February 10, 2012 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The biblical case against small-mindedness involved diminishing His precious prophet Caroline B. Glick: The Peace Process is over. Finally Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage Rachel Koning Beals: Gen X Women Continue to Shrink Gender Investing Gap The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Who Says You Can't Make Restaurant Favorites at Home?: MANGO AND STICKY RICE February 9, 2012 Jeff Strickler: An argument a day keeps the divorce away, they say Clifford D. May: CAIR's Crusade against The Third Jihad Melissa Healy: Study finds jolt to the brain boosts memory Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation Emily Brandon: 10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Winter Squash and Red Swiss Chard Risotto is Colorful Cozy Cold Weather Fare (includes detailed dos and don'ts) February 8, 2012 Rivy Poupko Kletenik: Tree hostility: The auspicious history of the evolution of Tu B'Shevat Steven Emerson: Planting Trees is Racist?! Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups Anne Applebaum: Russia's Potemkin democracy Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs Emily Brandon: 10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets) February 7, 2012 Kathleen Hennessey and Christi Parsons: Obama not worried that birth-control move will hurt his re-election chances with Catholics, other faithful Caroline B. Glick: Obama's rhetorical storm Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design David Francis: How to Avoid an IRS Audit The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: These homemade energy bars (3 recipes) are far better workout fuel than commercial ones, packing power and taste February 6, 2012 Scott Peterson: Iran's top ayatollah: We're trumping the West Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland' Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good Philip Moeller: Where Smart Investors Put Their Money Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard? The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: Vegetable Frittata --- leftovers never tasted so scrumptious February 3, 2012 Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein: Living with ideals --- in reality Caroline B. Glick: Fool me twice Jonathan Tobin : Adelsonphobia Strikes in Nevada Caucus Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US Kimberly Palmer : 8 Ways to Get Ready for Retirement Now Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: A quick cookie recipe: Hazelnut and Olive Oil Shortbread: Sweet, Nutty, and Savory February 2, 2012 Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt : Welcome Home, Governor Perry Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran Kelsey Sheehy : 5 Tips for Choosing an M.B.A. Concentration Rachel Koning Beals : Investors Increasingly Tap Social Media for Stock Tips Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Savory vegetable pie is a taste of European bistro with minimal effort and maximal flavor February 1, 2012 Nara Schoenberg: What to do when you've been dissed Michelle Malkin: First, They Came for the Catholics Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran Lisa M. Krieger: Possible breakthrough in preventing Alzheimer's Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures Susan Johnston: 5 Apps for Organizing Your Expenses at Tax Time The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The famed chef's Broccoli and White Bean Soup can easily be a lunch in itself, or a nice antipasto --- and is hard to mess up January 31, 2012 Paul Greenberg: Separation of Church and State works two ways Caroline B. Glick: Hamas and the Washington establishment Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Uncle Sam is joining in efforts to crack down on Islamists' critics Danielle Kurtzleben: The 10 Worst Cities for Finding a Job Laura McMullen: 3 Tips to Overcome a Bad Grade in College The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Orzo dish mixes plump, chewy grains with caramelized onions, garlic, mushrooms and sweet potato January 30, 2012 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Blind faith and physics Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers Menachem Wecker: 3 Do's and Don'ts for Healthy Studying in College The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Butternut Squash Gratin with Tomato Fondue is a combination of the sweet and creamy January 27, 2012 Rabbi Berel Wein: What Pharaoh can teach us sophisticates about being stubborn Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Barigoule is a light and tangy dish of artichoke hearts stewed in white wine January 26, 2012 Jonathan Tobin: Newt the closet anti-Semite? Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news Martin Peretz: One Year Later: The Failure of the Arab Spring Rachel Koning Beals: Need to Know info before investing in Muni Bonds this year Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross: Curried Coconut Carrot Soup. Need we say more? January 25, 2012 Andrew Silow-Carroll: Speak politics the Jewish way! Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For Menachem Wecker: Adding an extra 'm' -- marriage -- to that M.B.A. Melissa Healy: Harnessing shrooms' magic The Kosher Gourmet by Hilary Meyer: 3 Secrets Leave All of the Comfort in this 'Comfort Food', but few of the Calories January 24, 2012 Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out' Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court Jada A. Graves: 6 Careers to Watch in 2012 Jason Koebler: Who Should Have Access to Student Records? Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: This luscious fruit bread marries toasted pecans with juicy pears. Perfect with a pot of tea January 23, 2012 Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary Stephanie Hanes: Toddlers to tweens: Relearning how to play Jack Kelly : Still ignoring history Rachel Koning Beals: Awkward Questions You Must Ask Your Financial Adviser Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Spanakopita is a golden pie that manages to be healthy yet still taste indulgent January 19, 2012 Clifford D. May: How terrorists lose their stigma Suzanne Bohan: Vanquishing social anxieties without drugs Lisa Fernandez and Sean Webby: In alternative lifestyle, domestic violence means men as victims and women being abusers Danielle Kurtzleben: The 10 Best Cities for Finding a Job The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Three bean soup with gremolata January 18, 2012 Edward I. Koch: Why the Crocodile Tears, Hillary? David G. Savage: Supreme Court to Principals: You have been warned George Friedman of Stratfor: Iran, the U.S. and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis Jason Koebler: 'Holy Grail' of Flu Vaccines by Next Year Alex M. Parker: The Off-the-Radar Congressional Targets of 2012 The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Got soft apples? Make Apple-Maple Walnut Breakfast Quinoa January 17, 2012 Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court Sharon Palmer, R.D.: Believe it or not, your cuppa joe offers potential health perks David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors Confronting the Car Nerds on their home turf --- the Detroit Auto Show (VIDEO; 3 minutes) The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Eleventh-Hour Freezer Pasta, Made Interesting: Ravioli with romesco sauce; Tortellini salad with apples and walnuts January 13, 2012 Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein: Expansion Of Spirit (PROFOUND yet UPLIFTING) Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time Rachel Koning Beals:Top Complaints About Daily Deal Sites --- how to avoid missteps Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Braised Oxtail Stew with Olives January 12, 2012 Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony Ken Dilanian and David S. Cloud: In secret study, CIA and 15 other U.S. intelligence agencies warn Obama against leaving Afghanistan too soon John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree Menachem Wecker : 4 Technology Must Haves for Online Students The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream January 11, 2012 Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules Rachel Koning Beals: Should You Invest in Bond Funds or Individual Issues? The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand : Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Herbs January 10, 2012 Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations Paul Bedard: Study: Is Fox Too Balanced? Rachel Koning Beals: Is it Time to Move into Homebuilder Stocks? The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: Brothy Chinese Noodles Half the Sodium (and More Than Twice the Fiber!) January 9, 2012 Caroline B. Glick: The land-for-peace hoax (MUST-READ/FORWARD/SHARE) Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court Bonnie Miller Rubin: The new college-admission essay: Short and tweet(ish) Rachel Koning Beals: Why Mid-Caps Stand Out in This Slow-Growth Stretch The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Cumin seed roasted cauliflower with salted yogurt, mint and pomegranate seeds January 6, 2012 Jonathan Rosenblum: Greatness --- and those who sully it Clifford D. May: The Historian, the Diplomat, and the Spy Paul Bedard: Study: Obama Is Late Night's Biggest Joke Rachel Koning Beals: An Investing Guide to Closed-End Funds The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Slow Cooker Peppered Beef Shank in Red Wine

Jewish World Review Dec. 12, 2006 / 21 Kislev, 5767 House Seniority and Committee Leadership By Michael Barone http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Give yourself a quiz. Which political party in the House chooses its committee leadership positions primarily by seniority and which one routinely selects leaders who are not first in line in seniority? I would guess that most readers would think the Republicans choose primarily by seniority and the Democrats don't. After all, aren't Republicans hierarchy-minded while Democrats are more freethinkers? But the fact is that it's the other way around. House Democrats' choices for committee chairmen in the 110th Congress are in almost every case the most senior Democrats on the committee, while 12 of the 21 Republicans chosen to be ranking minority members have less seniority than at least one other Republican on the committee. How did this come to be? It's the result of different rules, established by each party after a big landslide victory — the Democrats in 1974, the Republicans in 1994 — and how members have adjusted to them since they came into effect. There are strong process arguments, I think, for each party's rules and for the way they have worked out. But each party is stubbornly different, as is reflected even in terminology: House Democrats call their collective members a caucus; House Republicans call theirs a conference. The Democratic rules were the product of the late Phillip Burton, whose San Francisco seat is held today by incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi. After the 1974 election, Burton and other liberals wanted to have committee chairmen elected one by one by the Democratic caucus; the previous procedure was to have the caucus vote on a list on which in each case the senior Democrat was the nominee for chairman. Speaker Carl Albert made a concession: There would be an election for chairman of a particular committee if a certain number of members signed a petition calling for one. Presumably Albert thought that few members would want to arouse the ire of a chairman by signing such a petition. Burton got around this by getting the required number of members to sign petitions calling for an election of every chairman. No offense, guys; we're not after you, we just want elections for everyone. Albert gave in, and Democrats have been electing chairmen ever since. If that's so, why have they chosen to ratify the senior members 32 years after Burton's ploy? Because members have adjusted to the system. In 1974, three elderly committee chairmen were ousted — Edward Hébert of Armed Services, Wright Patman of Banking, and Bob Poage of Agriculture. Hébert and Poage lost primarily because of their conservative voting records; the caucus had a big liberal majority. Patman lost despite his liberal voting record because he was seen as too old and no longer up to the job. In response, conservative Democrats in line for chairmanships soon began adjusting their voting records. Jamie Whitten of Mississippi, then No. 2 on the Appropriations Committee, suddenly starting