Senate Democrats Deny Specter Committee Seniority

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

Senate Democrats Deny Specter Committee Seniority

By Paul Kane
The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.

In a unanimous voice vote, the Senate approved a resolution that added Specter to the Democratic side of the dais on the five committees on which he serves, an expected move that gives Democrats larger margins on key panels such as Judiciary and Appropriations.

But Democrats placed Specter in one of the two most junior slots on each of the five committees for the remainder of this Congress, which goes through December 2010. Democrats have suggested that they will consider revisiting Specter's seniority claim at the committee level only after the midterm elections next year.

"This is all going to be negotiated next Congress," Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), said tonight.

Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/05/senate_democrats_deny_specter.html?hpid=topnews

[24601]

1. Welcome to the Party - see all the perks you get!

[Liberty Belle]

2. Wise choice. Let him tow the line and vote with Dems on key issues,

to earn a committee chairmanship first.

[mth44sc]

6. Just what are the chances of that?

http://rawstory.com/08/blog/2009/05/05/specter-says-coleman-should-be-seated/

[Demeter]

36. Please! It's TOE the Line

as in a foot race...or

"Toe the line" is an idiomatic expression meaning to conform to a rule or a standard.

The term has disputed origins. Perhaps its longest-running use is from the British House of Commons where sword-strapped members were instructed to stand behind lines that were better than a sword’s length from their political rivals in order to restore decorum.

In days of sail, "toe the line" was used as a command for crewmen to line up along a crack in deck planking, similar to the modern "Attention!" <1> Over the years the term has been attributed to sports, including toeing the starting line in track events and toeing a center line in boxing which boxers were instructed to line up on either side of to start a match.

In modern usage, it appears often in the context of partisan or factional politics, as in, "He's toeing the party line."

It is also often equated to "toe the mark."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toe_the_line

There is some confusion between 'toe the line' and the frequently seen misspelling 'tow the line'. The 'tow' version is no doubt encouraged by the fact that ropes or cables on ships are often called lines and that 'tow lines' are commonplace nautical items...

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/toe-the-line.html

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Good, let him prove his words with his actions.

[davidinalameda]

4. I would have to think that Specter signed off on this

before he made the leap

a unanimous voice vote seems to suggest that everyone was on board with this

this is much ado about nothing

[kaygore]

9. He had no choice--he would have been defeated otherwise

He is simply a whore!

[Psephos]

15. Actually, Reid had promised him he could keep his seniority.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/top-dems-rebel-on-specter-2009-04-29.html

[struggle4progress]

28. That article discusses reassignments after the 2010 elections

[Psephos]

41. naturally

The only time a reshuffling happens is after a new Congress is seated.

[struggle4progress]

44. That's not necessarily true: the Senate reorganized after Jeffords' 2001 switch

[Psephos]

45. That involved a change in majority, which forces a change in committee positions

no change in majority with Specter's switch

[struggle4progress]

46. IIRC, an organizing resolution passes on simple majority, so Jeffords' switch merely conveyed

the majority that could pass a new resolution: it did not per se require such a new resolution -- though, of course, the new majority naturally wanted a new resolution and so passed one. If enough Dems wished to give Specter seniority on committees today, they could simply pass a new organizing resolution

[Psephos]

47. Sounds like we both have the same understanding of it n/t

[robinlynne]

40. which was really upsetting me. I do not want Arlen as Dem committee chairman.

I'm still pissed that Lieberman is allowed to be a chairman. It makes NO sense to me. It disgusts me. That someone who worked so hard against Obama and against everything I believe in should be even considered by my party.

[aquart]

5. Good. I'm pleased.

This is as it should be.

[kaygore]

7. Good--until he shows that he is loyal to Democratic values

and since his comment regarding seating Coleman...let him rot. Now, what about Joe Lieberman?????

[hangman86]

11. Good point.

Specter loses seniority after wanting to join the Democrats, but LIEberman keeps his positions after stabbing them in the back? I'll let the smiley face speak for me: :wtf:

[Sultana]

35. ...

Dems in Congress :eyes:

[bluestateguy]

8. He should be given the chance to earn his seniority back

And being challenged by Joe Sestak in the primary will also "encourage" him to adjust his voting record accordingly.

[Dark]

16. I say that, had he started showing he was a dem, you'd be correct.

However, his recent votes have all been with the republicans. He's a Dem who votes like a republican.

In a union state.

The Obama sup. court pic will be the deciding moment. If he helps the GOP block the person, he will face a primary challenger, and rightfully so.

