The AP reports on the likely Democratic chairmen and chairwomen of Senate committees in the new Congress.
Agriculture … Harkin’s not bad, but needs to a better job of getting farm subsidies to family farmers and away from Big Ag.
Appropriations … Let’s hope Byrd doesn’t decide to exit the Senate in a pork-barrelling blaze of glory, especially if John Murtha knocks off Steny Hoyer for House Majority Leader.
Armed Services … Levin has the opportunity of turning his lawyerly acumen on to the many current problems with the Pentagon and Secretary of Defense. Unfortunately, by wanting to have the current Senate, not the new one, run the confirmation hearings for Robert Gates, he’s already had a misstep.
Banking … Chris Dodd is a Democratic senator.
Budget … Conrad is a sort of finance wonk; could be just right for this position.
Commerce … Inouye has struck me as a squish in the past on some environmental issues; hope this doesn’t carry over to the science part of this committee.
Energy … It’s good to have a New Mexican here, with oil, gas, uranium and atomic labs all in the state, and he’s at least average on renewables, too.
Environment … Hard to think of a better senator for this committee than Boxer.
Finance … Baucus has been worse than a squish on tax cuts for the rich in the past. Not good, unless Reid can sit on him.
Foreign Relations … Yuck. Joe Biden’s probably going to try to kick-start his presidential ambitions from this platform. Plus, he’s too much of a centrist internationalist for my taste in general.
Heath/Education/Labor … Old lion Ted Kennedy gets a last shot. If the Democrats can win the WH in 2008, looking down the road, you know Ted will have a national healthcare bill to report out of committee. Let’s hope he can not only pass a minimum-wage increase bill, but one with automatic COLAs built in.
Homeland Security … Good doorknob. The only worse committee for Lieberman to run would have been Foreign Relations.
Indian Affairs … Dorgan does come from a state with a large American Indian population, BUT… he took a fair chunk of money from Jack Abramoff tribal clients, before eventually returning it. Big question… does he lean on the Interior Department to finally settle the multibillion lawsuit filed by Indian tribes over royalties, assets, etc.?
Judiciary … I’m not as sold on Pat Leahy as some might be. As the story said, his problems with the Patriot Act have been with its administration, not its enactment, which doesn’t thrill me.
Rules … The Peter Principle for Feinstein
Aging … Kohl could push to revamp Medicare Part D, especially in terms of direct drug negotiation. GOP senators in “older” states up for re-election in 2008 would have to go for the ride.
Ethics … Hopefully Tim Johnson has a quiet committee
Intelligence … Jay Rockefeller repeatedly got snowed by Pat Roberts when the Republicans were in control, so much so that I wonder whether he wasn’t being willingly co-opted at times, or at least, whether he has any more backbone than Teddy Roosevelt’s infamous chocolate éclair.
Small Business … John Kerry; See Feinstein, Dianne and Peter Prinicple
Veterans Affairs … Akaka will be a solid choice. Let’s hope he keeps tabs on the VA trying to deny Iraq-related injury claims.
Overall grade? A solid B, I guess.
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