Paul Krugman: Franken "A Big Policy Wonk," Will Raise Senate Discourse

New York Times:

... First, implicit in this characterization of Franken is the notion of the Senate as a decorous gentlemen's club. I doubt that club ever existed in reality; but in any case, these days the World's Greatest Deliberative Body is, not to put too fine a point on it, chock full o' nuts. James Inhofe: I rest my case.

Second, Al Franken's dirty secret is that ... he's a big policy wonk. [...]

So what will Franken do to the level of Senate discourse? He'll raise it.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[getsit]

Let's get Rachel Maddow to move to San Francisco (tI don't know where she lives, but I'd like to vote for her) and run against Blue Dog Diane Feinstein. Another Air America alumni. No one can question her intelligence, her care for the people of America, her political ideals, her understanding of the world and how it runs, etc.

Maybe we should all start voting for "outsiders­".- people who understand politics but will speak for "we the people".

You go Al-speak for me and my family and all the other families across America. Thank God you're a loud mouth. We need loudmouths who actually have something intelligent and knowledgeable to say. We have too many loudmouths in Congress who's IQs are 2 digits. They live in their own world where ignorance is a way of life.

[sleeperd]

I believe Franken and Boris epitomize the democrat party.

[kevenseven]

I believe you are a cannibal.

[helonias]

He attended Harvard College and graduated cum laude in 1973 with a bachelor of arts degree in political science

[sleeperd]

Baloney! Boris can hardly speak English!!

[Grunty1]

I believe RushL, Palin, and Bush epitomize the Rushpublican Party

Stupid, unethical, and completely amoral.

[MNTom]

Frankin will not disappoint, his party will. They will try to shut him up like they did Paul Welstone and Mark Dayton. Frankin will surprise a lot of people.

[discourse jockey]

He has surprised me already, by getting himself renamed from Franken to Frankin.

[koyak23]

The collective IQ of the senate will increase astronomically when Al steps on the senate floor.

[dinglebe]

David Broder needs to retire. Oh, he is retired? That's right, I forgot. He's been sending in copies of the same column for the last six years and the WaPo continues to print it. They don't have time to read it, they are too busy organizing "salons" in the publisher's home where they can sell access time to lobbyists.

[windup]

Even the Democrats are afraid of Franken because he will pursue a progressive agenda and won't be bought off.
Go Al!

[Liberal2]

Here's hoping you're right. Obuma needs a kick in the butt to start doing things right. Pity Franken wasn't there Day One to start Obuma on the right course.

[Dbos]

Al is a comedian the rest of the Senators are clowns.

[mamacat]

If the neo-cons are afraid of Sen. Franken, then he must be doing something very right.

[RGKahn]

"Franken, the loud-mouthed former comedian, will be the 60th member of the Senate Democratic caucus" Two problems with that statement. First Al Franken is not loud-mouthed and second who says he is a former comedian? He is still a comedian who has taken a new path in his life, one that is not directly involved with being funny up front and in the open.

[alice09]

David Broder, have you checked your Republican Senators remarks lately?
Are you seriously suggesting their standards for discourse will be threatened by Franken after Boehner called a bill a "pile of xxxx"? Absurd.

[o4tuna]

Alice, Boehner is not a senator, just a rep. But, your point is well taken.

[RedKnuckles]

All the popping you've been hearing this weekend has been the troIIs' heads exploding after Al got the 60th Dem/Indep. seat.

[redsongia]

Hey Paul Krugman,

Why aren't you in the administration?

[XME]

What's sad is that they don't think someone can be funny AND smart or be taken seriously.

[Grunty1]

Notice that no one in their party currently qualifies for ANY of those remarks...

[SF13]

Franken has a degree in mathematics from Harvard... not so dumb

[madisonhack]

Political Science, but I agree with your point - obviously.

[NoSandwiches]

people are too ready to slap a label on.
Al Franken is indeed a very intelligent man who is well versed in politics and policy.
Arnold Schwartzeneger (sp?) is another example of a man who is intellegent and evolved from punk to body builder to "actor" to politician.

I don't agree with Arnold's poliitcs, but I respect him.
Al Franken also deserves respect.

Sarah Palin on the other hand......­not so much.

[o4tuna]

Ah, really, I agree with what you said, but can we put away the phrase "not so much"? Isn't there a better words out there?