Senior Senate Democrats are objecting to the deal Majority Leader Harry Reid made with Sen. Arlen Specter, saying they will vote against letting the former Republican shoot to the top of powerful committees after he switches parties. Full Story »
Posted by Derek Hawkins
While this story is commentary of opinions - it is particularly relevant not only as a meter of atmospheric pressure in the chamber but also life without precedent. Surely there have been other Party switches in both the Senate and the house, and for the very same reasons - timing and conditions are everything and there is no scenario to historically compare. The article paints a very interesting picture, a pastiche of public service, tenure and entitlement. One realizes in short order that more transparency such as this is a good thing - when it is minus the seasoning. While the article doesn't pretend to imagine a series of hypothetical vignettes (denizens of cable news-talk) it is informative - warts and all - without ... More »
More reporting on the professional behavior of our elected officials, if you will - might actually encourage more respectable back-chatter. Elections aren't good report cards, in fact, the campaign and election systems in general are not altruistic. They are impure from inception. Compromise itself, the tool of political consensus is not pure - in the truest sense of the word - it is corrupt. That being said, as the adaptation occurs in the Senate, we're witnessing political ... More »
I don't think long-term Democrats should be bumped for someone like Specter. After the 2010 elections, Reid may no longer be in Congress anyways so his contract with Specter may be nulled. I don't want a conservative Republican heading any Democratic Committee.
Info on which Dems object to Specter's deal with Reid. but no context or info on what perks come with committee chair. The author should have provided some info on why Appropriations is a powerful committee
The politics of politicians, how soon we forget the petty bs that shapes our capitol and will not really care about once it is ironed out.
Every member of the Senate is a prima donna and agressively protects their turf, bfd, it will all come out in the wash.
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