I just received a very interesting telephone call. Of course, the enthusiasm for tax increases demonstrated by Senator John Chichester (RINO-Northumberland) and the Winchester Billygoat aka Russell Potts (RINO-Winchester) is one way of currying favor with the Democrats.
However, it seems that rumor around Richmond has it that this is a considered course by Chichester and Potts, and that --- if the Democrats were to gain control of the Senate in 2007 --- they would attempt to switch parties to maintain their lofty positions as Committee Chairmen under Democrat control.
Tell me again why "RINO" is not an appropriate appellation for these two? Or why Potts was allowed to retain his seat as a Committee Chairman after running as an independent for Governor?
4 comments:
I think this might be a drug-induced hallucination. Senate Rule 20(a) only allows a member to change parties after the election with a two-thirds vote of the whole Senate, so the remaining GOP Senators, or some number of them, would have to agree to release Senators Chichester and Potts. I think that would be unlikely, no matter how badly they've been behaving, because releasing them from the GOP minority would only reward them with seniority positions in the Democratic majority.
The rules also require a two-thirds majority to waive or suspend, so there's simply no way for Senators Chichester and Potts to become Democrats, after election day, without the permission of 27 Senators.
Well, I'll yield to you on the provisions of Senate Rules (and if true, it's a good one). As I said, this was reported to me as a "rumor around Richmond." I doubt that any drugs were involved.
I agree with your suggestion that agreement of an adequate number of Republicans is likely, as much as some would doubtless be glad to be rid of them.
Don't take my word for it. (After all, you're skeptical.) The Senate rules are online.
Do you seriously believe that Senators Newman, Obenshain, &c., are going to reward Senator Chichester with a continuing chairmanship of Finance for four years, even if the rumor were true the Senator Chichester would switch? Or do you think it's the Senators Stosch, Norment, and Stolle wing that would let them go?
Or maybe you think that all 15 or 16 moderate Senate Republicans would flip, too?
First, do we really think Potts will win in 2007?
Second, do the dems want Chichester? He is very useful as a GOP, but hes not really helpful as a dem. It eliminated their ability to be "bi-partisan".
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