House GOP Committee Chairs Will All Be White Men In Next Congress, Sam and Will Rejoice

[Mayhem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/house-committee-chairs-all-white-men_n_2201136.html

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced who will chair all of the major House committees in the next Congress. And it turns out they all have something in common besides party affiliation: they're all white men.

There isn't a single woman or minority included in the mix of 19 House committee chairs announced Tuesday -- a stark reality for a party desperate to appeal to women and minorities after both groups overwhelmingly rejected Republicans just weeks ago in the presidential election. The one female committee chair that House Republicans currently have, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), is stepping down because her term is up. While there are still two lower-tier House committees awaiting a chair assignment -- the Ethics Committee and House Administration -- neither committee has any women or minority members.

At least one Senate Democrat was quick to point out that something is missing from the Republican lineup.

"Disappointed to see House committee chairmanships in the 113th Congress will not include a single woman. -PM," tweeted Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who included a link to Boehner's press release announcing the chair posts.

A House Republican leadership aide declined to comment on the lack of diversity in the party's committee leadership. The aide noted, though, that GOP leaders just put four women in party leadership. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash) is the new House Republican Conference Chair, Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kansas) is conference vice chair, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is conference secretary, and Rep.-elect Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) will represent freshman members in party leadership.

To be fair, House committee chairs are typically chosen based on their seniority on the committee, and most committees don't have Republican women or minorities at senior levels. In addition, there just aren't that many House Republican women and minorities to go around. In the 113th Congress, which kicks off in January, House Republicans will have 20 women in their camp, compared to 61 House Democratic women. You can count on two hands the number of House Republicans who are minorities. By contrast, in the new Congress, the House Democratic Caucus will have a majority of women and minorities for the first time in history.

Still, that doesn't mean Republican leaders couldn't have picked at least one woman or minority for a committee leadership post. Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.), who is currently eighth in seniority on the House Homeland Security Committee, had a decent shot at taking over that committee. Instead, the chair post went to Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who is ranked fifth in seniority.

House Democratic leaders haven't announced who will be the ranking Democrats on each of the committees, but they clearly dominate on the diversity front. Out of the 19 major House committees, as many as nine of the ranking Democrats are expected to be a woman or a minority. Among the more powerful posts: Either Rep. Nita Lowey (N.Y.) or Marcy Kaptur (Ohio) is poised to take the top Democratic slot on the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters (Calif.) is expected to be the ranking Democrat on Financial Services and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who is African-American, who will keep his top slot on Judiciary.

A senior Democratic aide reveled in the fact that Republicans can't seem to figure out how to diversify.

"One would think House Republicans would learn from their mistakes. But they have elected a roster of committee chairs that represent their ranks: old white men," the aide said.

Boehner announced his new chairmen after the House Republican Steering Committee met behind closed doors for most of Tuesday. Most committees will keep the same chairs they already have, but more than half a dozen will get new leaders: In addition to McCaul's new post, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Texas) will now chair Financial Services, Rep. Ed Royce (Calif.) will lead Foreign Affairs, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (Va.) will chair Judiciary, Rep. Pete Sessions (Texas) will chair Rules, Rep. Lamar Smith (Texas) will lead Science, Space, and Technology, and Rep. Bill Shuster (Pa) will head up Transportation and Infrastructure.

House committee chairs are term-limited, so all of the new chairmen are replacing someone who had to step down. Still, one lawmaker obtained a waiver to go around House rules and stay on as committee chair in the next Congress, despite his term being up: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) will remain atop the House Budget Committee.

 

[darkwarrior3007]

House committee chairs are term-limited, so all of the new chairmen are replacing someone who had to step down. Still, one lawmaker obtained a waiver to go around House rules and stay on as committee chair in the next Congress, despite his term being up: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) will remain atop the House Budget Committee.

Uh... There's something fishy goin' on here.

