Democrat Reid elected Senate majority leader (Patty Murray not

[rodeodance]

picked for # 3-all white male top people)----Schumer is #3 -

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061114/pl_nm/usa_congress_leadership_dc

Democrat Reid elected Senate majority leader

50 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), a moderate Nevada Democrat, was elected by colleagues on Tuesday as U.S. Senate majority leader for the 110th Congress that will convene in January.
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Reid, like most fellow Democrats, favors a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from
Iraq, a major issue in last week's elections that saw Democrats win control of the Senate and House of Representatives from
President George W. Bush's Republicans.

Reid has served the past two years as Senate minority leader. He replaced Tom Daschle, who was ousted by voters in his home state of South Dakota in 2004 after being denounced as "the chief obstructionist" to Bush's conservative agenda.

Democrats also elected Dick Durbin of Illinois as assistant Senate majority leader. He has been Senate assistant minority leader since January 2005.

Senate Republicans are to elect their leadership for the new Congress on Wednesday, while the two parties select their leadership in the House on Thursday and Friday.

[William769]

1. "all white male top people"

What did you expect? Whats the make up of the Senate?

[rodeodance]

2. i am disappointed that murry got left out---that is all.

[ashling]

6. You mispelled Patty's last name

though you did get closer the second tine (congratulations)

Patty Murray

:)

[rodeodance]

11. thanks

[Cerridwen]

5. Since you asked...I googled to see how representative of the U.S.

population the U.S. Congress is(n't).

Religious Demographics

At present the top five denominations in the Congress are Roman Catholic(28.8%), Baptist(14.1%), Methodist(11.4%) Presbyterian(9.7%), and Episcopalian(7.9%). The only one of these five that is underrepresented when compared to US population is Baptist as they represent over 16% of the US according to some estimates. The rest are overrepresented. In the case of Episcopalian and Presbyterian this overrepresentation is substantial. Episcopalians represent 10% of the US Senate, but less than 2% of the US population. In the House they represent a little more than 7% which is still over triple their representation in society. Presbyterians represent 15% of the Senate, but less than 3% of the population. In the House they represent about 8.5%.<1>

<snip>

Gender

Today, 85% of Congress is male and 15% is female. The global average for female representation at the parliamentary level in 2005 was 16.3%. Rwanda has the highest percentage of female representation in the world at 48.8%, followed by Sweden. Iraq and Afghanistan also have higher percentages than the United States. Many countries have introduced quota systems that reserve a certain number of parliamentary seats for women. In 2005 countries that used a quota system had nearly double the level of female representation, 26.9% versus 13.6%. A quota does not exist in the United States.<1>

<snip>

Race

<snip>

The Senate is 1% African American and the House is roughly 9.2% African American.

<snip>

There are 4 Asians and Pacific Islanders in the US House and 2 in the Senate. As mentioned Dalip Singh Saund was the first Asian American in Congress. Daniel Inouye was the first Japanese American in the House and later the first in Senate. Patsy Mink was the first Asian American woman in Congress.

Tom Cole is the only registered American Indian currently in the House.

<snip>

Much more at link

[William769]

15. Thanks for the information.

[Cerridwen]

17. You bet...thanks for asking...I keep meaning to go look

but didn't get around to it until you asked.

:D

[Hardrada]

22. Not a lot of Lutherans anymore

or Norwegians (sniff).

[Renew Deal]

3. How can they elect these positions if the newbs haven't arrived?

I don't get that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. They have arrived

Although they haven't taken office, they are in DC for orientation.

[Bumblebee]

4. You are wrong -- she is # 3

Murray Wins Democrat Leadership Post

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 14, 2006

Filed at 11:21 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., won a leadership post Tuesday as Senate Democrats organized their new majority following last week's elections.

Murray, who is in her third term, was named secretary of the Democratic caucus, replacing Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who is stepping down to lead the Senate Democratic Steering Committee. The secretary's job is the third-ranking post in the Senate hierarchy, behind Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Murray-Leadership.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[DURHAM D]

8. Thanks Bumblebee for your correcting post.

Thought I was going to have to do it until I got to your comment.

[rodeodance]

10. I was listening to npr and they said Schumer got the # 3 spot---yet some

of these news items are confusing.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061114/ap_on_go_co/congress

.....When the 110th Congress convenes in January, Sen. Richard Durbin (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois will be Reid's deputy as the vote-counting majority whip.

Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., will continue serving as the cash-raising campaign committee chairman, and also will assume the title of vice chairman of the Democratic caucus. As such, Reid said, Schumer will act as a utility man who will tend to whatever policy or political matters require.

