Dartmouth professors comment on the Jeffords decision

Posted 05/24/01

"Vermont already has one independent in Congress - Bernie Sanders in the House - and I think the political culture there is sympathetic to Jeffords' frustrations in moderating the Republican Party. Also, Vermonters don't look kindly on the White House's heavy-handed attempts to punish Jeffords for his maverick tendencies.

"On the national level, Republicans lose agenda-setting power for committee chairs and control of the floor, which are major blows. The Democrats now have a platform to speak to the national media that they previously were lacking. The change also gives them access to interest group donors who might otherwise concentrate resources on Republicans. Both of these factors have immediate policy consequences, as well as implications for the 2002 elections. President Bush might have to make good on his early rhetoric about bipartisanship or find his appointments held hostage, much like Clinton did when he confronted a Republican-controlled Senate."

"I think that the effect of Jeffords' extraordinary decision will be felt most strongly on the federal courts. It is the Senate - and only the Senate - that has a decision-making role with the President in selecting federal judges. Judicial recruitment is a pivotal issue on the national political agenda at this time, and also one that has become intensely partisan. Democratic Party control of the Senate now places President Bush in a very different position with respect to selecting judges."