Mrs. Pelosi got her fingers burned first time out of the box: Steny Hoyer is the new Majority Whip, Murtha going down to defeat yesterday in the Democratic caucus 149-86.
Okay, lets do some calculating. On the plus side, this is a triumph for rationality: Representative Hoyer is much more centrist than John Murtha was likely to be. Consequently, passing up Murtha for Hoyer will get the “surrender now” crowd hopping mad – which is never a bad thing. Also, Pelosi has been dented a little: she made a very public bid to secure the Majority Whip slot for Murtha and it cratered.
On the other hand, it indicates the Democratic majority in the House is going to at least try to stay center-left for awhile, which is a definite mixed bag. Somewhat better in the short run for the country, certainly, but more problematic all round in the long term. Clinton’s last six years show the bleak possibilities for Republicans and conservatives if the New Democrats and the Blue Dog Democrats are careful, stay together, keep the far left "progressive" loonies in line, and thus refrain from ruining themselves.
Fortunately, President Bush can do well with this political problem by doing good for the country. Can you guess how ? More on that another time.
Okay, lets do some calculating. On the plus side, this is a triumph for rationality: Representative Hoyer is much more centrist than John Murtha was likely to be. Consequently, passing up Murtha for Hoyer will get the “surrender now” crowd hopping mad – which is never a bad thing. Also, Pelosi has been dented a little: she made a very public bid to secure the Majority Whip slot for Murtha and it cratered.
On the other hand, it indicates the Democratic majority in the House is going to at least try to stay center-left for awhile, which is a definite mixed bag. Somewhat better in the short run for the country, certainly, but more problematic all round in the long term. Clinton’s last six years show the bleak possibilities for Republicans and conservatives if the New Democrats and the Blue Dog Democrats are careful, stay together, keep the far left "progressive" loonies in line, and thus refrain from ruining themselves.
Fortunately, President Bush can do well with this political problem by doing good for the country. Can you guess how ? More on that another time.
6 comments:
Good way to leave readers hanging there... come on... what's your idea for Bush?
Let's not forget that Pelousy still appoints the chair of each committee and most of them are slated to be the last of the old liberal loonies from the 20th Century, who still haven't forgiven Reagan for ignoring their advice and winning the Cold War.
Plenty more opportunities to embarass the Blue Dogs.
All true. Legislation is mostly lost to conservative purposes this Congress, and Congress will have the power to investigate, and they will use all that, of course. Plenty of opportunities to embarass the Blue Dogs, and they will.
But then there's foreign policy. To accomplish anything, the lefties have to be wrong footed, forced to show their true colors. . .It's something we have to do anyway.
not to be pedantic, but is hoyer majority whip or majority leader?
and no, i don't listen to the news.
i come here.
Oops...re-reading what I wrote...u are so correct. Hoyer WAS the minority whip...will now be Majority Leader (and have a Whip assisting him). Naughty, naughty Jefe. Some underlings will be shot at once.
The Majority Whip will be another Pelosi pick: James Clyburn of my native state, SC. I say Pelosi pick, but he may have been foisted on Nance by the Black Caucus.
Meanwhile, poor Rahm Emanuel, the guy who actually did the work of raising the money, recruiting the candidates and getting the majority elected is tossed aside.
That's got to hurt.
P.S. Your Booger Beta also forces me to log on each time I comment... What a pain! Haloscan man!
Yeah, Mr. Emanuel deserves a lot of credit for keeping his Left and Center lashed-together...and Republicans better figure out how to disrupt that arrangement.
It's not fair at all that Mr. Emanuel doesn't do well out of this, but I'm sure his accomplishments won't be forgotten, but he of all people should know that every time you fill an office you create 99 malcontents and 1 ingrate.
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