Al Franken gets the Senate seat and the last laugh

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. And I get the second-to-last laugh!

After 8 months of whining, wrangling and challenging, former SNL writer Al Franken has been declared the WINNER of the Minnesota Senate Race.

And it gets even better: Republican Norm Coleman has been ordered to pay Franken almost $95,000 for his appeal of the election results. Minnesota law required Coleman to cover some of Franken's court costs because the race's outcome didn't change. As far as challenging the election results yet again, Experts Agree: Norm Coleman Doesn't Have a Chance. Give it up, buddy, it's getting embarrassing.

The flip side, of course, is that with the Democratic majority, "the age of excuses and finger-pointing is over." Don't blame your inertia on "bipartisanship," boys and girls, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Job One: Take American Health Care out of the hands of Health Insurers. The charge has already been leveled, by an Independent: Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Demands Democrats Commit to Stopping Health Care Filibuster. Go, Bernie!

An intellectual and closet policy wonk, I believe Al Franken can only elevate discussion of this and other critical issues. And I feel safe in promising you that he will never, ever tell anyone to "go f*ck yourself" from the floor of the Senate.

(Has anyone checked Bill O'Reilly's blood pressure lately? A girl can dream...)