After 40 years in the majority, House Democrats will not go quietly into the minority. The disbelief and mourning are over, they say. Now it's time to fight.
In closed sessions Tuesday, the former kings of the Hill divided up responsibilities for battling from below. They can't set the agenda anymore. They must figure out how to respond to the GOP's "Contract With America."At a news conference, soon-to-be minority leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri assembled former committee and subcommittee chairs who will "steer" the Democrats, develop policy and communicate the party's ideas.
His "leadership advisory group" spans party's conservative-to-liberal spectrum, including Reps. Charles Stenholm of Texas, John Murtha of Pennsylvania, Patricia Schroeder of Colorado, Louise Slaughter of New York, Louis Stokes of Ohio, John Dingell of Michigan, Bill Hefner of North Carolina and Ed Pastor of Arizona.
Gephardt said he is in daily contact with the incoming Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. to coordinate efforts with that chamber.
Without cooperation from the Democrats, no Republican policy can become law. While lockstep voting by the GOP could get a bill through the House, a Democratic filibuster in the Senate could kill it.
And if President Clinton vetoes legislation, Democratic votes would be needed in both the House and Senate to override.
For the first time in a long time, the House Democrats, known for their in-fighting, seem united.
Like a mantra, Democrat after Democrat emphasized, "We're for America's working families."
They portrayed Republicans as bullies and the party for the rich. "They believe that you throw a lot of money at the top and it will eventually trickle down," said Gephardt. "It hasn't trickled down for 15 years."
Working from the minority means using different strategies, said Rep. George Miller of California, former Natural Resources Committee chairman, named by Gephardt to co-chair a new Democratic policy committee. "It's a much tighter knit family now than we were before the elections."
That's not to say there isn't going to be a family feud or two.
For four decades, Democrats have rarely deviated from seniority in appointing committee chairmen. But a set of rules changes circulated this week calls for factoring in "merit, length of service on the committee and degree of commitment to the Democratic agenda . . . and the diversity of the caucus" into account before awarding "ranking member" status to committee members. The designation is important, both because it provides a forum for leading the Democratic opposition to the Republicans and because it includes the power to hire staff.
Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts has always been one of the fastest talking, quickest wits among House Democrats.
Asked if he'll play the role long held by Rep. Robert Walker, R-Pa., who used to jump to his feet on the House floor to object nearly every time the Democrats made a move, Frank quipped: "I've decided to be the Luke Skywalker because when you are dealing with Darth Vader, that's the more appropriate metaphor."