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Recap: Saturday 7 December 2002 -- Louisiana Midterm Runoff Elections

The Class 2 Senate seat: Incumbent Democratic Senator Mary L. Landrieu has
apparently defeated Republican Suzanne Haik Terrell by 52 percent of the vote
to 48 percent.
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G02/LA.phtml#S2

House CD 5 seat: Democrat Rodney Alexander is ahead of Republican Lee Fletcher
by a narrow margin of some 500 votes with all precincts having reported. No
word yet as to whether Mr. Fletcher will seek a recount.
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G02/LA.phtml#H205

This concludes the 2002 Midterm Elections.

The 108th Congress - Senate 
 50 - Republicans
 48 - Democrats
  1 - vacant office (Alaska Class 3 Senate seat, more below)
  1 - Independent
100 - total

The 108th Congress - House
229 - Republicans
204 - Democrats (assuming LA CD 5 is won by Democrat Rodney Alexander)
  1 - vacant office (HI CD 2 - Special Election 4 January 2003)
  1 - Independent
435 - total

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Friday, December 6, 2002 - The Bush Administration

Paul O'Neill, SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, announced his resignation.

Laurence Lindsey, CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL, announced his
resignation.

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Tuesday 4 December 2002 - Vox Populi

The Federal Government using extortion to reduce blood alcohol limits
by Kenneth Scot Stremsky
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Vox/?20021204-0

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Tuesday 3 December 2002 - Vox Populi

Can the Federal Government Force a State to Change a Law?
by Henri-Paul Bolineau
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Vox/?20021203-0

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 

Vacancy in "Class 3" U.S. Senate seat from ALASKA
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G02/AK.phtml#S3
 
U.S. Senator Frank H. Murkowski (R-Alaska) is sworn in as Governor of the
State of Alaska at noon Alaska Time today (2100 UTC, 2 Dec 2002); at that
moment, Mr. Murkowski ceases to be a United States Senator, thereby creating a
vacancy in the "Class 3" seat from that State. The relevant statute relating
to filling this vacancy follows:
 
Alaska Statutes 15.40.010. Conditions and time of filling vacancy in the U.S.
Senate by appointment and special election.

When a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator, the governor, at
least five days after the date of the vacancy but within 30 days after the
date of the vacancy, shall
 
(1) appoint a qualified person who, if the predecessor in office was nominated
by a political party, has been, for the six months before the date of the
vacancy, and is, on the date of appointment, a member of the same political
party as that which nominated the predecessor in office to fill the vacancy
temporarily until the vacancy is filled permanently by election; and

2) by proclamation and subject to this chapter, call a special primary
election and a special election to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the
term of the predecessor in office if the predecessor's term would expire more
than 30 calendar months after the date of the vacancy.

[NOTE: Subdivision 2) of Alaska Statutes 15.40.010 does not apply in this case
since the term of office to which the appointment would be made expires at
noon on 3 January 2005- well within 30 months of the vacancy caused by Senator
Murkowski's becoming Governor- and the "Class 3" seat would next be up for
election at the General Election to be held on Tuesday 2 November 2004.]
 
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Sunday, December 1, 2002 - Vox Populi

Homeland Security and a National Police Force (one more time... with feeling!)
by Kenneth Scot Stremsky
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Vox/?20021201-0

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Upcoming Events

Saturday 4 January 2003 - Hawaii Special Election 108th House CD 2
  (to fill the vacant seat of Congressman Patsy Mink)
  http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G03/HI.phtml#H02