Senate Dems to decide Specters seniority by SECRET BALLOT

[red states rule]

What hyprocicy!!!

Dems want a secret ballot for themselves all the while saying the average joe doesnt need one when they vote on a union.

This is yet an other example of the Democrats double standards that they live by



Reid: Specter’s seniority will depend on Dem 'pals'
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 05/01/09 12:15 PM [ET]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) predicted Friday that a deal can be worked out to prevent Sen. Arlen Specter from bumping a Senate Democrat from the chairmanship of a powerful committee or subcommittee next year.

Specter, the Pennsylvania lawmaker who abandoned the Republican Party this week to become a Democrat, has set his sights on chairing the Appropriations Committee someday. He could also take over the Judiciary Committee if current chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) takes the Appropriations gavel.

Specter says that Reid has promised to let him keep the seniority he accrued as a Republican since first winning election to the Senate in 1980. This would make Specter senior to all but a few Democrats when the Senate is scheduled to next organize committee assignments. (Panel positions for the 112th Congress will be decided after the 2010 election.)

But several senior Democrats have pushed back strongly against Reid’s deal with Specter, which was negotiated in secret.

Under pressure, Reid now says it will be up to the Democratic caucus to determine whether to recognize Specter’s 28 1/2 years of seniority.

Furthermore, Reid now does not think Specter will displace any senior Democrat atop a coveted committee or subcommittee.

Reid acknowledged Friday that the question of Specter’s seniority will be up for the entire Democratic caucus to decide, not him alone as leader.

“We’re going to do as we do every new Congress and pass an organizational resolution that will determine where everybody stands and that will give him an opportunity to find out who his pals are in the Senate,” Reid said at a question-and-answer session sponsored by The National Journal Group.

Senior Democrats who could lose a plum committee or subcommittee post to Specter would almost certainly vote against granting the seniority that he would have been granted as a Democrat elected in 1980.

One senior lawmaker who spoke to The Hill on condition of anonymity said that Reid does not have the power to let Specter keep his seniority earned as a Republican.

“That can’t happen; seniority is decided by the caucus,” said the lawmaker, who said Specter’s place in the pecking order would be decided by secret ballot during the organizational meeting expected after the 2010 election.

Nevertheless, Reid continues to promise that Specter will keep his seniority, though it may be meaningless if Democrats block Specter from taking over as chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. The current chairman, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), won election to the Senate in 1984, four years after Specter did.

“He will maintain his overall seniority in the Senate and its pretty clear that he’s going to do that,” Reid said of Specter.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reid-specters-seniority-will-depend-on-dem-pals-2009-05-01.html

[red states rule]

Is this the same administration, and party that promised transparency?

The same administration who is in favor of transparent union voting so that the union bigwigs know who to target for intimidation?

Hypocrites and liars - so much for Democrat openness and transparency

[Missileman]

Is this the same administration, and party that promised transparency?

The same administration who is in favor of transparent union voting so that the union bigwigs know who to target for intimidation?

Hypocrites and liars - so much for Democrat openness and transparency

In all fairness, Congress is not part of Obama's administration.

[red states rule]

In all fairness, Congress is not part of Obama's administration.

Reid and Pelsoi said the same thing - or am wrong? But they want to take away the secret ballot from those voting for/against the unions

[Silver]

In all fairness, Congress is not part of Obama's administration.

Set aside the Koolade Sonny....

We're not talking about "CONGRESS"....the subject deals with "DEMOCRATS" that happen to serve in congress and the Messiah is the de facto leader of the Democratic Party.....

[red states rule]

Set aside the Koolade Sonny....

We're not talking about "CONGRESS"....the subject deals with "DEMOCRATS" that happen to serve in congress and the Messiah is the de facto leader of the Democratic Party.....

Say one thing......... do another....... let the leftist propaganda press drones clean up the mess.

Seems to be the MO for Marxists.

[Missileman]

Set aside the Koolade Sonny....

We're not talking about "CONGRESS"....the subject deals with "DEMOCRATS" that happen to serve in congress and the Messiah is the de facto leader of the Democratic Party.....

Pull your head out of your ass grandpa! The OP is about Senators. They aren't part of Obama's administration any more than they were part of Bush's.

[emmett]

In all fairness, Congress is not part of Obama's administration.

