Why is Al Franken bothering; or for that matter, Republicans?

I hope Al Franken possesses no illusions about grasping some impending rein of power; that as a high-profile Democratic senator, and a majority member, no less, he'll find himself neatly positioned to effect some of that social good of which he's always dreamed.

For the unblinkered know better ... and better, and better, with each passing day. They're learning that when it comes to slatternly party discipline, excepting that revolving around the most exquisitely refined campaign-finance techniques, the United States Senate in Democratic hands is a wholly individualized institution that simply cannot be beat.

In the absence, that is, of an iron-fisted majority leader such as Lyndon Johnson, Senate Democrats are but captives of a cat-herding corral, with predictable results: this one is owned by big pharma, that one by hospital associations, the other by profit-mongering physicians, and that other guy by HMOs.

Their constituents, or so they believe (and one must confess, with good reason), are the least of their worries. They need only one, indispensable thing: ready cash, to flood the airwaves every six years and to hire expert consultants to convince the poor, gullible, and otherwise disaffected boobs that it's time to pony up another pointless vote in support of their man, or woman, who's neatly positioned to effect some of that social good of which the boobs have always dreamed.

Franken, coming, as he does, from a swing state, is guaranteed a tough reelection fight. So he'll have to join in on the game -- the outcomes of which will almost invariably come down on the decisive side of the specially interested, well-heeled status quo.

All of which causes me to marvel not so much at Al Franken and the Democratic Party, but at the financial wastefulness of the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and a bevy of individual GOP senators. As the Politico reported yesterday, they have, combined, "over the past three months," pumped a mountain of cash into Sen. Norm Coleman's hopelessly quixotic survivalism, just to avert an immediate Frankenesque 60.

Why bother? I mean, it's not like Franken is off to join some deliberative chamber that threatens political mediocrity of the mind. You're safe, guys. Don't sweat it. Save your money, protect that cash.

Comments

[Ken Duerksen]

....yep, and with "Hope You Can Believe In" turning out to be as timid and mute as Harry Reid, there is nothing for the new mercantilists to worry about.

[critique]

It's time for a forceful democrat to have a meeting of democrat House and Senate members and crack skulls of those who habitually run from republicans with their tails between their legs. Timid dems may be holding their big lobbyists close to their vests, but their voters are straying further and further away.
One might say those voters are off the leash too.