Reply #10: I would tend to think he will not be picked - I think Durbin will be our best hope

[karynnj]

This committee will be huge commitment, and Kerry is both Chair of the SFRC and the main sponsor of the infrastructure bank bill, that many say will be the next thing up. That's because there will be a pivot to jobs - and we are cutting costs, which is bizarre. That does not mean that government funding will go to zero - it won't. I believe that over a ten year horizon, Kerry's bill will have no or very low costs as the money is given as loans and they will be repaid. It may well be the best bet to have ANY real stimulus or any new major effort on infrastructure.

In addition to the fact that he has the above responsibilities, the Senate seems to be very rigidly organized. I would bet that Durbin and Conrad, who looked at some of this for months as members of the gang of 6, who are respectively the 2nd ranking Democrats and the Chair of the Budget committee would seem likely choices. Warner, the third Democrat in the Gang of 6, has already publicly said he wants to be on the committee. Other possibilities, because of their roles, who would seem likely are Baucus, who is Chair of Finance and Schumer, who is in the leadership and on the Finance committee - and as we know a self serving aggressive seeker of any position of influence. There may be other obvious potential members, but those are the ones I suspect.

I have found the DU GD choices for the committee amusing.