MM.....really now. The left sees party over all else, just like the GOP, the Senate may be a seperate branch but Democrat Senators are as much a part of the current admin as any ever could have been.

[Kathianne]

Actually Missile Man pretty much called it, this is a 'party' matter and has to do with the 'rules' and whether or not Reid could do the deal he did:

Specter was never a 'conservative,' and should not have switched to GOP in '80 election. But he did, to win. Now he switched back to 'try and win.' Probably not going to be easy, to say the least:

First there was this:

TheHill.com - Top Dems rebel on Specter (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/top-dems-rebel-on-specter-2009-04-29.html)


Top Dems rebel on Specter
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 04/29/09 09:16 PM [ET]
Senior Senate Democrats are objecting to the deal Majority Leader Harry Reid made with Sen. Arlen Specter, saying they will vote against letting the former Republican shoot to the top of powerful committees after he switches parties.

Several Democrats are furious with Sen. Reid (D-Nev.) for agreeing to let Specter (Pa.) keep his seniority, accrued over more than 28 years as a GOP senator. That agreement would allow Specter to leap past senior Democrats on powerful panels — including the Appropriations and Judiciary committees.

“I won’t be happy if I don’t get to chair something because of Arlen Specter,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who sits on the Appropriations Committee with Specter and is fifth in seniority among Democrats, behind Chairman Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) and Sens. Robert Byrd (W.Va.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Tom Harkin (Iowa). “I’m happy with the Democratic order, but I don’t want to be displaced because of Arlen Specter,” she said....

Then this:

www.washingtonexaminer.com >> Politics >> - Senator Specter, meet your new friends (http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Senator-Specter-meet-your-new-friends-44078122.html)


Senator Specter, meet your new friends

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
04/30/09 9:00 PM


(Photo by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images)
What does the future hold for Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter? A lot of uncertainty, soured relationships, and possible disaster. And that's just with his new-found friends in the Democratic Party.

There's no doubt Senate Democrats wanted Specter's help with the president's agenda this year. His vote in the Democratic column could mean significantly better chances for the Obama administration's proposals on health care, energy, and education. So Specter's support will be valuable to his new party in the short run.

The long run is another matter. Go behind the news conferences and photo-ops, and Specter's fellow Democrats aren't exactly welcoming him with open arms and warm feelings -- or even respect. Specter's defection, one well-connected party strategist told me, "seems to me like the cowardly act of a cornered man."...

Now this:

TheHill.com - Reid: Specter’s seniority will depend on Dem 'pals' (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reid-specters-seniority-will-depend-on-dem-pals-2009-05-01.html)


Reid: Specter’s seniority will depend on Dem 'pals'
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 05/01/09 12:15 PM [ET]
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) predicted Friday that a deal can be worked out to prevent Sen. Arlen Specter from bumping a Senate Democrat from the chairmanship of a powerful committee or subcommittee next year.

Specter, the Pennsylvania lawmaker who abandoned the Republican Party this week to become a Democrat, has set his sights on chairing the Appropriations Committee someday. He could also take over the Judiciary Committee if current chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) takes the Appropriations gavel.


Specter says that Reid has promised to let him keep the seniority he accrued as a Republican since first winning election to the Senate in 1980. This would make Specter senior to all but a few Democrats when the Senate is scheduled to next organize committee assignments. (Panel positions for the 112th Congress will be decided after the 2010 election.)

But several senior Democrats have pushed back strongly against Reid’s deal with Specter, which was negotiated in secret.

Under pressure, Reid now says it will be up to the Democratic caucus to determine whether to recognize Specter’s 28 1/2 years of seniority.

Furthermore, Reid now does not think Specter will displace any senior Democrat atop a coveted committee or subcommittee..... Pretty funny when one politician lies to another. ;)

[red states rule]

Pull your head out of your ass grandpa! The OP is about Senators. They aren't part of Obama's administration any more than they were part of Bush's.

Again, I thought this was all about change and transparency. Why hasn't Obama called Reid into his office and laid the law down to him about this stuff?

I will ask the same thing when it comes to the tax increases being discussed in both the House and Senate. Where is Obama?

Or is the country really being run by Reid and Pelosi?

