In light of the recent revelation that the Obama Administration has detailed Rahm Emanuel to direct Harry Reid to give Joe Lieberman whatever he wants, I have a proposition for the entire Senate Republican Caucus.
(pause)
No, not the usual one; get your mind out of the gutter. I'm not quoting Cheney this time.
No, I have a proposition that should make every Senate Republican's heart flutter.
Even though Senate Republicans have only forty seats in the Senate for now, many of them seem to want to exert more control over the national debate on the issues of their committees. And I say it's easier for them than they realize.
If you're a Senate Republican with any seniority, you are the ranking member of a committee (Saxby Chambliss, seven years in and already the top guy on Agriculture, I'm looking at you). But without a majority, you don't control the chairman's gavel, do you?
No. Because you're in the minority party.
However, all that can change.
Call Harry Reid's office, tell him you want to caucus with Democrats, and he will let you control the committee.
There's no political "price", as they say: you don't need to support a major political agenda item of your new Democratic party, you don't need to endorse the president of your new Democratic party, you don't need to refrain from lying about policy when you even bother to understand the issues, and you don't need to consort with any actual Democratic supporters. You can even continue to bitch about how stupid Democrats are and how much you get off on sticking your fingers in their eyes.
And what's best, if anyone in your new Democratic caucus raises any awkward questions, you can get the chief of staff to the president you didn't support to tell Harry Reid to tell them to shut the fuck up, because they're "fucking stupid."
Enjoy your newfound powers! Someone ought to use them.