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Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 07:42 PM

"Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota suffered a possible stroke Wednesday and was taken to a Washington hospital, his office said.

Johnson became disoriented during a call with reporters at midday, stuttering in response to a question. He appeared to recover, asking if there were any additional questions before ending the call.

If he should be unable to continue to serve, it could halt the scheduled Democratic takeover of the Senate. Democrats won a 51-49 majority in the November election. South Dakota's governor, who would appoint any temporary replacement, is a Republican."

BREITBART.COM - Sen. Johnson Suffers Possible Stroke

Well, isn't that interesting?

Sorry, Democrats, there's always 2008. But with Nancy Pelosi in the public eye, I'm sure that will guarantee a Republican landslide.

I knew this was going to be an entertaining few years in politics. I'm almost glad my side lost.

Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 07:47 PM

I was thinking....

Perhaps all you godless atheistic leftist Democrats could *pray* for Sen. Tim Johnson's speedy recovery.

Sky Captain · Dec 13, 2006, 07:49 PM

If there was free healthcare, this wouldn't have happened.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

BlueSky · Dec 13, 2006, 07:50 PM

Oh yeah? Well just remember that he who laughs last is a dish best served by keeping your enemies closer.

Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

Oh yeah? Well just remember that he who laughs last is a dish best served by keeping your enemies closer.

damn dude. you made me laugh so hard I almost choked on a piece of candy. You could have killed me. And left the Republicans on this forum without a commander.

I'll pray for Tim Johnson's full recovery, regardless. This is no way to win.

BlueSky · Dec 13, 2006, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

damn dude. you made me laugh so hard I almost choked on a piece of candy. You could have killed me. And left the Republicans on this forum without a commander.

Damn, my timing was off.

Dakar² · 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

I was thinking....

Perhaps all you godless atheistic leftist Democrats could *pray* for Sen. Tim Johnson's speedy recovery.

Who do you think put him in the hospital in the first place?

Rumor · Dec 13, 2006, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Who do you think gave put him in the hospital in the first place?

I'm trying to understand that sentence but am having trouble following.

Nicko · Dec 13, 2006, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

damn dude. you made me laugh so hard I almost choked on a piece of candy. You could have killed me. And left the Republicans on this forum without a commander.

I'll pray for Tim Johnson's full recovery, regardless. This is no way to win.

You're a Republican??

Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 08:06 PM

shhh

besson3c · Dec 13, 2006, 08:47 PM

Spliffdaddy: why don't you pick a sports team and follow them instead? Ought to be more fun than following a political party...

goMac · Dec 13, 2006, 08:52 PM

Topic should be locked. It's inaccurate. Governor of South Dakota can only appoint a temporary representative and then elections are redone, and Tim Johnson's condition is unknown still anyway. So no, extremely doubtful Democrats have lost the house.

Kevin · Dec 13, 2006, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

Topic should be locked. It's inaccurate.

Irony.

Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 08:58 PM

The abbreviated title isn't my fault. Seems to be a character limit.

I typed "Democrats to lose Senate majority if Tim Johnson's stroke becomes a longterm issue and he is unable or unwilling to fulfill his Senate obligations"

I figured some liberal would whine about the inaccuracy of the title after it was posted in its abbreviated form. Blame the software.

GSixZero · Dec 13, 2006, 09:07 PM

AP Wire | 12/13/2006 | South Dakota senator hospitalized

She said, however, the senator did not suffer a stroke or heart attack. His office had said earlier it was a possible stroke.

Looks like he didn't have a stoke or a heart attack after all.

Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 09:20 PM

God fixed him. Thanks to our prayers.

Rumor · Dec 13, 2006, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

God fixed him. Thanks to our prayers.

By that same logic, god broke him.

Spliffdaddy · Dec 13, 2006, 09:41 PM

He was never broke.

It's a miracle I tell ya.

Kevin · Dec 13, 2006, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Rumor

By that same logic, god broke him.

No free will broke him. AKA **** happens. It's not the same logic.

Millennium · Dec 13, 2006, 10:36 PM

Even if this does happen, it would likely only be for 90 or so days, until a special election takes place. That's how it works in that state. At that point, the people are likely to elect another Democrat. In the meantime, the Democrats would likely just filibuster everything.

That said, I doubt it will happen. Although the US has no formalized rule on this, there is a long tradition that when a Senator becomes incapacitated, the replacement is chosen from the same party. Historically this has been held to even when the people in the position to maintain the appointment haven't been from that party. I believe it will hold here.

ironknee · Dec 13, 2006, 10:43 PM

that would have been to most jaw dropping thing if it happened

you can't make these things up....

and thanks for praying spliff

IceBreaker · Dec 13, 2006, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

If there was free healthcare, this wouldn't have happened.

maybe they can get some stem cells from some murdered babies in the Ukraine to keep him going.

ink · Dec 13, 2006, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

maybe they can get some stem cells from some murdered babies in the Ukraine to keep him going.

