Baucus to retire rather than seek re-election in 2014, strategists say

[Capt. Obvious]

Source: Washington Post

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is retiring rather than seek re-election in 2014, according to two senior Democratic strategists familiar with his plans.

First elected in 1978, Baucus has been the top Democrat on the powerful committee since 2001. The likely Democratic candidate to succeed him would be former governor Brian Schweitzer, sources said.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/23/baucus-to-retire-rather-than-seek-re-election-in-2014/

---

Bye asshole.

I like the idea of Senator Schweitzer.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Couldn't vote for background checks, but not even running for re-election--

jeezus, what a complete tool. Good riddance.

[karynnj]

11. My first thought as well

Could it really be that he believes the bill would not help? That and his negative comments on the ACA - that he as mush as anyone - designed really suggest that something is going on with him. It would seem that, if he wanted to retire, he could do it on a high note. If there is anything that will be his legacy it is the ACA. He was a key player in crafting something that could get all 60 votes needed. He could work on making sure he does as much as possible to help - not hurt it - and you would thing all his votes could be based only on the good of the whole country.

I have defended him as someone who when it came down to it was able to do some good things. One example, is that in fall 2010 the jobs bill that was passed when 2 Republicans (both retiring) signed on. Baucus' role? He and John Kerry wrote the amendment that closed some foreign tax dodges - and that provided the revenue to balance the costs of the various measures that stimulated or produced jobs. Without the bill being revenue neutral, it would have failed. In addition, as conservative as he has been, he has fought against cuts to social security - including trying to pass an amendment that would have required 60 votes to change anything on social security to a bill that would have given an "up or down" vote to any recommendations of the Simpson/Bowles task force. (The bill failed and S/B never got any recommendations voted out by the committee. )

I wonder if Schweitzer will run. It may be he is better positioned as Governor. (Is he term limited?) At any rate, he. like Tester, would likely quickly lose their status as a DU favorite if he ran and won. If not, this makes it harder for us to keep the Senate. Baucus - independent of any personal characteristics - offers Montana undue power as the chair of the Finance committee.

[TwilightGardener]

46. I hope Schweitzer does run--if there's any way to keep that seat, that's probably

the best chance.

[apnu]

22. Or maybe he's not willing to face the music after that vote.

Either way, the man has no courage left.

[Ter]

30. At least he stands up for what he believes in

I respect that more.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. This is a pleasant surprise

although Schweitzer is somewhat conservative too... but not as arrogant as Baucus.

[Larkspur]

17. Schweitzer's views are similar to Howard Deans in 2003-4

Howard didn't support gun control in VT because of it's low gun homicide rate, but he did understand that NYC and other areas plagued by gun violence would benefit from it.

I don't know how the former governor of MT would vote on the background check bill, but in December he indicated he would not support bans on assault weapons. If he runs for senate, he'll have to cater to the gun nut culture, but I think he could be persuaded to support background checks by showing him that 85% of NRA members support it. If it can be framed as a anti-crime act as opposed to a gun control one, then I think he would vote for it and skillfully use it to spear his Rethugican opponent. I assume Schweitzer would position himself similar to what Sen. Heitkamp did on gun control issues.

However, Schweitzer supports a single payer type of medical system and he support's women's reproductive rights and LGBT rights. And he HATES the Citizens United ruling. MT has a long history of anti-corporation feelings as big corps used to buy their politicians. It took a citizen's referendum 100 years to seize power from them, but that referendum was ruled unconstitutional by the Roberts' Court. Schweitzer was not pleased by that ruling. Brian Schweitzer is progressive on many issues, except guns and the Keystone pipeline. Although on the later topic, he also supports alternative energy methods.

He seems to base his decisions on energy based upon what we need today and how best to convert to the new energy methods. Right now, he supports freeing us from foreign oil even if that means using more coal. That's his quandary right now -- liberation from foreign oil vs global climate change.

So I would not call Brian Schweitzer conservative, like Joe Manchin is. Brian doesn't seem to be a Blue Dog Dem. He's more pragmatic and closer to Howard Dean of 2003-4 than to Joe Manchin of today.

And Schweitzer was a very popular governor and he still seems to retain his popularity with MT voters, so if he decides to run for the US Senate, he has a real shot to win in and may even be the favorite to win it. He did first run for the US Senate in 2000 and lost to the Republican by 4% when he had little to no name recognition. Today, he's in much better shape to win the US Senate seat, should he decide to run for it.

[Lasher]

24. What a thoughtful analysis!

Such well informed replies have been in short supply around here lately. I wish you'd post an OP similar to this, maybe in Good Reads.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. Brian is not conservative. He's much more center-left.

[BlueStater]

3. Why did he vote against background checks if he wasn't going to run again anyway?

Fuck you, Max. You won't be missed.

[valerief]

5. Because he's a $$$$$ whore. nt

[Kablooie]

15. He'll be a rich NRA lobbiest now.

[Ter]

32. Heaven the thought, but maybe he's a politician that really believes in something

n/t

[BlueStater]

39. Apparently, he believes 20 dead children weren't enough. N/T

[FiveGoodMen]

43. He believed in laughing as Single Payer advocates were arrested and dragged

out of the health care reform hearings.

Yeah, he's a real man of honor.

