Obviously, Blago's appointment of the ridiculous Roland Burris to fill Obama's Senate seat is a scandal. But I agree with Steve Chapman here:
One of the axioms of American democracy is that we are a government of laws, not of men. We are supposed to follow the requirements of our Constitution and statutes even when they yield results we don't like--say, freeing a person who appears guilty. We are about to find out if Democrats in the U.S. Senate want to follow the rule of law or indulge their own preferences.The dilemma arises because of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's decision to appoint a replacement, Roland Burris, for the seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama. I have no desire to be represented in Washington by Roland Burris, but then, I have no desire to be represented in Springfield by Blagojevich. The truth, though, is that both were chosen by legitimate, democratic procedures, and until they are removed by legitimate, democratic procedures, we--and the Senate--have an obligation to put up with them.
The Democrat-controlled Illinois legislature could have taken this power away from Blago by passing a law mandating a special election to fill the Obama seat. They didn't, fearing a GOP victory. They've made their own bed here; let them lie in it. Anyway, I shall enjoy how Blago and Burris are using the left's fixation with racial politics against the Democrats. And as Pat Buchanan observes, there's likely more to come.
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The funniest part is that, had Blago not tried to appoint this guy, there is a significant probability that he may have ended up in the senate seat anyway.
This who thing is disgusting and the constituents of Illinois are the ones who suffer.
The truth is that if he had been elected to the office, Roland Burris would probably be the most qualified person sworn in today. He had a long career in public service and never a taint of corruption about him as well as being a genuinely decent and good man.
If Harry Reid had any brains he would have found a way to embrace Burris while at the same time damning Blago, but no one has ever accused Harry Reid of excessive intelligence.
Dave Zimmerman appears not to have read the applicable Supreme Court decision, which came down back when Adam Clayton Powell kept getting kicked out of Congress and then re-elected by his district. The only "qualifications" Congress now has the authority to rule on as to its prospective members are the constitutional ones--age, residence, and citizenship.
Steve Chapman: "We are a government of laws, not of men."
Yes, of course. Blago sounds like a buffoon and looks like a crook ... but he is the Governor of Illinois and has the power to appoint. The Illinois legislature did not act in December when it had a chance. Blago's pick of Burris has to be accepted by the U.S. Senate.
Besides, Senator Roland Burris can't be any worse than Senator Caroline Kennedy.
Rod, why, exactly, is Roland Burris ridiculous? Obviously Blago shouldn't have appointed him, because Blago shouldn't have appointed anyone; but Mr. Burris has a long career in public service and no scandals in his background. What, precisely, are you referring to?
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