The controlling Democrats completed their task of organizing House committees last week, sweeping three South-era chairmen out of power in the process. This assault on the chamber's stultifying seniority system was designed to break down arbitrary barriers to legislation and enable the Democrats to deal more effectively with the economic crisis. Up to a point, it may do so. At the same time, however, a nasty non-ideological fight for personal prestige within the party threatens to disrupt the huge Democratic majority and impede the legislative pace.
That friction was not evident on...
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