[valerief]

4. Well, he'll be sitting on a fat pension on top of all the lobbyist money he's gotten.

I wonder which lobbyist he'll work for when he leaves.

[Jbradshaw120]

6. I really hope that Schweitzer runs

Or this will be a very difficult seat to hold. There are a few others, but unless Schweitzer runs we will have a real dog fight on our hands. Even if Schweitzer runs it will not be a walk in the park. RUN SCHWEITZER RUN.

[a kennedy]

7. This IS great news.....now, to keep the seat.

Montana isn't the bluest state out on the plains......

[HughBeaumont]

8. Once again . . .

http://www.theonion.com/articles/im-such-a-shitty-senator,10801/

Leave so we can get someone who gives a shit about America, not about just your Montana TeaHadists.

[sofa king]

18. I remember laughing the day that came out.

It was one of the more notable "news" items during that boring summer, when the press had nothing to scream about except shark attacks, and Dick Cheney plotted....

[Hawaii Hiker]

9. Baucus certainly is no liberal, but i wish he was running

Montana is very red state, not easy for Democrats to win there...

I do think if Schweitzer runs he can win, but if he doesn't, were in trouble there...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

33. Jon Tester won his seat back, as did my good friend Steve Bullock who is now the governor.

Steve is a progressive Democrat. It CAN be done if we work hard enough.

[EC]

10. Why did he vote against

back-ground checks then? Is he going to work for the NRA after retiring?

[montanacowboy]

12. Must have been my email to him

I say good riddance - he screwed up health care beyond repair and now this gun thing

Let's hope Brian Schweitzer runs, he will win in a NY minute

[PatSeg]

36. Whenever I hear his name,

Health care reform pops into my head. Though I don't remember all the details now, I do remember he was one of the Dems who weakened the Affordable Care Act. So I was not surprised to see his name in the "No" column on background checks.

He is only slightly better than a republican.

[mtasselin]

13. Now

Great news, now he can stop pretending to representing the people of Montana and go after his true calling being a lobbyist whore.

[Coyotl]

19. You are wrong

The problem Progressives have is that he does represent his constituency too well.

You also obviously don't know Montana.

[premium]

26. Exactly what I've been saying.

I lived in Montana, just outside of Helena, for a number of years, the firearms culture there is very strong and all Baucus was doing was voting the way his constituents elected him to do.

Had to leave for warmer pastures, too cold, too much snow.

[montanacowboy]

27. Then how do you explain

Jon Tester's vote?

[Coyotl]

29. Simple

He has the cajones to represent the best interests of his constituency, and he believes background checks are in their best interests.

[PatSeg]

38. I'll bet there is a position for him

in the insurance world or with big pharma. Both industries have been bankrolling his career for years.

[SunSeeker]

14. We'll know why he voted against background checks when we see what lobbying job he gets. nt

[sorefeet]

16. Scweitzer is taking a job as CEO

for the failing palladium mine in Montana. I don't know if he can do both.

[nineteen50]

20. JUst a

corporate twit.

[ErikJ]

21. What a tool. His mug wont be missed.

[xtraxritical]

23. What "powerful committee"?

Some of us don't have time to follow every link and read every article.

[Capt. Obvious]

25. "Some of us don't have time to follow every link and read every article"

Or the excerpt posted in the OP

[xtraxritical]

41. What do ya mean excerpt? I see nothing about the "committee" in the post.

[Capt. Obvious]

44. Here, I bolded it for you

I just copied & pasted the OP

Source: Washington Post

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is retiring rather than seek re-election in 2014, according to two senior Democratic strategists familiar with his plans.

First elected in 1978, Baucus has been the top Democrat on the powerful committee since 2001. The likely Democratic candidate to succeed him would be former governor Brian Schweitzer, sources said.

[Enrique]

45. lol

i'm enjoying this exchange between Capt Obvious and xtracritical

[xtraxritical]

49. Well duh, ok, I'm senile. Thanks!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. Good bye you asshole!! Everyone seems to blame Obama for the lack of public option, siding with bank

but it was really this ASSHOLE who is responsible. Good riddance!!

Brian Schweitzer would be awesome!! Awesome!!

If Steve Bullock--a great, progressive Democrat--can win the state, Brian has hope. And he left with a very high approval rating!

[grahamhgreen]

34. Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya!

[Cleita]

35. *dancing*

Good riddance to Senator "no public option" Baucus.

[lark]

37. Good riddance!

Don't know anything about Schweitzer, but it would be difficult to be a worse Democrat than Baucus.

[SoapBox]

40. Buh-Bye DINO!

Good riddance.

[NickB79]

42. Well, it was nice having Montana in the Dem column for a while

Most likely he'll be replaced by a Republican at this point. Best case scenario, he'll be replaced by another Democrat that is as socially conservative as he currently is.

This sucks on multiple levels.

On edit: if Schweitzer runs, things might be OK in MT. He's the only one I could see possibly winning there against a GOP candidate.

[davidpdx]

47. +1

Only a little over 7 more months of having to put up with him.

[Warren Stupidity]

48. I nominate Max for the Joe Lieberman Prize.

[midnight]

50. He probably will go lobby with the rest of his former staffers at a mega insurance agency....

[patrice]

51. Yay!