Lame Duck Begins

Staffers are back in suits and heels (not the guys), newly elected members are in town, and it's business as usual. Just colder.

Lots happening on the gossip front of who’s who, where, when and why – it’s a political Peyton Place. Now it looks as if Senator Stevens (Alaska) is unlikely to be allowed to stay even if he is re-elected, so that’s one for the Democrats. There’s lots of speculation on appointments and replacements, so that parlor games continues.

Health care reform is on the agenda for getting attention, although who knows how far it will go? Business, hospitals and physicians are all on board for major reform – finally – a good thing for change. Rather than waiting for President-elect Barack Obama to take office next year or for the 111th Congress to convene, Senate Democratic leaders are making plans now for a major overhaul of the health care system.

Max Baucus, chair of the Finance Committee, and Edward M. Kennedy, chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, are talking together about how to craft an overhaul that both committees would be involved in. Baucus said a comprehensive health care overhaul will be his top priority next year (major changes to: public and private insurance plans and changing the way health care is delivered and paid for?). And, thank goodness, fully funding SCHIP (state children’s health insurance programs) looks very likely.

This is the lame duck session, so everyone’s back, the new kids (House and Senate) are in for orientation, photos, committee assignments, office assignments, hiring staff, etc. It’s like college orientation, only more so.

In a spirit of mending ill will and moving forward, the Senate Democratic Caucus voted 42-13 to allow Sen. Lieberman to keep his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, but to remove him as chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection. There was rumor about this for weeks.

The Senate GOP voted today on its leadership for the 111th Congress. The results:

• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
• Minority Whip Jon Kyl
• GOP Conference Chair Lamar Alexander
• GOP Policy Committee Chair John Ensign
• GOP Conference vice chair John Thune
• National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair John Cornyn

Also today, the House held a hearing on the Temporary Asset Relief Program (TARP), and the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing with the big three automakers.

Yesterday I watched the Freshmen Democratic senators get their first official photo taken with Reid; with three faces missing since their races are still undecided.

I’ve been sending applications to offices hoping for a few interviews, but so far only “no thank you’s” for jobs off the Hill. Sigh.

And boy, that Metro system is hungry – first it gets my favorite umbrella, later my wool hat, and now my leather glove – what a drag.

Most farmers' markets are ending, holiday wreaths are up on Union Station, and the Senate cafeteria is closed for improvements. I'm wondering how few days are left to this dream job.

Question: any guesses for who POTUS-elect will name in his cabinet?