Political Note #341 US and the World: Blinken, Thomas-Greenfield, and Kerry
Joe Biden has selected diplomats of the first order. Not everything international is diplomacy, but diplomats who bring skill and wide respect can affect the world.
Political Note #338 Joe Biden’s Agency Review Teams
Take a look at the people who will lead the Teams preparing the Biden administration to govern the country. Consider the possibilities for good government
Political Note #205 Mayors on the March
One of the Presidential candidates has been criticized for how she bosses. Look at the presidential candidates. Can you tell what kind of bosses they have been?
Political Note #187 DCCC and DPCC
Nancy Pelosi is taking charge. She met with Ocasio-Cortes. Ocasio-Cortez got it. Those leading the opposition to Pelosi are to the right of the Democratic mainstream. Pelosi was preferable as Speaker. Is this Pelosi taking charge? Nancy Pelosi wondered if the DPCC should have a chairman. Now it has three co-chairs. Shortly after her announcement, David Cicilline RI 01 announced he was no longer running for Assistant Leader. He is interested in the DPCC.
Political Note #186 Leadership Note #3
Joe Crowley of Queens is Chair of the Democratic Caucus -- until the new Congress takes over. A sign of the times, he was defeated in the primary by Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. A moderate Irish urban Democrat defeated by a Puerto Rican Democratic Socialist. Some newspapers and many Republicans reacted as if radicals were taking over the Democratic Party. As Democrats approach flipping forty Republican seats, the flippers are mostly moderates. Left wing radicals rarely flip Republican held Congressional seats. The Democratic Caucus that will elect a new Chair and a new Vice-Chair will be more moderate than the Caucus that elected Joe Crowley. Will the leadership be moderate?
111618 Political Note #185 Leadership Contests
What do we need from the Leadership? Leaders who can maximize respect and minimize defections on votes. No easy task from a membership that ranges, in ideology, from the social conservative, pro-labor Dan Lipinski IL 03 (who successfully escaped a primary challenge from a progressive) to Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez NY 14 (who succeeded in defeating the moderate Chair of the Democratic caucus in a primary). Let's look at these Leadership candidates with that quality in mind. And with one other characteristic. How old are these Leadership candidates are.
Political Note #184 Electing a Speaker
As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi will be the leader of the Democratic Party. Pelosi has been demonized by the Republicans. They think she is too liberal. She should speak to us. Go on television. Introduce her agenda. Explain that a more complete agenda will be shaped by the members of the Democratic caucus -- including the newly elected. Use the early December caucus nomination for Speaker as an example. Make the vote open, not secret. Many new and reelected Members of Congress affected by the demonization promised to vote against her as Speaker. Having trekked to Washington for the caucus, they can fulfill that promise visibly if the vote is open. Pelosi can demonstrate her commitment to transparency and move forward with the entire caucus to achieve their shared agenda.