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Politics : Those Damned Democrat's -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jmhollen who wrote (67)	5/19/2002 7:58:14 PM
From: Neeka	Respond to of 1604

ROTFL ;) M

To: jmhollen who wrote (67)	5/21/2002 1:24:00 PM
From: Tadsamillionaire	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1604

A year after Vermont Sen. James M. Jeffords left the Republican Party, enabling Democrats to take control of the Senate, Democrats are holding a weeklong commemoration to thank Jeffords and convince voters that they deserve to remain in charge. The daily drumbeat of events began yesterday with a rally on preserving Social Security and will include a tribute to Jeffords from the entire Senate Democratic caucus on the Capitol steps Thursday. The commemoration will end with a rally against President Bush's environmental policies on Friday, which is the exact anniversary of Jeffords's speech announcing his decision to leave the GOP. In addition to honoring Jeffords, the events will highlight differences between Democrats and Republicans, especially on domestic issues, said Ranit Schmelzer, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.). "This gives us an opportunity to point out those differences and to talk about how we want to move forward," she added. Daschle, who became majority leader when Jeffords's switch became official last June, will observe the anniversary with a speech Wednesday to the National Press Club. The speech is titled, "Making a Difference: America and the Senate One Year After Jeffords' Switch." Anniversary ceremonies that make broader points are becoming a habit in the Senate. The Democrats' celebration comes only a couple of weeks after Senate Republicans held a daylong commemoration of a different sort, marking the first anniversary of Bush nominations to federal appellate courts that have yet to be scheduled for hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Jeffords's decision to abandon the GOP and become an independent aligned with the Democrats shook the political establishment in Washington to its core last May, infuriating Republicans as much as it delighted Democrats. Just months after they had effectively been locked out of government by the 2000 elections, the Democrats suddenly had control over one branch of Congress and the power to block, slow or modify initiatives with which they disagreed. A year later, Democrats still reserve a high pedestal for Jeffords, and Jeffords says he has never entertained second thoughts about leaving the GOP. "He has certainly shown that one person can make a difference," Majority Whip Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told the Senate as it convened yesterday morning. Asked whether he had any regrets about his decision, Jeffords said, "No regrets, none at all." Although he was nervous at first, he said in a telephone interview, "I've been overwhelmed by the positive response" in Vermont, Washington and even abroad because of concern over Bush's actions on the environment. While Jeffords has resisted overtures to become a Democrat, he has voted with the Democrats on most key issues and is campaigning for Democratic incumbents and some Democratic contenders for open seats -- probably about 10 in all before the November elections, he said. But he will not campaign against GOP incumbents, he added. washingtonpost.com