After Stripping Him Of Seniority, Democrats Throw Specter A Small Bone
There's been a lot of schadenfreude on the right (and to some extent on the left) about the fact that Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) has, at least for now, lost his seniority on various committees, particularly the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees.
But while that continues to be the case, Senate leaders have reportedly reached a compromise of sorts. Specter, according to The Washington Post, will assume the chairmanship of the Judiciary's Crime and Drugs Subcommittee. To make room for him, that subcommittee's current chairman--Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL)--will step down and assume the chairmanship of the reconstituted Human Rights Subcommittee.
It's a small bone--he's still lost much of his power on the pork-able Appropriations Committee--but they've thrown it to him. Just as Reid suggested they would yesterday.
Josh
Matt
Eric
This makes sense for the Dems, they want to prize off Collins and Snowe too if they get the chance.
Even though Specter has lost seniority, he has still made a significant net gain as he is now in the majority party and he has kept all his old assignments.
Ranking member does not provide any leverage when the governing party has 60 seats. So don't expect Specter's replacement as ranking member on his committees to be making off with pork Specter had expected to take.
Specter has lost his titular position. But the most junior member of the governing party is going to be doing a lot better than the most senior member of the minority.
I don't expect him to win the primary unless Ridge enters the race, but Ridge is not likely to want to give up his current lucrative career for a Senate seat in what appears to be becoming a permanent minority after he has already been Governor and Secretary of State.
May 7, 2009 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I thought ranking members set the committee agendas though. There is a lot of power in that.
I thought I was the only one hoping Snowe and Collins defect too.
May 7, 2009 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Was this move to save the jobs of Arlen's aides?
May 7, 2009 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Considering his support for Webb's crime reform bill, I'd say this is a good move.
May 7, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's all about Operant Conditioning. Reward and punishment.
He switches party affiliation, Dems promise not to sponsor or support a primary challenge against him. Reward.
He spends a week talking about how he's not planning to be a loyal Democrat - i.e., we can't actually count on him for anything - which finishes up with him publicly backing Norm Coleman. Suddenly, he's stripped of his seniority in every committee he's in. Punishment.
Now he's being offered a chairmanship. Reward.
Now we get to see if he has the learning capacity of a lab rat.
May 7, 2009 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Beautiful analysis, Seraph.
May 7, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I honestly think the Coleman comments were a combination of his age/senility and that if he had remembered at that moment that he in fact HAD switched parties he would not have said something so stupid. He even admitted he misspoke afterwards.
I think it's more accurate this way:
Operant Conditioning. A compassionate rendition of reward and punishment.
He switches party affiliation, Dems promise not to sponsor or support a primary challenge against him.
Reward.
He spends a week talking about how he's not planning to be a loyal Democrat - i.e., we can't actually count on him for anything - despite two sources standing by their claim that he had promised Obama and Reid his loyalty. He also makes a spectacle out of the fact that his deal with Reid included his keeping seniority on his committee assignments, causing many Democrats he would leapfrog heartburn and Reid a huge migraine.
Then, when it comes time to vote, Specter puts his money where his public mouth has been by voting against the Democrats on three floor votes.
Suddenly, he's stripped of his seniority in every committee he's in by a unanimous vote.
Punishment.
Now he's being offered a chairmanship on one subcommittee.
Pity.
May 7, 2009 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the TPMDC Morning Roundup:
I can imagine he's having a helluva time adjusting to the non-Michelle-Bachmann (R-Mars) universe.
May 7, 2009 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink