Saturday, April 04, 2009

A Letter to Norm Coleman: Concede

Dear Mr. Coleman,

In a short time, the three-judge panel will make some announcements. They will find that the Minnesota Senate election was sound, and that Al Franken won it.

It's time to throw in the towel. You lost the election in Minnesota to Al Franken. You should concede, and cease further legal challenge.

You can, of course, continue legal action. You have legal avenues available, and you have a goodly amount of Republican money to fund further expensive legal challenges.

You were my Mayor for two terms, and my Senator for one. I've demonstrated against you, voted against you, spoken and written against you, and I firmly and resolutely love writing these words: You lost. I won't pretend impartiality, by any means.

But I'm not here to gloat, I'm here because I'm upset with you. Actually, not you. More the Republican money sources.

So I guess my letter is to them - the people that have already donated $25 million to your legal cases. That's on top of the $25 million you spent DURING the election.

You guys are clever, sometimes. I have to congratulate you for coming up with a relatively inexpensive way to game the system.

You- the Republican financial establishment - have successfully bought a vote in the Senate. It's a limited vote, because it only votes one direction - NO. And it's not as nimble as other votes - doesn't really count in committee, but still, for the big budget and other votes that are happening right now, it's a solid NO vote. By keeping Franken from being seated, you have bought one vote.

So stop it!

I'm tired of you Republican financial people stealing one of my state's votes. It's profoundly undemocratic, although you don't really care about that. It's a good scam for as long as it lasts, until people start noticing and getting pissed off.

I know, it's hard to give up the access to the corporate welfare gravy train. It was a great run, but things have changed. Instead of trying to block moderate legislative reforms, how about you go back and figure out how to clean up your broken industries? Financial systems, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, energy folks - you've all got stuff you should be doing.

And Norm? You watched my job go because you were getting points beating up the unions. You got to office as a Democrat and switched for your own political gain. Wellstone would have beat you, but his plane crashed. You have my deep and lasting political enmity, but you had that before. Remember that press conference by the river?

You'll be kept around, of course; you are a decent spokesmodel, with your shiny teeth and all. And Laurie and you can finally get that divorce, that's fine, look at Gingrich. Anyway - one last thing...



Concede.


yours, nihilix

2 comments:

Minnesota Central said...

Your assessment is that Coleman should concede, but why would he ?

Let’s answer that.
#1. He could win.
Other than a US Supreme Court ruling that Minnesota election laws are unconstitutional, I cannot see anyway.
#2. He could run again in the future.
That begs the question whether the Republicans would endorse him. The MN-GOP showed no love for him at the State Convention and the opinion was expressed that Minnesota Conservatives were stuck with voting for him.
#3. The Republicans want him in the Senate.
Nope. He supported fuel standards, climate change, SCHIP while opposing drilling in ANWR. He too often joined Collins, Snowe, and Specter. They don’t want another RINO … they’re happy not having him or Franken.
#4. He can actively make money while the appeal goes forward.
BINGO. Remember Franken’s commercial in June about the revolving door to K Street. Coleman is now a “consultant” for the Republican Jewish Coalition.

There is no reason for Coleman to do the honorable thing. He cannot afford to remain being a Senator … yet he can use “play the martyr” role and make money. Count on him keeping the appeals going for as long as possible. The anger must be applied to Pawlenty … Coleman is just a pawn that the Republicans have at their disposal.

nihilix said...

The Republicans way would want him in the Senate. He really only cast one or two votes that mattered much. He would posture on the floor but only vote against the President if it was safe.

It's like he said 'I gotta break with orthodoxy every so often'. He really wasn't that tight with the Northeast senators.

He SHOULD concede because we're rising up against him and his money base. And Pawlenty, worthy of anger, for sure, is a bit player on this one. HE's got his hands full with the Legislature and his own aspirations.