Black Caucus Planning Revolt Against Pelosi - DailyBeast

[WillyT]

Black Caucus Planning Revolt Against Pelosi
African American Democrats are vowing to block a proposal they say will diminish the political power they’ve waited a generation to attain.
Tim Mak - DailyBeast
01.29.15

<snip>

Black lawmakers are on the verge of a revolt over a proposal that could marginalize their political power, and are warning House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to crush the idea before it is discussed further -- or face a backlash.

The Congressional Black Caucus has never had more influence. It boasts a large number of senior lawmakers who have ascended to top positions only after years in the House of Representatives. They have banked on their seniority to solidify their status.

And now, with their caucus at its largest ever, they have the numbers to cause some serious trouble if they’re defied.

Its members are upset over internal Democratic discussions about limiting the role of seniority in determining key leadership posts, and imposing term limits on how long lawmakers can hold those positions.

There are more black members of Congress than ever – 46 members of the CBC in the current Congress (that’s nearly quarter of the Democrats in the House -- there’s just one Republican in the group) – wielding a historic amount of influence.

Black leaders have waited a generation for this moment.

Seven CBC members are the top-ranking Democratic leaders on Congressional committees and 23 members have the top post on subcommittees, largely because of seniority -- how long they’ve spent in Congress.

And while not all Democrats support the current system -- any change to it at this moment would have a disproportionate effect on black members of Congress, members of the CBC said.

“There's an old joke,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, “that once African Americans get there, the rules are going to change. Once Latinos get there, the rules are going to change. The seniority system has been there almost since the beginning of the Republic."

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More: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/29/facing-threat-black-dems-mull-revolt.html#

[sabrina 1]

1. What a coincidence, that this rule change should occur at this particular point.

I hope Pelosi listens to the CBC. One has to wonder sometimes, 'is there something in the water in DC that changes what were perfectly good people into enablers of some of the worst legislation (see Bush era) they could possibly support?

[bravenak]

5. +1

[geek tragedy]

2. This is a dicey subject because while obviously African-Americans are the core

of our base and we need to go out of our way to make sure they are fairly represented at all levels of power, the CBC is not without self-interested, self-aggrandizing members. Not any more or less than the rest of Congress.

[fredamae]

3. This, if true as written

coming from Democrats no less...really Stinks.

[LittleBlue]

4. New blood isn't a bad thing

The good of the people has to come before their personal ambition.

[sabrina 1]

6. So when did it dawn on them that 'new blood isn't a bad thing'? Doesn't seem to apply to

the career politicians who have been there for so long, there are new generations who have never had a different Rep in their lifetimes?

If the OP is correct, seems the 'new blood' idea has been rather sudden, coinciding with the CBC attaining a little power finally after all this time.

I'd like to know the source of this sudden awakening.