Democratic South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson Has Brain Surgery. Condition Not Yet Known.This is why you can never trust the initial reports from the media (at least not the first few hours).
First I heard that he had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. A few hours after that NPR and CBS radio reported that he did not have a stroke or a heart attack and was resting in intensive care under observation. They reported that people were relieved because it was not as serious as first thought. Now at that point I knew something was not right about the story because I knew that if everything was alright, he would not be in intensive care.
A few hours after that report, I hear that he was having brain surgery. That is the latest information at this point.
Either someone in Johnsons staff screwed the reports up from the beginning to avoid releasing the accurate information, or the media just got the story wrong.
But it appears that he is very ill. Hopefully he will be able to pull through.
In Americas undemocratic process, the Governor of South Dakota (A Republican) will be able to appoint a Republican to take over the seat if Johnson is unable to recover. The right way to do it (in accordance with actual Democracy) would be to:
1. Allow Johnson to choose his replacement if he survives but cannot or does not want to finish his term.
2. Allow State Democratic leaders to choose his replacement.
3. Hold a special election to fill the seat.
But in Americas brand of Democracy.... this will not be done. He will likely be replaced by a Republican, which will go directly against the will of South Dakotas voters who put Johnson (A Democrat) in office.
This is the same kind of Bullshit paper thin Democracy that the U.S. is trying to export to Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and elsewhere.
Right now, i'm just hoping for a fast recovery for the Senator. I didn't expect the Senate to be in Democratic hands anyway after the Mid-Term elections. The Senate victory was extra.
Hearings by the House of Representatives and efforts to block the neo-conservative nuts is good enough for me.
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BlogHer is also blogging on this story.
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1 comment:
Although I would be tempted emotionally to agree with how you think the replacements should be chosen seems valid. IN the times when these laws were first passed it would not be above the thought process of a political opponent to potentially have the victor Murdered in order to succeed him by having the party choose the candidate.
If the person is dead it would be hard for him to choose.
Say The guy from Connecticut Lamont had been elected and then dies mysteriously. Who might the party or the Governor nominate to replace him? Joe Lieberman?? Very likely because of his popularity. Now whose to say he didnt conspire to bring about this result. NOT SAYING HE WOULD......but this is precisely why nearly every state has put in place plain and simple laws to prevent this type of behavior from becoming potentially viable in heated and hateful political races.
I think it in its flaws is a good system that attempts to prevent this type of conspiracy feeding frenzy from every developing.
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