• Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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    1 year ago

    I wonder if he can even make it to the end of his term. He knows the Democratic governor of Kentucky will not appoint a Republican to replace him, so he’s going to fight that.

    • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Oh, I’d put money on them keeping him in a vegetative state if he croaks just to keep a Democrat out of power.

      It would be the culmination of his life’s work.

        • Unaware7013@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          It’s funny how on certain topics (and to be clear, VERY few), the Dems and reps are the same. The Dems have feinstein who’s in a similar state, and she’s got people keeping her in office because they don’t like who the governor is(n’t) going to pick

          • krayj@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            Feinstein is an order of magnitude more cognizant than McConnell, and yet a great many Dems want to see her removed also…and you just don’t see that kind of parity with the GOP.

            • Unaware7013@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              I wouldn’t go as far as to say the lady who tried to give a speech during a roll call vote, ceded power of attorney to her daughter and has to heavily rely on her staff to function is more mentally cognizant than the turtle by any stretch. He’s struggling, but she’s on another level.

              But you’re right, there’s at least calls from the Dems to kick her out, so there is a decent difference between the two parties. I just wish the leadership felt the same way.

            • jscummy@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              There’s reports from colleagues that they need to repeatedly reintroduce themselves to her during the same meeting. She was completely unaware of her own months long absence from the capital.

              There’s definitely more Democrats calling for her retirement than GOP calling for McConnells (AFAIK there are zero), but saying she’s an “order of magnitude more cognizant” is pretty damn generous

            • minorninth@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              That’s ridiculous, Feinstein is clearly far more gone.

              The issue isn’t her replacement, it’s that Dems would lose control of all of the committees she’s on.

              I don’t believe for one second that Democrats and Republicans are the same or equally corrupt.

              In this case, though, it does seem like they’re both playing the same stupid game due to their own seniority rules.

          • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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            1 year ago

            It’s not about who Gavin Newsom would or would not pick, it’s a matter of the Judicial Committee being brought to it’s knees if she’s out.

            They can’t appoint a replacement without cooperation from the Republicans, and the Republicans would rather stall the committee than replace her.

      • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Like they did with Strom Thurmond. Dude had to be wheeled onto the Senate floor and looked half dead by the end.

        Part of the reason this happens is committee seniority is determined by length of time in the Senate, so to control committees it’s important to keep Senators in office as long as possible for both parties.

      • darq@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        I think some people might read this comment and think you are describing some satirical hyperbolic scenario. But given what we have seen from conservatives over the last few years, It’s not just possible, it’s their normal.

          • Maturin@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            William Rehnquist had a speaker installed in his private bathroom and the last couple of years on the court, he would suddenly disappear from the bench during oral arguments, but never worry, he could still hear them arguing on his special toilet speaker before making decisions that would affect hundreds of millions of people.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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        1 year ago

        This is insanity.

        Under the amended law, the governor now may only choose from three names recommended by the executive committee of the outgoing senator’s state party, and must make that selection within 21 days of receiving the list from the party.

        With both of Kentucky’s senators currently being Republican, the choosing of those three nominees would be up to the executive committee of the Republican Party of Kentucky, which is made up of 54 members.

        After a vacancy is filled, there would be a special election with an open and bipartisan process — often referred to as a “jungle primary” — allowing any candidate gaining 1,000 signature to run. A candidate with more than 50% of the vote would win, but if no one wins a majority of the vote, the top two vote getters would go on to a runoff election in 70 days.

        The timing of that election would be determined based on when the vacancy occurred.

        If the vacancy occurred more than three months before a regularly scheduled election, that’s when it would take place. It the vacancy occurred less than three months before an election and a regular election is scheduled the following year, the latter election date is when the vote for the Senate seat would occur.

        • xirxirxir@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Arizona, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, Utah, & Wyoming have similar laws according to ballotpedia.

          Mind you, not disputing the insanity heh

          • Capwiz@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            I’m a huge liberal but doesn’t this make it a little more democratic than the governor picking someone?