2009.06.23: June 23, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Politico: Critics say Chris Dodd takes eyes off finance ball

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Dominican Republic: RPCV Chris Dodd (Dominican Republic) : RPCV Chris Dodd: Newest Stories: 2009.06.23: June 23, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: CQPolitics.com: Emily Cadei writes: Dodd’s Road to Redemption : 2009.06.23: June 23, 2009: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Politico: Critics say Chris Dodd takes eyes off finance ball

By Admin1 (admin) (151.196.232.221) on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 - 7:07 am: Edit Post

Critics say Chris Dodd takes eyes off finance ball

Critics say Chris Dodd takes eyes off finance ball

All the time Dodd is spending as a stand-in for Sen. Ted Kennedy on health care is time he’s not spending on financial regulatory reform, which would otherwise be his primary responsibility as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Dodd insists he can get both done this year, as President Barack Obama wants. But his critics are skeptical. “On something of this magnitude, you need a chairman with a very hands-on approach,” said Brian Gardner, a former GOP aide and current senior vice president of Washington research for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a New York City-based financial services firm. “And until the health care debate resolves itself and Dodd returns to focus on regulatory restructuring, I think it’s going to be a rather slow go.” Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic in the 1960's.

Critics say Chris Dodd takes eyes off finance ball

Critics: Chris Dodd takes eyes off finance ball

By VICTORIA MCGRANE | 6/23/09 12:07 PM EDT

You could almost see the campaign commercials as Sen. Chris Dodd — hard at work in shirt-sleeves — presided last week over three very long days of committee action on health care.

It may be the perfect issue for a Senate veteran with a tarnished image and a tough reelection fight ahead.

But there’s just one catch: All the time Dodd is spending as a stand-in for Sen. Ted Kennedy on health care is time he’s not spending on financial regulatory reform, which would otherwise be his primary responsibility as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.

Dodd insists he can get both done this year, as President Barack Obama wants. But his critics are skeptical.

“On something of this magnitude, you need a chairman with a very hands-on approach,” said Brian Gardner, a former GOP aide and current senior vice president of Washington research for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a New York City-based financial services firm. “And until the health care debate resolves itself and Dodd returns to focus on regulatory restructuring, I think it’s going to be a rather slow go.”

And it’s not just a matter of timing. The Democrats on Dodd’s committee are divided on the White House financial reform plan, and the dissenters could take control of the process if the chairman isn’t firmly in control.

“There’s no consensus view on these issues,” said one financial services executive. While House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has found some sort of harmony among Democrats on his committee, the executive said that Dodd’s committee is “all over the place ... which makes it all the more cumbersome when he does parachute back in.”

Dodd and his supporters dismiss the idea that he is neglecting his chairman duties on the regulatory legislation.

Dodd has repeatedly stressed that he is working on financial regulatory overhaul at the same time he stands in for Kennedy on the health care front.

“We are working at it,” Dodd said after Obama unveiled his regulatory reform blueprint at the White House on June 17. “I want to emphasize that while there are other matters dominating the attention of the Senate right now, I can just tell you that the Senate Banking Committee is working already on drafting ideas and proposals in consultation, obviously, with Barney and the White House on the very bill that the president has outlined this morning.”

Dodd’s staff talks just about every day with administration aides on the issue, and his office points to the fact that the committee has already held 15 hearings this year related to the regulatory reform issue, 12 of them before the full committee.

But Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), a member of the committee, said there’s no way that financial regulatory reform will move quickly if his colleagues — and his chairman — are focused on health care. And that’s just fine with him.



Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: June, 2009; RPCV Chris Dodd (Dominican Republic); Figures; Peace Corps Dominican Republic; Directory of Dominican Republic RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Dominican Republic RPCVs; Politics; Congress; Connecticut





When this story was posted in June 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

Join Us Mr. President! Date: June 16 2009 No: 1377 Join Us Mr. President!
"We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign.

Read how RPCV's rallied and and marched to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age.

May 30, 2009: Peace Corps' Roadmap Date: May 29 2009 No: 1369 May 30, 2009: Peace Corps' Roadmap
Peace Corps' Roadmap for the Future 26 May
Who are the Candidates for Peace Corps Director? 24 May
Have French Atomic Tests put PCVs at Risk? 1 May
Obama asks Congress for 10% increase in PC Budget 7 May
Guy Consolmagno debunks "Angels & Demons" 22 May
Obama praises Dodd at credit card signing 22 May
John Garamendi front runner in California primary 22 May
Al Kamen writes: New management structure at PC HQ? 22 May
Damian Wampler's play Twin Towers opens in NYC 21 May
Michael Volpe learns that DC is networking capital 21 May
Dr. Mike Metke returns to Costa Rica 10 May
Jesse Fleisher Lives well on less 14 May
Al Kamen writes: PCVs peak at 11,000 under Obama Budget 11 May
James W. Kostenblatt is making a difference in Mozambique 10 May
Karen and Warren Master host Kyrgyzstan teen 9 May
Alberto Ibargüen writes: The Future of Newspapers 9 May
PC Monitor 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus in Mexico 1 May
Paul Theroux writes: Obama and the Peace Corps 1 May
Johnnie Carson to head State Department African Affairs 29 Apr
Michael O'Hanlon writes: Grading Obama's First 100 Days 29 Apr
Amy Potthast writes: The Peace Corps Lottery 23 Apr
Read more stories from April and May 2009.

PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Date: December 2 2008 No: 1288 PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director
Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

Director Ron Tschetter:  The PCOL Interview Date: December 9 2008 No: 1296 Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Politico

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Dominican Republic; Politics; Congress

PCOL44132
26


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: