Posted on 04/30/2009 3:31:48 AM PDT by Scanian
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.
Specter’s first full day in Washington after turning the Capitol upside down with his decision to switch parties suggested a lonely future awaits in the upper chamber.
While he received a formal welcome Wednesday to the Democratic Party at the White House from President Obama and Vice President Biden, senior Senate Democrats exchanged phone calls to voice their objections to Reid’s gambit and one lawmaker said Specter should be happy with a committee seat at the “end of the dais.” Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and two other members of the Senate Republican leadership asked Specter to refund campaign donations.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
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Rat fight!!
Your post made my night...and day...and everything in between.
He’s their problem now.
heh
I think Karl Rove actually conceived this idea eight years ago upon arrival in DC. Specter has been a loser for the Republicans the entire time....a wannabe Republican...a pretender. His vast knowledge on Scottish law...his only contribution to the senate in twenty years. So here at 79 years old, and little else to contribute...he’s now the responsibility of the Democratic party. And then he’s upset a number of folks who felt they had their guaranteed senior status all fixed up.
My own analysis....this is why I favor limited terms. You have some idiot who stays past twelve years and feels he’s more senior than another senator. They each represent a state...end of the story. This seniority game....is for losers.
This puts the rats in a bit of a quandary. If they honor majority leader Reed's Commitment to grant Arlen Specter seniority, Democrat egomaniacs in the Senate will be angered. If they fail to honor the deal, would be turncoats will be warned off and Harry Reid will be exposed as toothless.
This part is good all around.
I vaguely remember that one of the more specious arguments these fools had against term limits was that the issues are too complex, and the job too tough, for "amateurs" to be able to step up. The "conservative" Republican Henry Hyde made that point, if I recall.
He’s their Toyota now.
Well, I hope that Specter is enjoying the company of his new caucus-mates.
“This seniority game....is for losers.”
Don’t forget unions too. Unions are for seniority not competence.
You take him,.....no you take him, no, no, no,...you take him we don’t want him.
ROTFL! Deal with it b*tch! He's your problem now.
You had to know this was coming. You don’t allow Specter to keep his seniority and screw long time Democrat senators without there being repercussions.
CAT FIGHT!
LLS
Hell hath no fury, like the midget dyke from Maryland.
“They all need to be replaced.” You have written the six most critical words,in your post, if we are to survive as a Nation.
We have allowed a political class to develop and there is not one bit of difference between the parties. They care little, if anything, about our Country. It is all about POWER. They ALL need to be voted out of office and term limits initiated.
Reid has to find a way to throw pieces of silver at Specter
Hey, that’s my midget dyke Senatrix you’re talking about there! (I’ve used much stronger language myself, mostly in my head as Mrs. Crusher cringes at vulgarities)
From a district where my “representation” is comprised of Steny Hoyer (SanFranNan’s consigliore), L’il Babs, and Ben “Let’s Bail Out the New York Times” Cardin. Sigh. And in my VA home the Senators are just as bad with Jimbo Webb and Mark the Dork Warner. Is it any wonder I’m looking at land in Oklahoma?
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