Go Ahead and Seat Burris

OK, after reflecting on the appointment of Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate by Rod Blagojevich, I've decided it's best to just let Burris have the seat for the next two years. This is a change of mind for me from my previous post, but I think it's for the best.

First, I really have no objection to Burris himself filling the vacancy. What I object to is Blagojevich being able to make the appointment. But there's really nothing that can be done about that since Blagojevich is still the governor and legally charged with filing such a vacancy. Trying to stop him him from doing so with what now appears to me to be dubious or even unenforceable tactics is just a distraction. Sure it's infuriating, but the real task at hand here is to get Blagojevich thrown out of office, not preventing Burris from becoming Senator. So let's focus our energies there.

I and many others now have a lot less respect for Burris for accepting the appointment, but that in and of itself should not prevent him from serving. There is no allegation that Burris was part of any wrongdoing in getting the appointment. Let him serve the two years and then hopefully he will either not run in 2010 or that he will face serious challenges in the Democratic primary. My guess is that Burris is simply planning on being a placeholder for two years, but even if he gets more ambitious and runs, I think he'll be defeated in the primary or possibly even in the general election.

Fighting the appointment of Burris here in Illinois or in Washington serves no greater purpose. We have bigger prblems. The nation is facing a huge national econmoic crisis and here at home, in addition to the economy, we have the fight to remove Blago. Let's focus on those things and not fret about Roland Burris.