Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota has undergone surgery for a stroke. If he is unable to serve out his term, his replacement will be appointed by South Dakota's Republican Governor. This could shift the balance of power in the Senate back to 50 seats for each party, with Dick Cheney breaking tie votes.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/14/johnson.ill/index.html

Since the important business of selecting commitee chairmen and adopting the rules is first on the agenda, much hangs in the balance.

Oh god, I think I saw this coming...

Is the jr senator from NY going to blame the right for Sen. Johnson's poor fortune as she did when her bedmate was POTUS?

I don't usually buy into conspiracy theory, but I have to admit that the senator having a stroke now is a teensy bit suspicious. Just a coincidence, I'm sure, though.

a dem in a state with a republican governor.

And wasn't it heartwarming to hear all the republican talking heads (Scarborough fer instance) just salivating about the possibility of the senate going back to republican control. Nothing but negative vibes for the stricken senator from FOX, CNN, MSNBC ... all day long.

Those rat bastids will face their karma someday. Count on it.

While I would like to see the Senate return to Republican control I do not wish to see it happen at the expense of Tim Johnson. I hope and pray he has a speedy and complete recovery.

While I would like to see the Senate return to Republican control I do not wish to see it happen at the expense of Tim Johnson. I hope and pray he has a speedy and complete recovery.

Agree Frogger ... I recall only good vibes for Senator Thomas (R-Wyoming) when it was announced he had Leukemia a while back. No negative vibes from either side. That's the way it should be.

what is the name of that powder you put in someones drink that gives them a stroke? oh ya, there isnt anything like that. Its just bad luck, I will pray for him and his family. as far as contol of the senate goes, who cares, nothing will change anyway.

Regardless of who controls the senate, we'll still be paying them all to line their pockets. As Travh20 says, "... who cares, nothing will change anyway."

Those rat bastids will face their karma someday. Count on it.

Yeah.

Too bad that when it happens you and I may be long dead due to their despicable and flawed political leadership.

I don't usually buy into conspiracy theory, but I have to admit that the senator having a stroke now is a teensy bit suspicious.

I heard it yesterday...and my first thought was; I wonder how closely the black ops guys have been perusing the health records of various Senators (well 'various" as in *Democratic Senators from states with Republican governors*) , and secondly, i wonder if they have some way of causing someone to suffer a stroke.

Prolly just one more 'o them odd co-inky-dinkys that keep happening, though.

Yeah. I'll bet that's it.

Yeah.

Too bad that when it happens you and I may be long dead due to their despicable and flawed political leadership.

The way these AWOL, ChickenHawk, lightweights operate ... we could all expire tomorrow.

Which one of you are the more paranoid - FT or Dop? Damn if the both of you don't see conspiracy everywhere you look. Is it impossible to believe that the good Senator has a blown blood vessel in the brain just from natural causes?

we could all expire tomorrow.
Words...cannot describe my feelings now.

The whole discussion of this in terms of the balance of power, from Matt Lauer to Scarborough, is just crass.

that he had heard people talking today about how they want Senator Johnson to die so the republicans reclaim the senate. He went on to condem them and said he backed out of the room in disbelief. Although he didn't explicitly mention MSNBC, it would appear that is where he witnessed these bozos.

Then of course, he spend a great part of his show salivating over how wonderful it would be if Johnson did die and the republican senate got to select the next 2 supreme court justices.

None of this surprised me. After seeing the wall of protection the conservatives put around Foley the pedophile, Robertson the assassinator and Scooter the traitor ... this is mild.

None of this surprised me. After seeing the wall of protection the conservatives put around Foley the pedophile,
He did not molest any children. He made sexual advances at a teenage boy.
Robertson the assassinator
He killed no one.
and Scooter the traitor
Is Plame's husband a traitor too?

He did not molest any children. He made sexual advances at a teenage boy.

Make no mistake about it ... the reason it was a teenager is because that is the age for interns. Had the age been 4 years old, he still would have gone after them. That's how those sick FUXS work.

Quit playing Naive.

Make no mistake about it ... the reason it was a teenager is because that is the age for interns. Had the age been 4 years old, he still would have gone after them. That's how those sick FUXS work.

Quit playing Naive.
I don't think I've ever seen a funnier post on this website. Are you fo' real?

Wait, wait, so it was okay for him to make sexual advances at a teenage boy?

1. Then of course, he spend a great part of his show salivating over.....
2. After seeing the wall of protection the conservatives put around .... Scooter the traitor ... this is mild.1. Describe this "salivating".

2. Plame blew up in your paranoid face. If Libby gets convicted of Fitzgerald's face-saving-Martha-Stewart-like charges they will not be anything traitorous.
Shouldn't you be more concerned with Armitage, the actual leaker, and with Colin Powell and Fitzgerald who knew who it was all along?

I don't think I've ever seen a funnier post on this website. Are you fo' real?Let me help you out Eva.
Naive - refusing to make up facts to bolster the important imaginary truth you cling to.

Wait, wait, so it was okay for him to make sexual advances at a teenage boy?
The boy was of age, so I could care less. If he was in the wrong legally, he'll face punishment (I am not well versed in internet predation laws), but I see no moral consequences to what he did, unless of course, someone considers breaking those specific internet laws, immoral.

