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Delaware Democrats unhappy that Senate seat apparently now hereditary.

It's unclear whether the objection's general or specific.

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  November 25th, 2008 at 12:48 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

After all, political dynasties are actually not uncommon in American political history: but ones named “Biden?”

I mean, really. Biden?

Biden replacement creates blowback
By: Andy Barr
November 25, 2008 10:13 AM EST

Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner’s (D) decision to appoint Vice President-elect Joe Biden’s longtime aide Ted Kaufman to the Senate has upset local Democrats who believe the move was a ham-handed attempt to engineer the election of Biden’s son, Beau, to the Senate in 2010.

By selecting Kaufman, who has said he would serve only two years before a special election is held in 2010, Minner bypassed other interested Delaware pols and ensured that Beau Biden would have a clearer opportunity to succeed his father in the Senate.

Beau Biden, the state’s attorney general, is currently serving in Iraq as part of the Delaware National Guard.


All respect to Captain Biden, and we hope that he and the rest of the 261st Signal Brigade come back home safe, sound, and victorious. But if you read the article, it’s apparent that there’s some inter-party shenanigans going on here, and I would be remiss in my duties as a VRWC Death Beast if I did not gently point out the provisions of Article IV, Section Four of the US Constitution…

Moe Lane

PS: If you live in Delaware and are a Republican, the state party would love to have a talk with you about this, and everything else. Contact information here.

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COMMENTS

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  • reldim

    But I must be totally missing the import of the Constitution here (at least the section you refer to). Clearly you mean to raise the “Guarantee Clause” promising republican government – but I’m not sure what you’re driving at since the Supreme Court basically eviscerated that provision ages ago – in Luther v. Borden (1849) the Court held that the question of “republican-ness” is non-justiciable and is not subject to judicial review – only Congress can determine whether a state has a “republican form of government.” That position was reiterated in a 1912 case.

    And since Senate seats increasingly seem to be treated as family birthrights (see the Bidens, the Kennedys, the Murkowskis), I can’t see the Senate deciding that any activities designed to help your progeny enter and remain in that body will be frowned upon.

    But then again, maybe I missed the point of your Art. IV, Sec. 4 citation in this particular case.

  • Dave_in_Fla

    So why shouldn’t the positions be inherited? Perhaps we can start including Senatorial Estates, complete with serfs provided by the Obama job corp?

  • Moe_Lane

    NT

  • WHAT

    I’ve been noticing that developing over the past 50 years at all levels of government. It is scary.