Centrist Pundits

I’d be mad as hell about this if I lived in Minnesota. Five months after the election, and they still only have one Senator in Washington.

It’s not just being mad at Coleman for fighting this (or Franken, when he was behind, for that matter). It’s also a state election law that doesn’t list a point at which some decision has to be made. The day before the oath of office is administered, perhaps they should do a coin toss or something.

Also, read what the good people over at The Moderate Voice say about it.

Greg Congress, National Politics, Political Parties Coleman, elections, Franken

We haven’t heard as much about the Minnesota election since it entered the legal phase, perhaps because courtrooms, while important, are inherently boring.  But while courtrooms are boring, there is one interesting thing happening right now – Coleman is suggesting that the election be thrown out.

Coleman’s lawyer has suggested to the judges that the number of possibly illegal ballots exceeds the margin in the election, and that there are so many issues clouding the election that doing it over may be the only sensible result, since there’s no resolution forthcoming.  (For the record, it may be obvious, but Franken’s lawyers disagree)

We here at Centrist Pundits are a big fan of elections, and democracy, andsometimes, elections are close (though perhaps if we had instant run-off voting, this mess could have been avoided).  I’m also a big fan of judicial superiority, and so if a court orders a new election, I’ll support it.  But I’m not sure its a good suggestion, and I’m not sure its a legal suggestion, which of course are two different things.  I’m not a lawyer, but my gut tells me doing another election isn’t the right course, as a general rule.

I also have no idea what would happen if it was thrown out.  Would there be a new election?  What if that one was close as well?  Or would there just be a gubernatorial appointment?  If it is another election, should there be an interim appointment?  Its massively complex, to my mind, although that may just be gaps in my knowledge.

That said, I bring this up not to get in to the legalities of it that are beyond my comprehension.  I bring it up because I love pointing out when politicians contradict themselves.  Remember, when the election first went through, Coleman was up by about 400 votes.  That was very much inside the automatic recount rules in Minnesota.  But he called on Franken to step down for the good of the state.  I’m not that upset by how long this is going on, or the legal stuff, but I really would like Coleman to answer just one question: why isn’t what’s good for the goose good for the gander?

JC Congress Coleman, elections, Franken, senators