. The GoP is going to do cut, after cut, after cut, and you'll need to show that they have way to much power.

Really? Cause... Newsflash I'm Canadian (I lean conservative)... and I started it, so...

See, this is what I love about American politics. I made a point about how the Senate is set up overvaluing ag interests relative to the country pop, and how it promotes this pork-based system. And then in comes "I didn't pay any attention to you at all UNTIL I DISCOVERED YOUR TRUE MOTIVE, GOPHATER! FACE THE LIGHT OF TRUTH AND BE REVEEEALLLLLED!"

Well you got me. My plan was to turn the US Senate into a hockey rink and bills will be fought over with fistfights.