Word: franken
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously declared Al Franken the winner of the longest contest for U.S. Senate in the state's history on June 30. After nearly eight months, millions of dollars in legal fees, two appeals and a recount, GOP incumbent Norm Coleman conceded gracefully, telling reporters in front of his St. Paul home, "I have never believed that my service is irreplaceable. We have reached the point where further litigation damages the unity of our state, which is also fundamental. In these tough times, we all need to focus on the future. And the future today is: we have...
...there are sure to be times when Franken's vote will make a difference. And not always in ways that will ease Senate majority leader Harry Reid's burden. Franken, for example, was a vocal opponent of the bank-bailout plan and could try to move the planned reregulation of Wall Street to the left. Still, Senate Democrats will benefit from having one more friendly face in the chamber - and one less Republican arm to twist. "It's one more vote," Dick Durbin said with a beleaguered laugh when asked last week about the difference Franken might make...
Here are five key areas where Franken's vote could have decisive impact...
...Health Care This was always going to be a heavy lift for the Obama Administration, and an extra vote in the Senate could mean the difference for passage. Franken supports an individual mandate and has said he'd like to see all children under the age of 18 covered by a single payer system - though he hasn't weighed in on a public plan to compete with the private plans in each state, perhaps the most contentious issue in the negotiations right now. Nevertheless, it's clear from his campaign statements that Franken will be a reliable Democratic vote...
...Global Warming The House last week passed its version of landmark climate-change legislation, which the Senate is scheduled to pick up this summer. On his website, Franken declares his support for renewable energy: "I think we need a new 'Apollo project' - this time to fundamentally change our energy policy and end our reliance on foreign oil." But Franken will also be representing Minnesota: his website lists much longer and more detailed positions on agriculture. In the House, the rural caucus - big supporters of ethanol - was among the measure's biggest hurdles, and Franken is a big ethanol devotee. Though...