Why Do the Dems Want to Deny Her Seniority?

[msgadget]

Here we have someone with a strong voice who may not be heard because of Democratic politics. What do you think about this?

>Condi Rice vs. Cynthia McKinney
By MARK DONHAM


George Bush has nominated Condoleezza Rice to be his next Secretary of State and Cynthia McKinney has been reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives. For one, I'd love to see Rice go head to head on US foreign policy with Congressowman-elect Cynthia McKinney. But the only way any of us can see that happen is for Cynthia to regain her service and seniority on the House International Relations Committee (HIRC), which has jurisdiction over the State Department and our country's foreign policy. I can't think of any reason why the Democratic leadership wouldn't want this.<

>In a recent article "Many Rice Defenders Hypocritical," (Madison, WI
"Capitol Times") John Nichols points out that "right-wing political operatives and their allies in major media--as well as conservative Democrats" battered McKinney to election defeat in 2002 because she dared to ask tough questions about what was known by the Bush Administration prior to the attacks of September 11th. However, January 4, 2005, McKinney will return to Congress, having overcome this opposition with impressive grassroots support, and showing that a successful campaign can be run with little money and lots of heart. With her seniority intact, McKinney will be able to challenge important Bush initiatives because she would resume her seat among the top-tiered Democrats on the HIRC and as the Democrats' highest ranking member on an important HIRC subcommittee. McKinney would also be able to continue her important service on the Armed Services Committee where she questioned select Pentagon contracts with the Carlyle Group, Halliburton, and DynPort; $2.3 trillion in lost Pentagon cash; and the breath-taking Bush Doctrine of preemptive war. This would provide a critical counterbalance to the overly heavy influence of those neo-conservatives that dragged us into the unwise war with Iraq.<

>The failure of Pelosi and other Democratic leaders to quickly restore McKinney's seniority suggests that they are out of touch with their constituents, and are bucking history. When Congressional leadership wants to help a congressperson who has reclaimed a lost seat, or even switched parties, they certainly can and have done so. <

>Cynthia McKinney deserves her seniority. It was only because of the relentless attacks and organized and well funded smear campaign from the extreme right who wanted to silence her questions that she lost the two years of her seat that she did. This year she ran a great campaign, beating out a half dozen really great candidates by winning over 50% in the primary--a real sign of grassroots support in her district. And she did it without spending a lot of money in relative terms for a congressional race. She should be rewarded for this to the fullest, not penalized. <

http://www.counterpunch.org/donham12092004.html

[msgadget]

1. This is also in the General section at this link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2808011#2808023

[goclark]

2. I sent Pelosi a tidy little letter

and clearly explained my disappointment.