Question about tie in Senate and Bernie Sanders.....

If after the elections in '06, the Senate is at 50R, 49D,1I, if necessary, do you think that Sanders would consider joining the Democratic party temporarily in order to insure that all the necessary investigations are undertaken?

He doesn't have to switch parties to do that.

he doesn't need to literally join the Democratic Party.

If the Senate goes 50-49-1, meaning a tie with 50 GOP vs. 49 Dem and Sanders, the Republicans will remain in control, with Cheney breaking the tie.

We need to get it down to 49 GOP seats in order to establish a majority.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june01/power_sharing.html

Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate reached a power sharing agreement Jan. 5. Each party will hold an equal number seats on committees, and both parties will be able to lead voting procedures on the Senate floor.

For the first time ever, Americans have elected exactly 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans to the U.S. Senate. That means neither party has a majority in the upper house of Congress. Usually, the party with the most members set the agendas and run the meetings. But with an even split, who's in charge?

Many Republicans say they are, because any tie votes will be broken by the Vice President, who also acts as President of the Senate. After Jan. 20, that will be Republican Dick Cheney.

But many people, including most Democratic Senators, say a one-vote margin is pretty small and the whole Senate could easily be tied up with gridlock. Proposals for important issues like campaign finance reform, patients' rights, and tax cuts could end up being decided by one vote, and the potential for bitter resentment is high.

So some leaders have proposed a power-sharing arrangement, a compromise of sorts in which Republicans and Democrats would create a dual leadership. But that seems to be easier said than done.

One Chairman or Two
snip

if it were....

50 Repuke
49 Dems
1 Sanders ;)

then Sanders wouldn't have to actually join the Dems to make it, effectively 50/50?

Jeffords went Independent and it tilted 51-49 to the Democrats.

Hence why they got anthraxed and not the House, coz Cheney knew the Patriot Act would easily sail through the House

Which group did you assign Bernie Sanders in the 50-50 tie if the first place?