chairmanship

This whole “seniority” thing in the Senate has always been a bunch of garbage and helped contribute to the “good ole’ boys” club mentality that surrounds the chamber. Now it looks like it could be coming to an end:

During a question-and-answer session with progressive media, video blogger Mike Stark asked lawmakers why the Democratic caucus hasn't yanked Sen. Blanche Lincoln's chairmanship of the Agriculture Committee, considering her opposition to Democratic legislative efforts. In Arkansas, her gavel is a top selling point as she battles a progressive primary challenge.

"We're going to elect committee chairs next year," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). "The current chairs that are sitting there now understand that we'll be electing chairs next year," he added, saying the idea had been cleared with Senate leadership.

Under current rules, members of the caucus can weigh in by objecting to an overall Senate organizing resolution, but don't have an up-or-down vote on each chair.

That’s exactly how it should be. Take Lieberman as an example. The only reason he is still a Democrat is so that he can keep his seniority and have his Homeland Security chairmanship. It doesn’t matter if Jack Bauer himself became a senator, Lieberman would still be chair because of his seniority.

It’s practices like this that have made the Senate a laughing stock of the free world. I’m glad to see talk of ending it. If these people really think they should chair committees, then let them fight for it. It’s time for our senators to prove their worth.

Vendettas and ‘gotcha’ is the politics of old. It’s synonymous with the old attack ads, and something the American people have started rejected, rather strongly. Barack Obama campaigned on change. In two weeks since becoming our President elect, Obama has:

Embraced his one time rival Hillary Clinton, offering her a top position in his administration

Welcomed his recent rival, John McCain, to sit down and discuss how to move forward and put country first.

Dismissed any calls of Joe Lieberman being punished for campaigning against him.

The last issue is the biggie, causing so much outrage throughout the blogosphere right now. Obama said he was going to give us change, and he has. I wish some in the blogosphere would learn to accept that, instead of acting like the person who just murdered a family member was acquitted.

And if they have trouble listening to me, then listen to what Bob Cesca has to say on it – hitting on another point:

With Begich's victory, the Democratic caucus has grown to 58. With Franken and Martin, we could hit 60. Filibuster proof -- at least on paper. But imagine if the Democrats had voted to ejector-seat Lieberman from his chairmanship, and he had stormed off to the Republicans, as he had threatened.

The Begich win would've been nullified in terms of the caucus head-count. One step back to 57. Even if Martin and Franken both win, we would've been stuck at 59.

This Tuesday is when Senate Democrats will vote on Lieberman’s fate, and that vote will be by secret ballot:

Senate Democrats will decide by secret ballot Tuesday whether to take away Sen. Joe Lieberman's chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — a post from which he oversees U.S. security issues, as well as the operations of a wide segment of the federal government.</p>The anger over Lieberman's campaigning for the Republican presidential candidate is still boiling — fueled by memories of his undercutting Barack Obama, including in a nationally televised speech at the Republican National Convention.

I have been staying pretty much out of this, but I can’t wait to see the outcome. I personally think Lieberman should be told to get out, but don’t think that all the blogosphere’s energy should be spent on Joe. Hell we all know he is an attention whore, so he must be loving it.

The secret ballot plan is great. That way neither side can go after the opposing views. I would hate to see any senators targeted because of the way they voted, and that is something bound to happen. This way things stay hush hush and we find out the fate in two days.

The media was reporting yesterday that if Lieberman switched parties it would throw the majority control into the Republicans court. Now we find out that this is actually wrong. The Democrats will retain control of the 110th Senate until the 111th Senate is convened:

If Lieberman were to caucus with the Republicans, they would still not take full control of the Senate, despite Vice President Dick Cheney's ability to break 50-50 ties. This is because of a little-known Senate organizing resolution, passed in January, which gives Democrats control of the Senate and committee chairmanships until the beginning of the 111th Congress.

It sounds like the Democrats had a feeling Joe would end up pulling this stunt and decided to add a little bit more protection into their slim majority. What a sweet move.

Now this doesn't say that the Majority Leader, Harry Reid, can't restructure committees. As a matter of fact that is exactly what I am expecting to happen if Joe does switch. The committee to be restructured? Homeland Security, currently chaired by the back-stabbing Senator from Connecticut. Yup - this would get Joe out of his dream chairmanship. Of course it would also mean a real Democrat chairing the committee and perhaps looking into the Katrina failures, something Lieberman promised to do on the campaign trail, but quickly showed his false promises and hate to the people of New Orleans.

Sentiment is growing around the blogosphere for Joe to leave. Howie has this to say:

The following is an update to the Bob Ney story:

House Speaker Dennis Hastert is trying to force out Ohio Rep. Bob Ney
(news, bio, voting record) as chairman of the House Administration
Committee, a week after Justice Department documents linked Ney to a bribery
scheme involving convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Ney's committee has jurisdiction over the Republican reform agenda in the
wake of the Abramoff scandal, and Hastert believes it is inappropriate to
let Ney run it, said a GOP leadership aide, who spoke on condition of
anonymity because of the negotiations between Ney and the speaker.

Ney, who was in New Orleans for a hearing on housing needs in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina, confirmed that he is talking with Hastert about stepping
down from the chairmanship.

"I'm considering it — stepping down temporarily — and once the issue is
over, I'll come back," he said. "Life continues. I'll continue to do my
job."

Article continues

here.

How long until the right tries to spin this into a partisan attack by
Democrats? I bet they are working hard on a tactic as we speak.