Filling out the roster are two women: Sen. Patty Murray (news, bio, voting record) of Washington will serve as conference secretary, while Sen. Debbie Stabenow (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., will head the party steering committee.

That panel, in turn, was meeting later Tuesday to choose committee chairmen.

House Democrats face a difficult choice when they pick their leaders Thursday, now that speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has rejected her current top lieutenant in favor of longtime confidante John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

Murtha, a blunt Vietnam veteran whose call for U.S. troops to begin withdrawing from
Iraq helped rally Democrats for the election, had appeared to be the underdog to Rep. Steny Hoyer (news, bio, voting record) of Maryland, the House Democrats' whip.

Hoyer, at a news conference Tuesday, said he still expected to win and that, despite Pelosi's anticipated endorsement of her friend Murtha, "Nancy Pelosi and I will work very closely together in the future. Why, because both of us care about the objectives of our party."

[rodeodance]

13. "Democrats picked two women for senior posts"

BY LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer 30 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats picked two women for senior posts Tuesday, and their choice as majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), said a top priority is getting a new secretary of defense confirmed.


Reid told The Associated Press that he supports replacing Donald Rumsfeld with former
CIA Director Robert Gates by year's end, as
President Bush has urged.

[Bumblebee]

18. But she wasn't running for Schumer's post -- she ran exactly for

the post she got which _is_ a #3 post in their hierarchy. It was a foregone conclusion that Schumer would retain his post if he still wanted it since he was so successful with the elections. So I am not sure why we are even having this discussion... :)

[rodeodance]

26. I can only tell you what I heard (not that it is accurate).

[Orangepeel]

19. why is the woman always the secretary?

:evilgrin:

Congrats to Patty Murray

[Bumblebee]

20. Yes, including Kofi Annan who is General Secretary of the UN...

This is secretary as "head," not secretary as your personal assistant. Give it up! :)

[Orangepeel]

21. (small voice) um... it was a joke (/small voice)

The evil grin and congrats were supposed to signal that I didn't really think Senator Murray would be taking the minutes.

:hi:

[Bumblebee]

23. So "thick" of me -- my apologies.

[Orangepeel]

24. hee, hee. You were so friendly about it, I wasn't sure whether you were correcting me

or joking yourself. :D Apologies aren't necessary (but accepted nonetheless).

Anyway, good for Patty!

[savemefromdumbya]

25. yes I thought that too (do we have some more diverse positions?)

[Cerridwen]

27. Murray #4, Schumer in "newly created" #3 spot...

according to this article

Murray will be the fourth-ranking Democrat in the Senate, after only Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; incoming majority whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who will serve in a newly created No. 3 leadership post while continuing to lead the fundraising Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee through 2008.

[AllexxisF1]

7. Well there goes my prediction out out the door.

If Reid will be the majority leader the odds of Hillary running in '08 are through the roof. I really thought she would barter a deal to be Senate Majority leader and not run in '08. A real shame because I know she won't get elected.

[ananda]

12. hmm

I think that Hillary C would get elected. That's what worries -me-.

[CreekDog]

29. with a 51-49 majority requires Reid, not Hillary as Leader

Reid is an old hand at rounding up votes and knowing how to exploit procedures to make the most of his power. Hillary does not have this experience and should probably have some whipping role successes prior to becoming majority leader.

We all saw how Bill Frist got played by Reid, again and again. We don't want a rookie leader at our helm, especially when we don't have any votes to spare --and one of those we can't spare is Lieberman.

[uppityperson]

9. Please correct Sen. Murray's name. What is conference sect? nt

[rodeodance]

14. corrected. Conf. secretary??---simply means you are not on the media

news conferences. Instead we will see Schumer (like we do now)


I had higher hopes --getting women into visible positions in the Senate.

[Omaha Steve]

28. Senate Democrats Decide on Party Leaders

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20061114/D8LD20U00.html

Senate Democrats Decide on Party Leaders
Email this Story

Nov 14, 3:00 PM (ET)

BY LAURIE KELLMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats picked two women for senior posts Tuesday and appointed former U.S. Capitol police chief Terrance Gainer as sergeant at arms. Their choice as majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid, said a top priority is getting a new secretary of defense confirmed.

Reid told The Associated Press that he supports replacing Donald Rumsfeld with former CIA Director Robert Gates by year's end, as President Bush has urged.

"I hope we can move it forward quickly," Reid, of Nevada, told the Associated Press after the Democratic caucus in the Old Senate Chamber. "The sooner we can move it forward the sooner we can get rid of Rumsfeld," he said.

Gainer, who also previously was the No. 2 person in the District of Columbia police force, retired April 6 from the Capitol job after objections were raised to the hiring of his son-in-law as a police officer.

FULL story at link above.