 

[vodkazvictim]

So what? They'll all shit on anyone and everyone lower than them on the socio-economic ladder, regardless of race.

Uh... There's something fishy goin' on here.

Welcome to politics.

 

[bobjustbob]

Come on Mayhem, a Jennifer Bendery piece? You can do better than that. The Dems have more women with seats. Big fucking whoop. Our congress hasn't produced shit from any of the mix in the past 4 years. 90+% of incumbents get reelected regardless of race or gender. Does she want me to believe that filling every chairmanship with women and minorities is going to make any kind of difference? Hell no. The money to flow to reelections are the determining factor in Washington. They all have their hands out.

 

[Will E Worm]

Come on Mayhem, a Jennifer Bendery piece? You can do better than that. The Dems have more women with seats. Big fucking whoop. Our congress hasn't produced shit from any of the mix in the past 4 years. 90+% of incumbents get reelected regardless of race or gender. Does she want me to believe that filling every chairmanship with women and minorities is going to make any kind of difference? Hell no. The money to flow to reelections are the determining factor in Washington. They all have their hands out.

He can't do any better.

They really have not produced anything in a long time.

Does she want me to believe that filling every chairmanship with women and minorities is going to make any kind of difference?

That will get nothing done.

She hates whites. That is the truth.

 

[Mayhem]

Come on Mayhem, a Jennifer Bendery piece? You can do better than that. The Dems have more women with seats. Big fucking whoop. Our congress hasn't produced shit from any of the mix in the past 4 years. 90+% of incumbents get reelected regardless of race or gender. Does she want me to believe that filling every chairmanship with women and minorities is going to make any kind of difference? Hell no. The money to flow to reelections are the determining factor in Washington. They all have their hands out.

First of all, I didn't write the story, I'm merely sharing it here. Second, the facts speak for themselves. Third, no one is talking about "filling every chairmanship with women and minorities". But they can't mix it up a bit? Fourth, when will you guys ever learn the very clear lesson of this last election? I don't care if you don't. This will be used in the midterm campaigns and in 2016 and you guys will lose more ground. Keep ignoring women and minorities for all I care. Keep ignoring women's health and immigration. Put in chairmanships that virtually guarantee more Akin and Mourdock moments. It worked so well the last time.

 

[bobjustbob]

When gender and race are brought into the debate it comes from the left. Why does the left do this? If it is not to divide then what is it? Pasting the right as sexist or racist is not correct. No, you didn't write the piece. But you selected it and chose to highlight items that suggest this.

 

[Mayhem]

When gender and race are brought into the debate it comes from the left. Why does the left do this? If it is not to divide then what is it? Pasting the right as sexist or racist is not correct. No, you didn't write the piece. But you selected it and chose to highlight items that suggest this.

Because the Right seems fixated on having white guys make the decisions. A great example is the origins of the Sandra Fluke controversy where not one woman was allowed to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. You've got Akin and Mourdock (thanx for them, BTW) claiming an expertise they don't have, on a subject that they'll never listen to anyone else's opinion on. The list goes on.

Again Bob, this is all fine with me. The GOP continuing to alienate the electorate means the Dems don't have to have an evil, master plan to dominate the country. You're taking care of it for us, on your dime.

 

[bobjustbob]

Sandra Fluke paying 25k per semester for Georgetown Law says that contraception was hardship for 3k per year and affected 40% of the female students. Really? What is going on at Georgetown that necessitate those conditions that don't affect the rest of the female population? Preexisting medical condition give them what they need. Girls want to go onto the pill to have sex. Fine. I'll cover the doctor cost but the scripts come out of your pocket sweetheart. $10 per month. Government don't pay for my rubbers.

You said the Right is fixated on white guys making decisions? It is you, on the Left, that used a black woman from the left to make this an issue. It is you and her that are fixated on this, not me. I don't give a rat's ass what my elected official looks like, if I like what you are going to do then I'll vote for you. Screw me over and you've lost my vote.

