as Vatican Ambassador! You know, kill two birds ...

Reposted from Americablog

Maybe Obama should send a Nazi sympathizer to the Vatican

by John Aravosis (DC) on 4/14/2009 06:41:00 PM

The Vatican has reportedly vetoed three of Obama's proposed ambassadors, including Caroline Kennedy, because they're pro-choice. Which is funny, since the Vatican isn't nearly as discerning about welcoming Holocaust-deniers into its ranks. Speaking of which, when does the Pope plan on doing something about the Nazi-sympathizer he's now embracing, even though he knew the man is a Holocaust denier? The Pope told him to recant or else. No recant. And nothing from the Vatican, as if we'll all just forget that the German-born Pope, who was a member of the Hitler Youth, welcomed a Holocaust-denialist into the Vatican. Fat chance.

and from the AP...

Federal court halts deportation of Demjanjuk

By M.R. KROPKO, Associated Press Writer M.r. Kropko, Associated Press Writer 33 mins ago

CLEVELAND - The return of alleged Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk to Germany for trial on war crimes was delayed again Tuesday by a federal court, shortly after six immigration officers removed the retired autoworker from his suburban Cleveland home in a wheelchair.

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay until it could further consider Demjanjuk's motion to reopen the U.S. case that ordered him deported, in which he says painful medical ailments would make travel to Germany torturous.

It is clear that a new Constitutional Standard has been set for the foreseeable future.  Franken can't be seated unless he has 60% of the vote.  Obama can't pass a stimulus plan or carbon taxes unless he has 60% of the vote. Obama may not get health care passed with a public option unless he also gets 60% of the vote.  Of course I am talking about the US Senate.

There needs to be a concentrated effort among the blogosphere to get the mainstream media to recognize and ridicule the fact that the Senate as a whole is declaring in a time of severe crisis that majority rule no longer applies.  We are no longer a representative democracy; we now require supermajorities to pass any legislation, approve any appointment, and to seat a clearly elected Senator. 

This is not normal.  This is not the regular way of doing business.  Harry Reid and company are just as and more guilty than the Republicans in perpetuating the myth of "60 votes is normal".  Your average Senator adores the fact that they can individually hold up legislation and appointments.  The supermajority rule gives each of them additional power that they had not imagined even 10 years ago.

This is such a critical problem because as we have seen with too many Democratic Senators, passing progressive legislation is way down on the priority list.  Preserving individual Senatorial power is at the top.