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News & ArtsMonday, February 8, 2010
Politics Dicks in Line for Murtha's Chairmanship
Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 4:19 PM
Rep. John Murtha, who died today at 77, was head of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee—that's the body in charge of the $700 billion budget for the Pentagon.
Who's next in line for the post? Washington Democrat Norm Dicks, whose district includes the Bremerton Naval Station.
It's not a sure thing yet, but seniority suggests that Dicks has a very strong shot at getting the chairmanship. That would give him, among other things, more sway over whether or not a $35 billion tanker contract will be awarded to Boeing.
Tanker contract... tanker contract... where did you hear that before? That contract is the reason Republican Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama is currently holding up all of President Obama's nominees. He wants the contract to go to Northrop Grumman, which is a big employer in Alabama. It's probably a safe bet that if Dicks gets the chairmanship, Sen. Shelby will continue to be a very unhappy man.
2
Before we advance him into this position, we should ask a few very important questions:
- Does the GOP like Dicks?
- Will Dicks fit in well in the Democratic Caucus now that he's a more important member?
- Will America benefit from having a more powerful Dicks?
- Can Obama's Chief of Staff handle Dicks?
- Does he have his temper under control? An exploding Dicks can make for a messy situation and has caused liberal agendas on the appropriations side of things to go limp afterward.
- Does the GOP like Dicks?
- Will Dicks fit in well in the Democratic Caucus now that he's a more important member?
- Will America benefit from having a more powerful Dicks?
- Can Obama's Chief of Staff handle Dicks?
- Does he have his temper under control? An exploding Dicks can make for a messy situation and has caused liberal agendas on the appropriations side of things to go limp afterward.
3
How does one get appointed to this post? Does congress have to vote on it, or can Obama just wave a wand?
I hope it's the latter, because otherwise, he stands no chance.
I hope it's the latter, because otherwise, he stands no chance.
4
I've done some human services lobbying in DC and can say that Dicks staff is extremely professional and helpful with constituents, including a small human services organization. He's also got a reasonably strong spine (for a Democrat).
If Dicks secures the chairmanship, he and Patty Murray (who chairs the Senate Appropriations Human Services Subcommittee) will be positioned to do a lot of good for this Washington -- more than anyone since the days of Scoop and Maggie.
If Dicks secures the chairmanship, he and Patty Murray (who chairs the Senate Appropriations Human Services Subcommittee) will be positioned to do a lot of good for this Washington -- more than anyone since the days of Scoop and Maggie.
6
Norm Dicks is a representative of the world, not Washington. I'm all for pork, but I wouldn't wait for Dicks for dinner.
7
Murtha died from complications suffered from a surgery last week. Did Shelby know there were complications, and put the blanket hold on because of Dicks?
8
the big strategy was let's sit down with insurers. the result: no health care reform, and we lost VA we lost NJ we lost MA.
Now the big obama plan is "let
's sit down with the gop in the white house," fuck.
and now the gop dude is ahead in IL, fuck, and get this from realclear:
Polling Data
Poll Date Sample Portman (R) Brunner (D) Spread
RCP Average 11/5 - 2/6 -- 40.0 35.7 Portman +4.3
Fuck, in Ohio the Republican is ahead?
Fuck, fuck fuck.
Ain't no porkutopia for Washington state if we lose the fucking majority, dudes. And we are on a path to do just that.
Ohio. fuck.
Now the big obama plan is "let
's sit down with the gop in the white house," fuck.
and now the gop dude is ahead in IL, fuck, and get this from realclear:
Polling Data
Poll Date Sample Portman (R) Brunner (D) Spread
RCP Average 11/5 - 2/6 -- 40.0 35.7 Portman +4.3
Fuck, in Ohio the Republican is ahead?
Fuck, fuck fuck.
Ain't no porkutopia for Washington state if we lose the fucking majority, dudes. And we are on a path to do just that.
Ohio. fuck.
9
After reading a headline I assumed you were going to list all the dicks who were in line for the chairmanship.
10
I'm not so excited about the pork for our state, but I am very excited about the thought of making life in every red state hell. I want them to have 12% unemployment and then massive military base shutdowns. I want all government contracts pulled. I want all federal highway spending moved to the blue states--or better yet, purple states that are wavering. I want Norm Dicks and Patty Murray campaigning in Ohio and Pennsylvania with unsigned federal contracts for local contractors in their hands. And a letter to Alabama and Georgia saying you're never getting another fucking nickel so long as your senators continue to be assholes and refuse to play ball with us.
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