 

[Mayhem]

John Boehner Names Candice Miller To Chair House Committee

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/john-boehner-candice-miller-committee-chair_n_2220133.html

After taking heat for stacking House committee chair posts with all white men in the next Congress, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) appears to have found his binder full of women.

Boehner announced Friday that Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) will chair the House Administration Committee -- a committee that Miller wasn't even on until now.

"In her new post, Candice will provide the leadership needed to keep operating costs down, save taxpayer dollars and help lawmakers use new technology to better engage with their constituents," Boehner said in a statement Friday.

Given that Miller wasn't on the committee before, Boehner's move is a fairly transparent response to the criticisms he took -- also from some in his own party -- for failing to tap any women or minorities for committee chair slots. Many called the all-white, all-male lineup of committee chairmanships a bad move, given that Republicans are trying to appeal to both of those groups post-election.

Neither a Boehner spokesman nor a spokeswoman for Miller responded to a request for comment on the timing behind Boehner's decision to give Miller the post.

In terms of seniority, Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) was next in line to become chair of the House Administration Committee, which means Miller will skip over him to take the helm. The committee's current chairman, Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), lost in the November election. A Harper spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Miller had previously gunned for chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, but that post ended up going to Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas).

In a statement, Miller said she is "humbled and honored" to become chair of the House Administration Committee.

A Democratic leadership aide, speaking on background, seemed amused by Boehner's move.

"The Grand Old Patriarchs seem to be subconsciously sending the message to women that their best place in the House is to oversee housekeeping," the aide said.

Earlier in the week, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), one of three women in House Republican leadership, demurred when asked if she thought it was a problem that all of the House Republican committee chairs will be white men in the next Congress. Foxx was just named secretary of the House Republican Conference.

"The three officers of the Conference are all women," Foxx said as she walked quickly past HuffPost. "How about focusing on that?"

Asked again about the lack of women in committee chair posts, she repeated that the party has three women in leadership and pulled a door closed behind her as she walked into a room, shouting back, "Not a problem!"

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Would be more impressive in China (asking for more whites and blacks) or Africa (asking for the whites) or Ecuador asking for more whites to "represent" them.

I tell you the last shred of "white guilt" left me a while ago and I'm only about 30 years old. Now I fucking root for the guys that look like my father (who gave his LIFE to USA) - the most hated species on the planet.

 

[darkwarrior3007]

Would be more impressive in China (asking for more whites and blacks) or Africa (asking for the whites) or Ecuador asking for more whites to "represent" them.

I tell you the last shred of "white guilt" left me a while ago and I'm only about 30 years old. Now I fucking root for the guys that look like my father (who gave his LIFE to USA) - the most hated species on the planet.

Human?

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Human?

WTF are you asking?

 

[Mayhem]

Would be more impressive in China (asking for more whites and blacks) or Africa (asking for the whites) or Ecuador asking for more whites to "represent" them.

I tell you the last shred of "white guilt" left me a while ago and I'm only about 30 years old. Now I fucking root for the guys that look like my father (who gave his LIFE to USA) - the most hated species on the planet.

You can do better than this.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

You can do better than this.

Who do you work for?

 

[Rey C.]

As much as this new crop of GOPers claims to idolize Ronald Reagan, it is by their very actions that they have all but destroyed Reagan's concept of the "bigger tent". When I voted for Reagan, there were "Reagan Democrats" and the party was much more diverse than it is now. But with the divisive, exclusionary term "RINO" and all sorts of extremist measures and wording which are dog whistle in nature, this new GOP seems to appeal mainly to certain demographic groups... and not others. Relying on older Whites, mainly males, doesn't seem to be a good long term, national strategy to me. But what do I know? And women under 35, whether they be White, Black, Asian or Latina, do not seem to feel welcome in this new GOP. I suggest the GOP address that issue ASAP. Or not... :dunno: