Let’s take a look at the power of the Progressive Caucus in the House, and let’s make an assessment of how they might fare in an Obama administration. The first thing that pops to light is the high percentage of House committee chairs that are currently controlled by progressives.
George Miller (D-CA) Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee
Ed Markey (D-MA) Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
Barney Frank (D-MA)- Chairman of the Financial Services Committee
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)- Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee
Bob Brady (D-PA)- Chairman of the House Administration Committee
John Conyers (D-MI)- Chairman of the Judiciary Committee
Henry Waxman (D-CA)- Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Louis Slaughter (D-NY)- Chairwoman of the Rules Committee
Nydia Velaquez (D-NY)- Chairwoman of the Small Business Committee
Bob Filner (D-CA)- Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Charlie Rangel (D-NY)- Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee
There is a small chance that George Miller might be offered the position of Secretary of Education. Rep. Miller is a close ally of Nancy Pelosi and she might be able to secure him that spot. There is also a decent chance that Nydia Velaquez might get some consideration for the position of head of the Small Business Administration. Other than that, I don’t see many prospects for these chairpeople getting promotions into the Obama administration. On the whole, that’s okay, because they have will have more clout where they are. Here are some other progressives that could have some influence in an Obama administration.
In 2011, either Neil Abercrombie (HI-01) or Mazie Hirono (HI-2) will have a good shot of replacing the centrist porkmeister, Senator Dan Inouye. Jesse Jackson Jr. could replace Barack Obama as one of the U.S. Senators from Illinois. He will also get consideration as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Rep. John Lewis (GA-5) could get a position in the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department. Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC-AL) might get full voting rights as a representative of the District of Columbia, or she could become the Secretary of Transportation. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) could become Obama’s replacement in the U.S. Senate. And Tom Udall will become a U.S. Senator from New Mexico.
That’s not a whole lot to look forward to as far as House progressives moving into positions of increased influence, but it’s not all bad, either.
Here are some other progressive possibilities in an Obama administration:
Interior Secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Labor Secretary: Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
I know that it is fairly thin gruel, but it will help if we get Jeff Merkley, Al Franken, and Tom Udall elected to the Senate.
For now, this looks to be all the spoils we can realistically expect.