Nice.

ironknee · Dec 14, 2006, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

No free will broke him. AKA **** happens. It's not the same logic.

how do you know god didn't want him to die?

some people's early deaths helped them achive influences beyond their age

goMac · Dec 14, 2006, 01:16 AM

So after all fuss caused by the Republicans it ends up he didn't actually have a stoke:

Staff: Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms - CNN.com

And this thread continues on a road to lockination land.

BRussell · Dec 14, 2006, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by Millennium

Although the US has no formalized rule on this, there is a long tradition that when a Senator becomes incapacitated, the replacement is chosen from the same party. Historically this has been held to even when the people in the position to maintain the appointment haven't been from that party.

Hmm? I've never heard of that happening. Can you provide an example?

tie · Dec 14, 2006, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by goMac

So after all fuss caused by the Republicans it ends up he didn't actually have a stoke:

Staff: Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms - CNN.com

And this thread continues on a road to lockination land.

No matter. Bomb Iraq!

</Republican>

BRussell · Dec 14, 2006, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by goMac

So after all fuss caused by the Republicans it ends up he didn't actually have a stoke:

Staff: Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms - CNN.com

And this thread continues on a road to lockination land.

He may not have had a stroke, but whatever it is, it sounds serious.

Kevin · Dec 14, 2006, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by ironknee

how do you know god didn't want him to die?

some people's early deaths helped them achieve influences beyond their age

I am not sure you understand how this works.

villalobos · Dec 14, 2006, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

maybe they can get some stem cells from some murdered babies in the Ukraine to keep him going.

They should get some from American babies, they are of better quality.

Moderator · Dec 14, 2006, 08:44 AM

You know what a lot of people are thinking but not saying yet.....Poison.

Dork. · Dec 14, 2006, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Millennium

That said, I doubt it will happen. Although the US has no formalized rule on this, there is a long tradition that when a Senator becomes incapacitated, the replacement is chosen from the same party. Historically this has been held to even when the people in the position to maintain the appointment haven't been from that party. I believe it will hold here.

Do you have any citations for this? I thought there have been seats that have changed hands in this manner in the past.

And there's no guarantee that a Special Election must be held within 90 days. I think it all depends on what their State Constitution (or just state precedent and tradition) says. I seem to remember instances in the past when an appointment to fill a Senate seat lasted throughout the two-year congressional session, and an election was held on the normal Federal two-year election cycle to figure out who would fill the remainder of the six-year term. (This is done because there is generally good turnout for regular Federal Elections, but low turnout for the average Special Election.) However, Johnson would be up for re-election in 2008, anyway.

I think you're right in this case, though. The South Dakota governor probably has no desire to make national headlines like this. If the Senate majority was firm in one direction or the other, it wouldn't matter. But tipping the balance like this would instantly alienate him from half the elctorate, and if he has any further political ambition that would be a bad thing.

I hope Johnson recovers, but if he doesn't look for the most conservative Democrat they can find in South Dakota to fill the spot. Even though I did predict a 50/50 split in the Senate due to the entertainment value involved, I don't want it to happen this way....

stupendousman · Dec 14, 2006, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by goMac

So after all fuss caused by the Republicans it ends up he didn't actually have a stoke:

Staff: Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms - CNN.com

And this thread continues on a road to lockination land.

They are reporting he had emergency brain surgery and is in critical condition. You're right. It might not have been a stroke. It could be something much worse.

Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition After Surgery - washingtonpost.com

Dork. · Dec 14, 2006, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by stupendousman

They are reporting he had emergency brain surgery and is in critical condition. You're right. It might not have been a stroke. It could be something much worse.

Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition After Surgery - washingtonpost.com

That article also states something important: traditionally, once the Senate structure is set up at the beginning of a Congressional session, it doesn't change while that Congress is in session, even if the "balance of power" happens to shift. What happened in 2001 was an exception: since the Senate was a 50-50 split after the election, even though Dick Cheney had the tie-breaking vote, Democrats were able to gain some consessions. One of them was specifically that if there was any change to the balance of power in the Senate during the congressional session, the Senate structure would be re-worked. When Jeffords bolted from the Republicans, that's exactly what happened.

