NYT:Issues Await if Democrats Retake House

[cal04]

As the start of the fall campaign looms and House Democrats remain within realistic reach of reclaiming the majority, party leaders are beginning to explore the delicate question of what happens if they win.

Rusty from being out of power for 12 years, Democrats are rethinking how they should parcel out coveted committee chairmanships and the other plums that would come with House control at a time when the party’s potential chairmen are increasingly being portrayed by Republicans as liberal extremists.

In fund-raising appeals, on the Internet and in stump speeches, Republicans raise the specter of a Judiciary Committee headed by Representative John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, a banking committee steered by Barney Frank of Massachusetts, a tax-writing committee led by Charles B. Rangel of New York, and an energy panel under the leadership of John D. Dingell of Michigan.

Democrats and others call it a tired scare tactic with more than a whiff of bigotry. But faced with the attacks and pent-up ambitions of rank-and-file lawmakers, Democratic leaders are hinting they might abandon party tradition and award sought-after slots not solely on the basis of seniority, but instead follow the Republican lead of also weighing such factors as legislative record, diversity and work for the good of the party.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/26/washington/26cong.html?_r=1&ref=washington&oref=slogin

[bluestateguy]

1. HR #1: rescind the articles of impeachment against Clinton

Expunge them from the record and forbid the topic from ever being mentioned in the House again.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. That could spark a mutiny

Look at the names listed as examples. Kiss my gnarly old ass.

John Con(*cough*black)yers

Barney Fr(*cough*gay)ank

Charlie Rang(*cough*black)ell

They better NOT fuck with these guys.

[PurityOfEssence]

8. These are tough guys; I wouldn't want to get in their way

Hell, Rangell survived the encirclement at the Chosin Reseveroir in the Korean War; he's a Godzilla if there ever was one. Barney Frank is possibly the smartest man among the 535 members of congress, and he pulls no punches. Conyers is a decent person and an adept chess-player in this arena; messing with him is at one's peril.

It's a bummer if the monarchists dread having these guys at the controls after more than a decade of ham-fisted exclusive control. I can't wait to hear the complaints about how the "decent" republicans are frozen out of the system after their high-handed and aristocratic subjugation of the left.

I only hope that the Dems shut them out as thoroughly as they were, and I want investigations. I want to see Junior testifying just like loser Ronnie had to do. I REALLY want that.

[MichiganVote]

3. How bout they roll back tax cuts to the rich and quit spending money

like drunken sailors....

[driver8]

4. That sounds like a great idea to me!!

Fiscal conservatism, my ass!

I was a drunken sailor...I know how they spend!!

[Senator]

5. Have they conjured some "magic" to circumvent "rule by signing statement"?

Or are they just talking through their hats?

Impeachment IS our positive agenda.

And our only moral, patriotic option.

--

[Eric J in MN]

6. On the one hand, this getting way ahead.

On the other hand, if they try to deny John Conyers his rightful place as head of the Judiciary Committee, I'll be pissed and so will bloggers with a lot more readers than me.

[beltanefauve]

7. Had to laugh

at this one:

"Our country can’t afford to let Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha and Barney Frank reverse the progress we’ve made,” Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois wrote in a recent appeal for contributions.

Progress???
:rofl: