Posted by Christi Parsons at 1:30 p.m. CST
After fellow senators swore their oaths of office and then headed out for celebrations Thursday, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) remained behind to give a simple, direct address articulating Democratic goals for the new Congress.
The Senate chamber was mostly empty, but as second in command in the Senate, Durbin was laying out a game plan that could drive the public debate in the capital for the remainder of the Bush administration and possibly beyond.
"The American people have given us today a rare opportunity in our history," Durbin said, speaking to the gallery. "If we don't achieve results, if we don't show a good faith effort toward compromise and cooperation, they will be harsh in their judgment two years from now. And we'd deserve it."
It was a symbolic moment for the veteran lawmaker, who this week takes on not only the role of assistant majority leader in the Senate but also as a key architect and spokesman for the Democratic message.
As the Democrats take over control of Congress, the power shift also sees Durbin becoming the highest-ranking member of the Illinois delegation. The position carries an added responsibility because of the loss of the powerful House speaker's post by Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), displaced when Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California took the position Thursday.
Several other Illinois Democrats also ascended to significant positions with the start of the 110th Congress. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, credited by many with orchestrating key Democratic wins in House races last fall, becomes Democratic Caucus chairman and an important adviser to Pelosi.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a confidant of Pelosi, will serve in the House leadership as a chief deputy majority whip, while other state lawmakers stand to become influential chairmen of subcommittees when they are organized in the coming days. Illinois members serve on the heavyweight House Ways and Means Committee, as well as appropriations and transportation committees.
And there is another ascendant member of the delegation who doesn't derive his authority from any rank in the Senate. Democratic leaders sent Sen. Barack Obama to preside over the Senate's proceedings for a while on Thursday afternoon.
His best-selling book and possible run for the White House in 2008 bespeak a prominence that could translate into outsize influence for a first-term senator in an institution driven by tradition and seniority.
The breadth of the delegation's influence could help make up for the loss of the speaker's office, by rule the single most powerful position in Congress.
"Our delegation's power comes in the fact that we're well-organized and we get along," Emanuel said as he hustled through the House corridors. "Nothing can put you on par with having the speaker. . . . But we have people in key positions in both the Senate and the House. It was a team effort before and it will be a team effort now."
Much of Thursday was devoted to pomp and circumstance, with many members clutching their Bibles and posing for pictures. Durbin had almost a dozen lawmakers on his schedule of people to visit and congratulate.
But as he hurried from one office to another, he was thinking about the work to come. He also squeezed in six television interviews, in which he echoed promises from his floor speech. Democrats will work to make college more affordable, tighten ethics rules and expand access to health care, he said.
They'll also scrutinize the administration's handling of the war in Iraq, he said, calling witnesses to hearings and seeking documents on how decisions are being made.
"We don't want confrontation over this, but we do want the information," Durbin said. "We hope they'll cooperate."
As for Illinois' muscle in Congress, Durbin said Hastert's descent from the speaker's chair is a blow. Republicans lost their majority in the midterm elections, and Hastert returned to a seat among the rank-and-file as the new Congress convened.
Still, he said, he's not worried about how the state will fare.
"I've been through this team rebuilding in the past," he said, recalling the days when Reps. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) and Bob Michel (R-Ill.) carried a lot of weight in the Capitol. "Then came a new generation. . . . We'll field a new team, a strong team. We have strengths that others didn't have, and in some areas we won't be as strong. But that's the nature of this place."
To be sure, the Democrats' new power in Congress is not an unbridled one. Their majority in the Senate is slim--a 51-49 margin--and President Bush remains in the White House.
Still, Durbin said he intends to seize his new opportunity.
"You always sit around and speculate about what you might do if you had the majority," Durbin said. "And now we have a chance to do it."
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Comments
Why...they must be those sick demented leftist ilk's JohnD has been warning us about. Also....
I just wanted to add that Paulo wants everybody to know that Obama's middle name is Hussien and that should be reason enough for you not to vote for him. Well said Paulo!!!
Posted by: bill r. | January 5, 2007 2:08 PM
I'm happy for Durbin and the Dems.
I was getting tired of overweight,corrupt Denny Hastert carrying the torch for Illinois.
On with the investigations!
On with the impeachment?
2007 is going to be fun......
Posted by: John E. | January 5, 2007 2:14 PM
Illinois delegation will be a power in Congress both sides
Posted by: Dale Peters | January 5, 2007 2:45 PM
Illinois delegation will be a power in Congress both sides
Posted by: Dale Peters | January 5, 2007 2:45 PM
Brother Dale glad to see that you're back.
We missed you.
Posted by: John E. | January 5, 2007 4:38 PM
Dale...Glad to see you back! You and yours are in my thoughts.
Posted by: bill r. | January 5, 2007 4:45 PM
WASHINGTON - The House has voted to reinstate budget rules designed to curb the budget deficit.
The vote was 280-to-154 to reinstate the so-called "pay as you go" rule. It requires that any increase in entitlement spending or tax cut be somehow offset so as to not to increase the deficit.
Budget hawks say the move is a good first step toward restoring fiscal discipline. But the changes could bedevil efforts to appease middle-class voters later.
The House has also approved a Democratic proposal that requires lawmakers to publicly disclose their pet projects, or "earmarks."