Sorry if that post came out badly, as I'm laughing so hard at Dop's last post about Foley that I started coughing.

1. Describe this "salivating".

2. Plame blew up in your paranoid face. If Libby gets convicted of Fitzgerald's face-saving-Martha-Stewart-like charges they will not be anything traitorous.
Shouldn't you be more concerned with Armitage, the actual leaker, and with Colin Powell and Fitzgerald who knew who it was all along?

You're the second person in this thread to use the word paranoid incorrectly.

Good job.

You're the second person in this thread to use the word paranoid incorrectly.
I think your Plame-Libby-Bush-Cheney conspiracy dovetails nicely with your usual black helicopter fare.

Joe Scarborough said on his show tonight ...
that he had heard people talking today about how they want Senator Johnson to die so the republicans reclaim the senate. He went on to condem them and said he backed out of the room in disbelief.

Oh bullshit.

You cannot make me believe that any human being in America would be "in disbelief" to hear the ConservaFascists wishing for Johnson's death.

The despicable Rightwing faction has a LOOOOONG history of doing FAR worse things than to simply wish for a political opponent's death in order for them to hold on to the reins of power.

No person in this country would honestly be "surprised" to hear the antihuman bastards on the Right praying that Johnson would die, knowing that if he did it would grant them the return of control of the Senate.

Most of the "mean old republican" talk on this thread consists of two guys imagining what other people are thinking.
Sad really.

Most of the "mean old republican" talk on this thread consists of two guys imagining what other people are thinking.


Errrrr, ....no actually, it consists of one person, me, making a reasoned assumption about what the mindset of certain (extremely conservative) people is, based on over 50 years of living amongst them.

Errrrr, ....no actually, it consists of one person, me, making a reasoned assumption about what the mindset of certain (extremely conservative) people is, based on over 50 years of living amongst them.Yeah, that's much different than what I said.

Yeah, that's much different than what I said.

I agree.

Simply "imagining" something and making a reasoned assumption about something are much different.

Somewhat analogous to the way that superstitionist simpletons imagine the existence of homo sapiens coming about because some invisible, supernatural entity waved his fucking wand and **poof**, a fully formed man just appeared out of thin air, and the reasoned assumption (aka, evolution) that scientists have made about the way that homo sapiens came to exist.

Simply "imagining" something and making a reasoned assumption about something are much different.Oh I see now.
In one case you made something up that may or may not be true and in the other case you made something up that may or may not be true.
I guess that's some of that "free"thinking we've been hearing so much about.

Originally Posted by Freethinker
Simply "imagining" something and making a reasoned assumption about something are much different. In one case you made something up that may or may not be true and in the other case you made something up that may or may not be true.

Oh I see now.

No, you still do not see.

But then, that is because you purposely refuse to understand.

Only after you have consulted a dictionary and looked up the word *imagine* will you understand the difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMAGINE

Pronunciation: i'majin

Definition: [v] form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, contrast that with what it is to base something on a reasoned assumption.

Sheesh. I regret that I even gave you the time of day. It takes too much effort to constantly herd you back toward reality. I'm through.

You're the second person in this thread to use the word paranoid incorrectly.

Paranoid

Relating to, characteristic of, or affected with paranoia.
Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others: a paranoid suspicion that the phone might be bugged.This seems to sum it up pretty well. The word was not used incorrectly that I can determine.

Fortunately, as of last night, Sen. Johnson was reported to be responding to his wifes voice, and might substantially recover. The prognosis is reasonably good.
One of the really interesting questions is a what point should a Senator be replaced. No Senator has been replaced so far except on their death. However, the rule is that they shall be replaced if they are unable to serve out their term. What this might mean if someone was in a coma, or kept alive on machines is interesting. It has never really been decided, and might well need to be decided on an individual basis. There is also no indication of who should make the decision as to whether someone could serve their term. A brain dead Senator might be great fodder for comedians, but would probably be poor policy. They would be difficult to bribe though.

IMAGINE - Pronunciation: i'majin
Definition: form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case.Free, that is exactly what you did. Scarborough said something, and you told us what he actually was thinking.

I don't like your opinions but I usually respect your dignity.
You're getting like Dop.

1. What this might mean if someone was in a coma,
2. A brain dead Senator might be great fodder for comedians, but would probably be poor policy.
3. They would be difficult to bribe though.1. Well, Lautenberg is still serving in New Jersey.

2. If Reid has to prop him up with coat hangers, one way or another this guy isn't going anywhere.

3. No, that survives cessation of brain function.

Paranoid

Relating to, characteristic of, or affected with paranoia.
Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others: a paranoid suspicion that the phone might be bugged.This seems to sum it up pretty well. The word was not used incorrectly that I can determine.

Paranoia is a mental health issue with much more than the Merriam Webster definition laying it's foundation.

According to you, everyone that likes to dabble in conspiracy theories is paranoid. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone with credibility in the mental health institution that would agree with you.

Not everyone, only a selected few.

I don't buy into conspiracy theories, but I am paranoid... In every situation, I tend to imagine every way I could possibly die, and then obsess about it.