getting Americans for Democratic Action vote ratings 30 points higher than before. When his turn came, he got the chair. Also, members who were getting on in years or who were in danger of being perceived as not up to the job started retiring before their turn came up. Better to fade quietly away than to be humiliated as poor Wright Patman was. So, although the new Democratic committee chairmen of the 110th Congress will be a pretty old bunch, notably older and more senior than their counterparts — the ranking minority members — they are also in I think every case highly able people fully in command of their very considerable faculties. Certainly that's true of John Dingell of Energy and Commerce (80, first elected in December 1955), Charles Rangel of Ways and Means (76, first elected in 1970), David Obey of Appropriations (68, first elected in April 1969), Henry Waxman of Government Oversight (67, first elected 1974), John Conyers of Judiciary (77, first elected in 1964), Ike Skelton of Armed Services (75 later this month, first elected in 1976), George Miller of Education and the Workforce (61, first elected in 1974), Barney Frank of Financial Services (66, first elected in 1980), Tom Lantos of International Relations (78, first elected in 1980), Louise Slaughter of Rules (77, first elected in 1986), and James Oberstar of Transportation and Infrastructure (72, first elected in 1974). Average age: 72. Average seniority: 33 years. The process argument for Burton's reform is pretty straightforward. It tends to produce able chairmen who are in line with majority opinion in the caucus. You want to have committees that will tend to produce legislation that can be supported by most members of the majority party and that will be capable of passage in the whole House. And that's what Democrats have now. The Republican rules are different. After the big Republican sweep in 1994, Speaker-to-be Newt Gingrich pretty much named committee chairmen by himself, confident that he would have majority support in the conference. Gingrich passed over members he thought had been too accommodating to Democrats in the past or out of line with his views on issues. Institutionally, House Republicans set up a steering committee — with five votes for the party leader and two for the then majority leader — which chose nominees for committee chairmen who have been routinely ratified by the full conference. Those seeking chairmanships are expected to show the steering committee their legislative goals and demonstrate their party bona fides by raising lots of money for Republican candidates, both endangered incumbents and promising challengers. In addition, House Republicans set a six-year term limit on chairmanships (though they waived that for outgoing Rules Chairman David Dreier). That means there are frequent fights for chairmanships or, this year, ranking minority member positions, and many members striving to please the leadership. The process argument here is pretty straightforward. Like the Democrats' system, it tends to produce able chairmen who are in line with majority opinion in the conference. In addition, it tends even more than the Democrats' system to strengthen the party leadership, with its heavy representation on the Steering Committee. The result is that a dozen Republicans will be ranking minority members even though they are not the most senior Republicans on their committees. They include Jerry Lewis of Appropriations (72, first elected in 1978), Buck McKeon of Education and the Workforce (68, first elected in 1992), Spencer Bachus of Financial Services (59 later this month, first elected in 1992), Tom Davis of Government Reform (57, first elected in 1994), Peter King of Homeland Security (62, first elected in 1992), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of International Affairs (54, first elected in August 1989), Lamar Smith of Judiciary (59, first elected in 1986), John Mica of Transportation and Infrastructure (63, first elected in 1992), and Jim McCrery of Ways and Means (57, first elected in 1988). They all strike me as able members. But they're considerably younger and less senior than their Democratic counterparts. Average age: 61. Average seniority: 17 years. Of course, one reason Republican committee leaders tend to be younger than Democrats is that in the years before 1994 not as many Republicans as Democrats stayed in the House for years and years. It just wasn't that satisfying being in what seemed to be a permanent minority. Note: I haven't included all committees in either list. The leaders of the Intelligence, Budget, and Standards of Official Conduct committees are chosen directly by the party leaders, without regard to seniority, and there typically are limits on years of service on them. The House Administration, Small Business, and Veterans Affairs committees have relatively limited jurisdiction, and I haven't included them on either list. Which party's system is better? You can make process arguments for and against either one. But both, in my opinion, are a vast improvement on the seniority system, which came into existence in the 1930s and 1940s, when the Democratic Party was split down the middle between liberals and conservatives and Speaker Sam Rayburn wanted to avoid conflict and so refused to challenge senior members. That produced a lot of Democratic chairmen who were far out of line with the majority of their caucus and an unfortunately large number of Democratic chairmen and ranking Republicans who were senile and incompetent. Both parties have now moved beyond that. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. BARONE'S LATEST The New Americans   Now, more than ever, the melting pot must be used to keep America great. Barone attacks multiculturalism and anti-American apologists--but he also rejects proposals for building a wall to keep immigrants out, or rounding up millions of illegals to send back home. Rather, the melting pot must be allowed to work (as it has for centuries) to teach new Americans the values, history, and unique spirit of America so they, too, can enjoy the American dream.. Sales help fund JWR. JWR contributor Michael Barone is a columnist at U.S. News & World Report. Comment by clicking here. Michael Barone Archives © 2006, US News & World Report

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