Another rule change would curb past abuses in which GOP leaders held votes open for hours and excluded minority party lawmakers from House-Senate negotiations on the language of final bills sent to the White House for enactment.
The House has also approved a Democratic proposal that requires lawmakers to publicly disclose their pet projects, or "earmarks."
I don’t know if this article is “substantive” enough for our “intellectual” friends on the right. The Dems did in two days what the Pubs couldn’t do in twelve!
Posted by: Raving Loon | January 5, 2007 4:57 PM
Is it surprising the Senate chamber was empty when Senator Durbin spoke. Who would want to listen to him?
728 days and counting.
Instead of bibles, I'm surprised they weren't clutching their worn copies of Das Kapital.
"Pay-a-you-go" will be re-named tax as you go. Remember, the largest growth of expenditures will be in welfare, I mean entitlement, programs. You won't be able to cut discretionary spending fast enough to keep up with that 600 pound gorilla.
Posted by: Terry | January 5, 2007 7:21 PM
"Pay-a-you-go" will be re-named tax as you go.
Posted by: Terry | Jan 5, 2007 7:21:43 PM
It's a little better than the make it up as you go. Saying entitlements programs belong to the liberals is like saying fiscal responsibility belongs only to the conservatives which this administration has proved that that is so totally
wrong.
Posted by: bill r. | January 5, 2007 7:59 PM
Beanie Boy, those expenditures,welfare dollars that your party has been sending to Iraq,what's the total so far? I find it appalling that Repubs don't mind sending our tax dollars to Iraq,but cry like babies when they might actually help an American.
Once again I'LL ask,how many tax increases by Reagan and Bush 1 ? As for the 600 pound gorilla, let's leave poor Denny Hastert out of this. Did you see when Speaker Pelosi was being sworn in, the camera shot to the back of the room, only to find Denny hiding.Pathetic bastert.
Im sure Bill and Juan would agree.
Posted by: Raving Loon | January 5, 2007 8:18 PM
HEY!...Barak "HUSSEIN" Obama was sent by the dem. leaders to preside over Senate hearings,for a "while".....
Baby steps first,then a run for the Presidency after two years of doing...NOTHING!!!
And as far as Dick "Turbin" Durbin is concerned,us vets have a plan for him after he degraded our troops and I'm sure,Dale Peters knows about it and will support us in 2008 to get this lefty creep outta here!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 5, 2007 10:02 PM
Dale, it's wonderful to see you. I hope all is as it should be.
bill r - remember, that's demented leftist ELK!! (ROFL)
Actually, Terry, I'd prefer they take the oath on the Constitution, which is a darn sight better than a 2000 year old myth.
Posted by: Karen Up North | January 6, 2007 5:03 AM
An actual Durbin mention? After reading the Swamp I thought Barack H. Obama (who's middle name Liberals say we cannot mention) was the only senator from Illinois.
Posted by: bruce | January 6, 2007 9:05 AM
Why...they must be those sick demented leftist ilk's JohnD has been warning us about. Also....
I just wanted to add that Paulo wants everybody to know that Obama's middle name is Hussien and that should be reason enough for you not to vote for him. Well said Paulo!!!
Posted by: bill r. | Jan 5, 2007 2:08:24 PM
It's been over 3 full weeks since I asked Paulo to tell us HIS middle name, but he has been too afraid to answer me. What's he hiding?
Posted by: BC | January 6, 2007 11:10 AM
An actual Durbin mention? After reading the Swamp I thought Barack H. Obama (who's middle name Liberals say we cannot mention) was the only senator from Illinois.
Posted by: bruce | Jan 6, 2007 9:05:59 AM
It's not that you can't say his middle name...
You can say neeewabbi also..because that makes about as much sense as making an issue out of a man's middle name.
Posted by: bill r. | January 6, 2007 11:16 AM
Bill R.,
The last GOP Congress and President Bush have not thrilled the heart of this economic conservative. I do find it interesting that in the first 48 hours Senator Backus wants to eliminate the AMT which is estimated to bring in a TRILLION dollars over the next ten-years. Also, the AMT is a tax on the higher income brackets. So much for the balanced budget that the dems ran on.
Posted by: Terry | January 6, 2007 2:51 PM
Terry,
The AMT WAS a tax on high incomes in the 1960's when the floor was set at $200,000. That was not indexed for inflation, and that income won't get you what it used to. That is why it is a big deal as it ensnares more middle class families.
Posted by: Bryan | January 8, 2007 11:27 AM
Bryan,
The AMT was developed in 1969 to ensnare 155 taxpayers. You are right that will ensnare much of the middle class. However, it will not hurt the middle class as much as raising the cap on Social Security Tax from $97K to $150K like many are proposing. The AARP is proposing raising the cap to $140K.
The AMT hits many middle class families that live in high tax, read BLUE, states such as New York, Massachuttes, New Jersey, and California. The following quote from the Washington Posts on Nov 11, 2006 "Rangel, Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the presumptive House speaker, all represent states hit hard by the AMT, which is sometimes called the "blue-state tax." To map states with the highest concentrations of AMT taxpayers is to draw bull's-eyes over California and the Northeastern seaboard."
Remember, the repeal of the tax will also be repealed not only for the middle class families of these blue states, but also for the CEO of Goldman Sachs. Who is giving tax breaks to the rich?
Posted by: Terry | January 8, 2007 7:55 PM