Bill Goold, Executive Director of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, shared the following insight with me in February of this year. It highlights perfectly why we need to stay focused on the Democratic brand when voting.
RE: Overview of how Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would be empowered if party control of the U.S. House of Representatives changes as a result of the November 2006 elections
* At least 10 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would become Committee Chairmen or Chairwomen
* An additional 35 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would become Subcommittee Chairmen or Chairwomen.
See the list of Committee and Subcommittee chairs on the flipside...
The following Progressive Caucus Members would become Committee Chairs:
Congressman George Miller - Chairman of Education and Workforce Committee
Congressman Barney Frank - Chairman of Financial Services
Congressman Henry Waxman - Chairman of Government Reform
Congressman Bennie Thompson - Chairman of Homeland Security Committee
Congressman Tom Lantos - Chairman of International Relations Committee
Congressman John Conyers - Chairman of Judiciary Committee
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter - Chairwoman of Rules Committee
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez - Chairwoman of Small Business Committee
Congressman Lane Evans - Chairman of Veterans' Affairs Committee
Congressman Charles Rangel - Chairman of Ways and Means Committee
The following Progressive Caucus Members would become Subcommittee Chairs:
Appropriations Subcommittees - Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Marcy Kaptur and Congressmen John Olver, Jose Serrano and Ed Pastor
Armed Services Subcommittee - Congressman Neil Abercrombie
Education and Workforce Subcommittees - Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Energy and Commerce Subcommittees - Congressman Ed Markey and Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky and Hilda Solis
Financial Services Subcommittee - Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Congressman Luis Gutierrez
Government Reform Subcommittees - Congresswoman Diane Watson and Congressmen Dennis Kucinich, Elijah Cummings, Danny Davis of Illinois, and William "Lacy" Clay
International Relations Subcommittee - Congressman Donald Payne
Judiciary Subcommittees - Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Melvin Watt
Interior Subcommittees - Congressmen Raul Grijalva and Tom Udall and Congresswoman Donna Christensen
Rules Subcommittees - Congressman Jim McGovern
Small Business Subcommittees - Congressmen Bob Filner and Peter DeFazio and Congresswomen Madeleine Bordallo, Eleanor Holmes-Norton, and Corinne Brown of Florida
Ways and Means Subcommittees - Congressmen Pete Stark, Jim McDermott, and John Lewis of Georgia
This is why we need to stay focused on voting for Democratic candidates. Flirting with independent and third party votes at this level in general elections does nothing but guarantee that the minority party will remain the minority party. One missed opportunity could make a huge difference in all our lives.