Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

The most exciting seating of the Senate and the House in my lifetime will convene today and the spotlight is squarely on the Democratic leadership. Here are some of the story lines to follow -

• Will Harry Reid follow through with his refusal to seat the self-entitled "Magic Man" Roland Burris from Illinois? Burris is stating that we need to forget about all of the problems with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagoevich, he is the legitimate junior senator from Illinois and intends to take his seat. Can Harry Reid prevent him from taking his seat? Will the lawsuit start today and will it automatically go to the Supreme Court as Burris claims it should?
• Hillary Clinton will still be a Senator but it is looking more and more like New York Gov. David Paterson will appoint socialite Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg to the seat if Hillary is confirmed.
• Al Franken to replace Norm Coleman as a Senator from Minnesota? Sec of State didn't certify the win and the court battles will begin soon but it doesn't look to good for Coleman. Chalk one up for the Democrats in MN and let that be a lesson on how to steal an election.
• Joe Biden's replacement will be seated soon but is apparently only a place-holder for Biden's son until he returns from Iraq. Come on Delaware, insist on real representation.
  
• $1 Trillion budget? On the President's desk by inauguration (two weeks)? Can you even read the budget in that amount of time, let alone debate it and get "bipartisan" support?
• Oversight for all of this bailout money, where is it? Sounds like it is being spent on automakers taking out advertisements to thank taxpayers for their generosity and the UAW on their lavish club houses and golf courses. Banks are still giving their CEO's huge year-end bonuses. No accounting yet. Now we are hearing that the steelmakers want a bailout. Kathryn and I are applying for a bailout soon and we are only asking for a paltry $10 million.
• Confirmation of cabinet picks - the one for Leon Panetta as CIA director should be a doozy as several prominent Democrats are stunned by it. When you elect a man with no experience to be your president, shouldn't you expect him to make similar choices? The picks have little experience or they have Clinton experience. I don't know which is worse . . .
  

This is going to be fun so pull up a chair, grab the popcorn, and watch the Democratic leadership sweat and struggle. It is kind of like watching a building implode but sadly it is our national leadership imploding before the Obama presidency even gets off the ground.