[red states rule]

Actually Missile Man pretty much called it, this is a 'party' matter and has to do with the 'rules' and whether or not Reid could do the deal he did:

Specter was never a 'conservative,' and should not have switched to GOP in '80 election. But he did, to win. Now he switched back to 'try and win.' Probably not going to be easy, to say the least:

First there was this:

TheHill.com - Top Dems rebel on Specter (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/top-dems-rebel-on-specter-2009-04-29.html)



Then this:

www.washingtonexaminer.com >> Politics >> - Senator Specter, meet your new friends (http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Senator-Specter-meet-your-new-friends-44078122.html)



Now this:

TheHill.com - Reid: Specter’s seniority will depend on Dem 'pals' (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reid-specters-seniority-will-depend-on-dem-pals-2009-05-01.html)

Pretty funny when one politician lies to another. ;)

I will get the popcorn and enjoy the show

[Joe Steel]

What hyprocicy!!!

Dems want a secret ballot for themselves all the while saying the average joe doesnt need one when they vote on a union.

This is yet an other example of the Democrats double standards that they live by



The average Joe doesn't have a right to a secret union ballot now. EFCA would give the employees, not the employer, a choice but Republicans and some regressive Democrats are opposing it.

Write your Senators and Representative and tell them to support EFCA.

[red states rule]

The average Joe doesn't have a right to a secret union ballot now. EFCA would give the employees, not the employer, a choice but Republicans and some regressive Democrats are opposing it.

Write your Senators and Representative and tell them to support EFCA.

The workers do vote in secret. Obama, and the union thugs want to change that

The union thugs want to know who dared to say "NO" to them picking their pockets for union dues to finance Democrat candidates in elections

While Dems will give unions what they want and have open ballots, they vote in secret

How typical

[Missileman]

Again, I thought this was all about change and transparency. Why hasn't Obama called Reid into his office and laid the law down to him about this stuff?


Because Reid doesn't work for Obama. The executive branch can't dictate this kind of policy to the legislative. Change and transparency within the executive branch is thw only thing Obama has any real control over.

[Kathianne]

Because Reid doesn't work for Obama. The executive branch can't dictate this kind of policy to the legislative. Change and transparency within the executive branch is thw only thing Obama has any real control over.

Right, Obama & Co are not applying pressure to congress to be pro-union. You may agree with, but don't deny.

[red states rule]

Right, Obama & Co are not applying pressure to congress to be pro-union. You may agree with, but don't deny.

Yet during the Bush years, many people (on both sides) said he should call in the leaders of Cngress and tell them he would take out the veto pen. Or go on TV and publicly express his differemces, and demand they pass a bill he could sign

Or could it be Obama is playing dumb, and Reid and Pelosi are doing exactly what Obama wants them to do?

And Obama could use MM's post as an excuse

Bottom line is - there is little or no transparency in the WH or Congress despite all the hype during the election

[Missileman]

Right, Obama & Co are not applying pressure to congress to be pro-union. You may agree with, but don't deny.

I'm not denying anything Kath. And I'm not suggesting that Obama won't try to influence congress. And the end of the day however, congress will act how they see fit and in their best interest despite any suggestions from Obama. My original post in this thread was in response to an inference in the OP that a secret ballot in the senate was somehow a lie by Obama.

[PostmodernProphet]

The average Joe doesn't have a right to a secret union ballot now. EFCA would give the employees, not the employer, a choice but Republicans and some regressive Democrats are opposing it.
.
???....the only change proposed is a change to PREVENT the secret ballot....it gives neither the employee or the employer more rights, only the union benefits.....anyone who believes in freedom should oppose it, regardless of party......

[mundame]

Big unions are definitely causing much of what is seriously wrong with this country.

Teachers unions are responsible for much of the degradation of our whole educational system.

The UAW is responsible for the death of the American car industry because of its huge, high, uncompetitive benefits it has wrested, blackmailed, from the industry over the years, unto the point of collapse.

The Service Workers union, the Transportation unions --- wherever big unions are, serious corruption and bribery and extortion and murder follow and the industries gradually collapse and fail.

Reagan broke the unions; it's too bad he didn't also pound a stake through the heart so they couldn't rise again as they have in this time of national weakness.

[red states rule]

Specter seems to really believe that his seniority and position will not change.

Either he was given an indication that it wouldn't as part of his incentive to switch. Or he is so self absorbed and confident in his importance that he can't see reality.

[Silver]

Pull your head out of your ass grandpa! The OP is about Senators. They aren't part of Obama's administration any more than they were part of Bush's.

