A Look at the New Senate Committees...Bernie to chair VA Committee & more

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/12/13/053/56926

A Look at the New Senate Committees

by BooMan
Thu Dec 13th, 2012 at 12:05:03 AM EST


Okay, so no one wants to look at committee assignments. I get it. It's boring. But you kind of have to understand the power arrangements on the committees to know what is likely to happen in the Senate. Anyway, Joe Lieberman made his farewell speech in the Senate today. No one cared. One former head of the DLC is gone, but another former head of the DLC will take over his chair of the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee. That would be Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware. I'm sure he will keep us all safe. I hope he likes Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin because they'll be joining his committee. So, Canadians, beware! No unauthorized entry!

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People are giddy that Elizabeth Warren landed a slot on the Banking Committee, but they should ponder for a moment the overall effect of Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp joining up with her. West Virginia and North Dakota are very red states, and their votes outweigh Warren's. I doubt the banks are displeased with the overall change in the ideological makeup of the committee.

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Here's something cool. Rep. Bernie Sanders is getting his first gavel. He will chair the Veteran's Affairs Committee. It seems a fitting post for a Socialist, no? Richard Blumenthal and Mazie Hirono will join him.

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Obviously, the biggest news is the new chairmen: Bill Nelson (Aging), Murray (Budget), Wyden (Energy), Carper (Homeland Security), Sanders (Veteran's Affairs), and Cantwell (Indian Affairs).

It's also significant that women will chair seven of the twenty-one Senate Committees.

For progressives, the biggest news is that Sanders will chair Vet's, Murray will chair Budget, Sherrod Brown will serve on Finance, Elizabeth Warren will serve on Banking, Martin Heinrich will serve on Intelligence, and Mazie Hirono will serve on the Judiciary. Also, that Tammy Baldwin will serve at all.