Obama's candidate for the Commerce Dept. voted to abolish it before he agreed to run it...

[cynatnite]

President Obama's new candidate to run the Commerce Department voted in favor of abolishing the agency as a member of the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor in 1995.

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., whose nomination was expected to be announced Tuesday, also worked in the Senate to trim the department's budget as head of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee.

Gregg's 1995 votes were cast for the fiscal 1996 budget resolution, a nonbinding blueprint that outlined the GOP's fiscal priorities after Republicans won full control of Congress for the first time in 40 years.

The Senate version of the controversial measure envisioned spending cuts of more than $960 billion, almost half of it from Medicare and Medicaid. Democratic efforts to amend it were uniformly rebuked by a united GOP majority on the Budget Committee.

Ultimately, the Commerce Department survived, and Gregg has since shown more interest than most of his Republican colleagues in funding some of its agencies, particularly the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Gregg also fought President Bill Clinton's efforts to increase funding for the Commerce Department to administer the 2000 census. Indeed, Gregg's commitment to basic functions of the department has been questioned at times.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20090203/pl_cq_politics/politics3022841

[dkf]

1. That is the penalty we have to pay for Pelosi and Obey's fulfillment of all Dem dreams stimulus

package.

If only they had been more sensible we wouldn't have to suffer this.

Ugh.

[Sherman A1]

2. Yeah,

That's the guy I want running things there........NOT

[orleans]

3. on rachel's show monday it seemed like she has a problem with gregg

being given this position. claire mccaskill was completely in defense of obama and this choice.

[treestar]

5. What did she say?

Obama must have some reason for this.

[orleans]

10. she took it as being in the name of "bipartisanship"

which seems to be pissing rach off as it was me.

and claire mccaskill defended the choice--i noticed she was on a commerce committee and i thought why isn't she offended that *she* wasn't picked.

[orleans]

11. here's a video:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x267678

[treestar]

14. Thank you

Changing the culture and that the extreme partisanship did not work seems to be the best argument there is for this. A lot of us are cynical, but those appointed to the cabinet would probably be the most rational republicans (if there is such an animal)

The idea that the people who got us into this mess are the ones who know a lot that we can use to get out of it apples to Gates, too.

Keeping your powder dry - guaranteed to piss off DU! No Democratic politician should use those words!

[orleans]

15. oh yes. "Keeping your powder dry"

i am soooo tired of hearing that useless/pointless expression.

and, from the past couple years i have come to realize the only powder these politicians use comes in a small compact with a mirror and a soft little powder puff. they use it before appearing on camera to defend their actions & inactions. if they are so fascinated with keeping their "powder dry" why don't they try closing the lid to the compact or putting it in a water-proof carrying case and then think of another reason to justify why they do/don't do what they do/don't do.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. Judd Gregg was one of the top bush cheerleaders.

was in total asskissing lock step for 8 years.

[democracy1st]

6. what a bs pick

[KharmaTrain]

7. Is Obama Being Too Smart By Half?

Are we being treated to another installment of the "cabinet of rivals"? Yep, Gregg is a Raygun repugnican that somehow doesn't like big government but sure enjoys the paycheck it delivers. Is the thought here that by putting Gregg in this position that it puts him under the thumb of the Administration as his fate will now be tied with the success of both President Obama and the Democrats. Surely he'll have a lot more rewarding experience in this job than he would a one of the few remaining moderate repugnicans in the Senate. There's also a lot more job security here for him...and he knows it.

The wild card here is by removing Gregg from the Senate, does that remove obstructions or a possible ally. Again, the battleplan here isn't to win 80 or 75 or even 65 votes each time out...51 or 61 will do...and as long as the Democratic caucus holds tough, President Obama should be able to reach across and pluck off a GOOPer or two (especially those facing election in 2010). Gregg's replacement won't have the same power of incumbency and this could make it easier for the Democrats to win the seat in 2010.

For those who think Lynch is "obligated" to select a Democrat, let's put the show on the other foot, say Barbara Boxer were to retire and Arnold then selected Darrel Issa to replace her...would you feel he did the right thing or would you be bitching how the people were being ripped off. Fact is the folks in New Hampshire voted for a repugnican in the Senate in Gregg and if they want a Democrat, the party should earn it at the ballot box, not by fiat.

Cheers...

[Gin]

8. I am not in favor of this pick......this bi-partisan stuff is good in theory

but not in practice.....are there no qualified Dems to hold this post?

[KharmaTrain]

9. It Can Go Either Way...

The other day I was thinking about Bill Cohen...a Maine repugnican Bill Clinton selected as Secretary of Defense. He turned out to be one of the most loyal of Clinton's people and was instrumental in getting repugnican votes on critical defense bills in the midst of Monicagate.

Obviously, President Obama thought Bill Richardson was qualified, but that isn't meant to be. I'm definitely not sold on Gregg, but I'm not on the inside and just trying to look at all sides of this thing.

Cheers...

[Kalyke]

13. Loyal?

He retired Wes Clark early because Clark was right about Kosovo and went over Cohen's head and straight to Albright and Clinton.

Then, he suckered Clinton into thinking the retirement was legit. When Clinton found out they retired him early to put in a Republican crony, he blew his stack.

Some loyalist!

[Blue_In_AK]

12. This appointment makes no sense. n/t