Obama did not have ‘total control’ of Senate

While reading the Bobby Jindal op-ed column “Preventing singlepayer,” published Sept. 24, I was disgusted to read the oftrepeated lie about former President Barack Obama squandering his “total control” of the Senate in his first two years.

This is a favorite of those on the right to blame Mr. Obama for not getting more done in those first two years, except to get the Affordable Care Act passed, which was a very big thing! He did not have a 60-vote majority in the Senate for those two years, but I wouldn’t expect a Republican to fact-check this. It is repeated constantly by the GOP, and their base, of course, believes it.

On Jan. 20, 2009, 57 Senate seats were held by Democrats with two Independents, so a possible 59 votes, one shy of 60. That 59 included Ted Kennedy and Al Franken. Mr. Kennedy had a seizure on inauguration day and never returned to vote in the Senate. Mr. Franken was not officially sworn in until July 2009 and could not vote until then. Score — actually 57 votes.

In April 2009, Republican Sen. Arlen Spector switched parties, but Mr. Kennedy was still stricken at home, and Mr. Franken was still not seated. Score — 58 votes.

In May 2009, Senator Robert Byrd took ill and was out several weeks. Mr. Franken was finally seated on July 7, 2009 and Mr. Byrd returned on July 21, but Democrats still only had 59 votes in the Senate because Mr. Kennedy died on Aug. 25, 2009. Score — 59 votes.

Mr. Kennedy’s seat was temporarily filled on Sept. 24, 2009, which finally gave the Democrats the 60 votes they needed. This lasted until Feb. 4, 2010, when a Republican was sworn in to replace Mr. Kennedy. Score — back to 59 votes.

So the truth is that Mr. Obama only had control of the Senate for a grand total of four months! Thankfully, he was able to get the ACA passed. Since then the Republicans have been wasting time and money trying to repeal it, and now are taking it apart piece by piece instead of improving it for the American people. MARY BEERMAN

Robinson