Penn. voters don't deserve a choice between a conservative Repub and a slightly less conservative Dem

[KaryninMiami]

10. Good- and a very needed move.

I get it that on some level this is a good thing for Democrats and knowing how smart the Obama team is, I don't doubt for a minute that they planned this thing out step by step before they jumped into it with such - gusto. For goodness sake, they are already promising him that they will endorse him in the primary regardless of whomever else is running-that's a pretty major promise with what I assume are pretty big ramifications for Spector. But, I don't like or trust him- he only switched parties so that he wouldn't have to risk losing his job. Good for them for holding back.

[happygoluckytoyou]

12. GLAD HE SWITCHED.... glad he will have to earn his stripes!!!

[DallasNE]

13. Words Have Consequences After All

His continued opposition to Dawn Johnsen and the flap over his "loyality" comments clearly have not been helpful to Sen. Spector. And that is the way it should be.

[Dark]

14. Y'know, considering how he's pretty much voted with the repubs on the last couple of bills,

THis doesn't surprise, or upset, me.

Learn your place Arlen. You're a Dem now, and you are answerable to the DEM base, not the repub one.

[pilsner]

17. He's 79 years old

what motiviates a cancer survivor at that age? Why not just retire?

I think he's trying to somehow sabotage the Democratic control of government.

I would think Sestak would clobber Toomey.

[rhett o rick]

19. Is DFA or PDA or Moveon supporting Sestak? Some organization needs to.

We have to DUMP THE DAMN DINO's.

[Hawkeye-X]

18. In fact, he should be rejected for ALL committee seats

and start from the Committee of Waste Products.

Hawkeye-X

[Vidar]

20. They did something right.

[quakerboy]

21. Im sure it was an accident, and they will work to make sure it never happens again

[Jim Sagle]

22. Next step - primary the sonofabitch.

:thumbsup:

[troubleinwinter]

23. More asinine Kabuki bullshit.

[grahamhgreen]

24. Specter, if granted seniority, would also be next in line to chair the Judiciary Committee behind

the current chairman, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.).


WARNING WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!

[onestepforward]

25. Good. I'm pleased.

[bjobotts]

26. Lower your expectations,What Specter is is already apparent.Untrustworthy

[totodeinhere]

27. Specter is a political opportunist who cannot be trusted.

I'm glad that they did not give him any plum committee assignments.

[bertman]

34. I agree. Arlen Sphincter definitely does not pass the "smell" test.

[Mulehead]

29. An Old Chinese Proverb

says that sometimes people move to the left of their line, other times to the right, but eventually, it is pretty clear to everyone paying attention what direction that line is heading. Spector is, like most of our Plutocrats, in it for himself, and we've seen in what direction his line begins (key role in the JFK cover up) to where it is heading (key role in covering his ass). In the meantime, he'll continue to vote like the swine he is, always against the interests of the working man, just like his fellow travelers, dem and rep, who voted against the mortgage relief bill.

[Hubert Flottz]

30. You can't trust a turncoat...

Benedict Arlen is true to nobody but himself. He looks out for number one at all times.

[Tab]

31. Specter was quite clear

He didn't switch because of a sudden realization that the Republicans no longer shareed his ideology, and the Democrats do.

In fact, he was (in some ways, refreshingly) honest about his reasons - he didn't think he could be reelected as a Republican, so he became a Democrat. This is many steps below Jim Jeffords, but just a rung higher than Joe Lieberman.

If it's not for altruistic reasons, but just for selfish reasons, then yeah - he shouldn't be granted any chairmanships or seniority. There is no quid pro quo here. Or rather there is, but he got his in becoming a Democrat and thus an opportunity to get reelected, which is what he said is what he wanted. Purely self-serving. You got what you wanted, Joe (um, I mean, uh, Arlen) - don't expect anything more.

Although to his credit, his office didn't complain (in fact, they didn't comment). Any presumption that he was expecting (although he may have been hoping for) anything different is merely ours.

[Cass]

32. Good move.

Let him demonstrate that he is generally supportive of Dem goals, and that he won't try to undermine them. If he's trying to play both sides of the fence it will become evident this term.

[L. Coyote]

33. I might move to PA just to help elect a progressive

[harmonicon]

37. this is what they should have done to Lieberman

That bastard left the party and kept seniority. Maybe they've learned their lesson, or maybe they're so fucked up that they just do everything backwards now.

[Wednesdays]

38. K&R

:kick:

[InfiniteThoughts]

39. got what he deserved ...

... need we say any more!

[DebbieCDC]

42. Specter deserves nothing

He's a snake in the grass and an opportunistic bastard. Fuck him and whatever "leader" Reid promised him.

[Vidar]

43. Senate Democrats actually do something right. I'm suspicious.