One thing about all the newly prominent faces of the Democratic majority’s congressional committee chairmen is hard to miss: Dubbed the “old bulls,” they define seniority. Of the new Senate chairmen, all but one is at least 60, and three are 80-something — including 89-year-old Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. About two-thirds of the new House chairmen are older than 60. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (in photo), D-Mich., is 80 and was first elected to Congress in 1955. “I don’t buy green bananas,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who is 76.
The question will be whether the old bulls will lead their committees in a way that reflects the centrist mandate of the 2006 election, or veer so far left that they remind voters why Democrats lost power in the first place.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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9 Comments
America voted for change! It is too darn bad that most Americans are far too conditioned to vote third party.
So here is the change, from status quo right to old guard left.
Rhonda is well known as biased toward the kook right.
“Kook right”
I’ve yet to see Rhonda write anything kooky in either direction.
Her analysis on this topic is right on point. Hell, it’s inarguable. Look at the facts. Or…is that something the liberals STILL won’t do?
Of course the Dems are being led by the far left, but I think they are leading Dems who won because they said, at least, that they were “moderate” Dems. Just look at who will chair the committees. Looks like something from Red China.
This demonstrates the problem (regardless of party) with the traditional seniority system determining the chairmanship of the various committees.
I agree popup. Rhonda always some little dig for liberals.
The minimum wage. Fair taxes. Fair trade.
If that’s “far left,” then the country is far left because that’s what a clear majority want.
An interesting comparison of Bushism and Nazism.
http://www.slate.com/id/2154567/nav/tap1/
So what is these Democrats are older – how old was Reagan when he took office?
Why don’t we give the new Democrat leaders a chance to see what they will do before we all call them names.
After all, if there is too much bickering from the GOP, there might just be some investigations coming down the pike that they won’t like.
Right, sunny. We found out what rank inexperience looks like–the “heck of a job” Bush administration.