Recent victories in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire special elections suggest Democrats can score huge wins in the fight to control state legislatures. That changes everything.
On January 20th, 2009, 57 Senate seats were held by Democrats with 2 Independents (Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman) caucusing with the Democrats…which gave Democrats 59 mostly-reliable Democratic votes in the Senate, one shy of filibuster-proof “total control.” Republicans held 41 seats.
So far so good. Well, not filibuster proof.
The 59 number in January, 2009 included Ted Kennedy and Al Franken. Kennedy had a seizure during an Obama inaugural luncheon and never returned to vote in the Senate…and Al Franken was not officially seated until July 7th, 2009 (hotly contested recount demanded by Norm Coleman.)
Oh what’s this? The actual number was really 55 Dems + 2 independents!
Then in April, 2009, Republican Senator Arlen Specter became a Democrat. Kennedy was still at home, dying, and Al Franken was still not seated. Score in April, 2009…Democratic votes 58.
In May, 2009, Robert Byrd got sick and did not return to the Senate until July 21, 2009. Even though Franken was finally seated July 7, 2009 and Byrd returned on July 21…Democrats still only had 59 votes in the Senate because Kennedy never returned, dying on August 25, 2009.
Nope, still not filibuster proof.
Kennedy’s empty seat was temporarily filled by Paul Kirk but not until September 24, 2009.
The swearing in of Kirk finally gave Democrats 60 votes (at least potentially) in the Senate. “Total control” of Congress by Democrats lasted all of 4 months. From September 24, 2009 through February 4, 2010…at which point Scott Brown, a Republican, was sworn in to replace Kennedy’s Massachusetts seat.
There’s that filibuster proof majority of 58 Dems + 2 independents.
And when was the ACA passed in the Senate? Exactly in that period, on 24th of December 2009.
The House agreed on it on March 21st 2010, and by then, there was no filibuster proof majority anymore to go further than the ACA.
Oh, and after 2011, Dems never gained house and Senate majority together for a decade. That’s one reason why the US is so fucked, by the way.
Hi, my name is ProcurementCat and I call out people who pretend to be very leftist but actually only make leftist politicians look bad.
Edit: Oh, and there was one major amendment to the ACA, by the way: When Republicans used it for tax cuts under Trump.
It took a filibuster proof majority to pass the ACA, it took 51 votes to turn it into a 2.3 trillion tax gift for the rich. Don’t really hear you complain about that.
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Theoretically. For 72 days.
But let’s take a closer look at that statement, shall we? Because in my opinion, it’s a blatant lie:
https://eu.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2012/09/09/when-obama-had-total-control/985146007/
So far so good. Well, not filibuster proof.
Oh what’s this? The actual number was really 55 Dems + 2 independents!
Nope, still not filibuster proof.
There’s that filibuster proof majority of 58 Dems + 2 independents.
And when was the ACA passed in the Senate? Exactly in that period, on 24th of December 2009.
The House agreed on it on March 21st 2010, and by then, there was no filibuster proof majority anymore to go further than the ACA.
Oh, and after 2011, Dems never gained house and Senate majority together for a decade. That’s one reason why the US is so fucked, by the way.
Hi, my name is ProcurementCat and I call out people who pretend to be very leftist but actually only make leftist politicians look bad.
Edit: Oh, and there was one major amendment to the ACA, by the way: When Republicans used it for tax cuts under Trump.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_Cuts_and_Jobs_Act
It took a filibuster proof majority to pass the ACA, it took 51 votes to turn it into a 2.3 trillion tax gift for the rich. Don’t really hear you complain about that.
Good human
Thank you for the clear, concise, and accurate history lesson.
Yours was such a great and thorough answer, thank you.