You really need a little lesson in reading comprehension meathead...


Senate Dems to decide Specters seniority by SECRET BALLOT

See if you can pick out the subject in this sentence....

DEMS you say....correct...DEMS is the noun...

what kind of Dems.....? SENATE you say....correct...thats makes senate an adjective....

OK...bonehead..you're dismissed...schools out for today....you may remove your head from my ass now...

[mundame]

Specter seems to really believe that his seniority and position will not change.

Either he was given an indication that it wouldn't as part of his incentive to switch.


Sure. He'll get his committee chairmanship back. That was his price.

[Missileman]

You really need a little lesson in reading comprehension meathead...



See if you can pick out the subject in this sentence....

DEMS you say....correct...DEMS is the noun...

what kind of Dems.....? SENATE you say....correct...thats makes senate an adjective....

OK...bonehead..you're dismissed...schools out for today....you may remove your head from my ass now...

Hardly room for mine when your own is firmly implanted. Senators are NOT part of Obama's administration...whether Democrat or Republican. Senators doing shit behind closed doors has no bearing on Obama's promise that HIS ADMINISTRATION would be open and less secretive.

You see, someone posted:


Senate Dems to decide Specters seniority by SECRET BALLOT

and then someone posted:

Is this the same administration, and party that promised transparency? (emphasis mine)

You may, and likely will, continue to argue otherwise, but the actions of senators are not the actions of Obama's administration.

[Kathianne]

Because Reid doesn't work for Obama. The executive branch can't dictate this kind of policy to the legislative. Change and transparency within the executive branch is thw only thing Obama has any real control over.

We agreed, until the second sentence.

[PostmodernProphet]

and then someone posted:
Quote:
Is this the same administration, and party that promised transparency?
(emphasis mine)

you guys are arguing over nothing.....you could as well have "emphasized" and party and you would have nothing to complain about......

[Joe Steel]

???....the only change proposed is a change to PREVENT the secret ballot....it gives neither the employee or the employer more rights, only the union benefits.....anyone who believes in freedom should oppose it, regardless of party......

As I understand the current process, the employees will have a secret ballot only if the NLRB orders it or if the employer demands it. The employees have no choice.

EFCA would allow the employees to decide. The could have card-check or an election depending on their preference.

[Joe Steel]

Big unions are definitely causing much of what is seriously wrong with this country.

Teachers unions are responsible for much of the degradation of our whole educational system.

Nope. Capitalism is forcing parents to work too many hours away from home. They can't help their children learn.



The UAW is responsible for the death of the American car industry because of its huge, high, uncompetitive benefits it has wrested, blackmailed, from the industry over the years, unto the point of collapse.

Nope. American capitalism demands short-term profits. That led to a focus on production of high-profit vehicles which wouldn't sell when oil prices increased rather than development of long-term viability. That's why the American automobile industry is in trouble.



The Service Workers union, the Transportation unions --- wherever big unions are, serious corruption and bribery and extortion and murder follow and the industries gradually collapse and fail.

Reagan broke the unions; it's too bad he didn't also pound a stake through the heart so they couldn't rise again as they have in this time of national weakness.

Utter nonsense. Union labor built the American middle-class and that's the reason for America's economic success. Reagan's blundering began it's destruction and the Bushes continued it. Let's hope Obama can restore the American dream.

[red states rule]

Nope. Capitalism is forcing parents to work too many hours away from home. They can't help their children learn.




Nope. American capitalism demands short-term profits. That led to a focus on production of high-profit vehicles which wouldn't sell when oil prices increased rather than development of long-term viability. That's why the American automobile industry is in trouble.




Utter nonsense. Union labor built the American middle-class and that's the reason for America's economic success. Reagan's blundering began it's destruction and the Bushes continued it. Let's hope Obama can restore the American dream.

No Joe it is high taxes that make people work long hours

You mena cars like the electric cars, and tiny golf cars with bucket seats that people do not want?

Now unions own the car companies thanks to Obama and his thug like tactics threatening lawyers that want to enforce existing contract law. I am sure they will finish destroying the companies after billions of US tax dollars were handed over to the them to try and bail the out

[PostmodernProphet]

As I understand the current process, the employees will have a secret ballot only if the NLRB orders it or if the employer demands it. The employees have no choice.


any vote for union representation is a secret ballot.....unless the Dems change the law and permit vote by union coercion......