That seems to indicate that if Johnson is unable to continue in office (or even if he is, but has to take time to recover) and no replacement is appointed until after the new Congress organizes, then the Democrats will still have the majority during that period with a 50-49 split, and can take control of the commmittees. Once that happens, it's entirely possible that even if Johnson has to step down and a Republican takes his place, Democrats will still hold the leadership positions in the Senate while Republicans can control the actual votes with Dick Cheney's tie-breaker....

I don't know much about how these things work. I imagine that a simple majority vote is all that is needed to "re-organize" the Senate, but the fact that the Republicans had to make concessions in 2001 indicates that this organizational stuff might be hard to do in a 50-50 scenario.

spacefreak · Dec 14, 2006, 10:19 AM

Hope for the man's recovery, people. The political stuff will work itself out.

Dork. · Dec 14, 2006, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Hope for the man's recovery, people. The political stuff will work itself out.

Absolutely! Please don't take my idle ruminations about these things as an indication that I'm hoping for anything else....

Millennium · Dec 14, 2006, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Dork.

And there's no guarantee that a Special Election must be held within 90 days. I think it all depends on what their State Constitution (or just state precedent and tradition) says.

You're correct, but this Senator is from a state which has the 90-day thing enshrined in its law, which is why I mentioned it.

medicineman · Dec 14, 2006, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

If there was free healthcare, this wouldn't have happened.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

If there was free health care who would provide it?

Sky Captain · Dec 14, 2006, 11:58 AM

The nanny state gubment.

BRussell · Dec 14, 2006, 12:01 PM

Hillary Clinton wouldn't have let him have a stroke.

Rumor · Dec 14, 2006, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by stupendousman

They are reporting he had emergency brain surgery and is in critical condition. You're right. It might not have been a stroke. It could be something much worse.

Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition After Surgery - washingtonpost.com

They are turning him into a Republican cyborg!

goMac · Dec 14, 2006, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by stupendousman

They are reporting he had emergency brain surgery and is in critical condition. You're right. It might not have been a stroke. It could be something much worse.

Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition After Surgery - washingtonpost.com

He apparently had a brain hemorrhage, which while serious, is not as serious as a stroke. I think he'll come back to the senate, not to mention they are on a break for the next month anyway. There is no reason he could not take some leave from the senate either.

BRussell · Dec 14, 2006, 01:14 PM

As far as I know, a brain hemorrhage is a stroke.

Spliffdaddy · Dec 14, 2006, 02:07 PM

Apparently, you can't believe anything a Democratic spokesman says. They seem to be kinda like a Fidel Castro spokesman.

"Dingy" Harry Reid claims that Sen. Johnson "looks good" - after spending the night at the hospital with him. Well, if "looking good" means you're unconscious and unable to speak.

RAILhead · Dec 14, 2006, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

Apparently, you can't believe anything a Democratic spokesman says. They seem to be kinda like a Fidel Castro spokesman.

"Dingy" Harry Reid claims that Sen. Johnson "looks good" - after spending the night at the hospital with him. Well, if "looking good" means you're unconscious and unable to speak.

Isn't that when Dems look their best?

/Thank you, I'll be here all week...

goMac · Dec 14, 2006, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by BRussell

As far as I know, a brain hemorrhage is a stroke.

I don't think so. Stroke is lack of blood to a part of the brain. A brain hemorrhage is bleeding in the brain. A hemorrhage is less worrying because it means damage to his brain is more likely short term, as where a stroke can disable sections of the brain.

villalobos · Dec 14, 2006, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

I don't think so. Stroke is lack of blood to a part of the brain. A brain hemorrhage is bleeding in the brain. A hemorrhage is less worrying because it means damage to his brain is more likely short term, as where a stroke can disable sections of the brain.

Yeah it seems closer to an aneurism than a stroke.

GSixZero · Dec 14, 2006, 05:36 PM

Sounds like control of congress hinges on a vote on January 4th which will organize the structure of the senate. It's possible that once the senate is organized, it could not be reorganized even if republicans take the majority.

The Republicans could lobby for a clause that would reorganize if the committee memberships if the majority changes. Regardless, they'll be in the minority for the vote 50-49 if Sen. Johnson is still in the hospital. They'd need to instate the measure procedurally. (Filibuster)

OldManMac · Dec 14, 2006, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Hope for the man's recovery, people. The political stuff will work itself out.

Absolutely! It's actually quite sad that someone would use another's misfortune to gloat about something they'd like to see.

goMac · Dec 14, 2006, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by GSixZero

The Republicans could lobby for a clause that would reorganize if the committee memberships if the majority changes. Regardless, they'll be in the minority for the vote 50-49 if Sen. Johnson is still in the hospital. They'd need to instate the measure procedurally. (Filibuster)

Right. If he is still recovering by the time Congress starts up, he would just take some leave. This would still leave the Republicans without a majority.