Senate Dems "furious with Reid for agreeing to let Specter keep his seniority"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Senate Dems Are Fuming Over Deal That Let Specter Keep His Seniority
By Susie Madrak Thursday Apr 30, 2009 4:00pm

I think this is hysterical. I mean, progressive Pennsylvania Democrats were pretty pissed off when the Beltway pols made the deal that put the anti-choice, radical centrist Bob Casey in the Senate, and over Ed Rendell promising Specter he wouldn't face a Democratic primary challenge. These backroom deals are how a state with a large liberal voting bloc keeps ending up with conservative representation:

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.

Several Democrats are furious with Sen. Reid (D-Nev.) for agreeing to let Specter (Pa.) keep his seniority, accrued over more than 28 years as a GOP senator. That agreement would allow Specter to leap past senior Democrats on powerful panels — including the Appropriations and Judiciary committees.

“I won’t be happy if I don’t get to chair something because of Arlen Specter,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who sits on the Appropriations Committee with Specter and is fifth in seniority among Democrats, behind Chairman Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) and Sens. Robert Byrd (W.Va.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Tom Harkin (Iowa). “I’m happy with the Democratic order, but I don’t want to be displaced because of Arlen Specter,” she said.

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/senate-dems-are-fuming-over-deal-let

[JerseygirlCT]

1. You know what? I don't much blame them.

And I'd rather Mikulski than Specter!

[blogslut]

2. Back of the line, Arlen

No cuts.

[Muttocracy]

3. What happens with Bernie Sanders' seniority? (not with respect to Specter but

I'm trying to remember how it works for Independents like Sanders and JoeLie)

[tritsofme]

6. Sanders only joined the Senate in 2007.

So he doesn't have all that much seniority.

But since he caucuses with Democrats, and always has, his seniority will accrue as any Democratic senator within the caucus.

Lieberman was able to retain his seniority when he became an independent.

[Muttocracy]

7. thanks. Bernie gets a little more seniority from his House days but I didn't know if it mattered.nt

[izquierdista]

4. Good ol' Harry

Can always count on the miner's son to understand the importance of a cave in.

[w4rma]

5. Good! (nt)

[msongs]

8. yeah but Spector is voting FOR dems proposals now, right??? ok nt

[kentuck]

9. Could Specter get enough Democratic votes to beat the Republican?

Even if he didn't have a primary opponent? I think the Democrats may be giving up an automatic win by betting on Specter??

[Metta]

10. You can always count on Harry to betray what's right.

What a loser.

[Mist]

11. I'm not into blaming Reid for this entirely. I think Specter wouldn't have considered

crossing the aisle without some kind of deal re: his seniority.

[liberalmuse]

12. I don't blame them a bit.

I'd be pissed to. Specter isn't worth it. Let him die in his own party, or work his way up if he really wants to join ours. Other than a token victory, his defection is utterly meaningless. Reid is the most incredibly stupid, ineffective, infuriating Democratic Senate Majority Leader in my lifetime. He makes me so fucking mad with his bending in submission for the tiniest, most insignificant breeze that comes his way I can't see straight.

[malti_poo]

13. The Democrats now have 59 seats in the Senate....

They are in the process of kissing Specters butt to get him to go along with future votes. It is politics as usual.