Senator Harkin and the Secret Ballot

Although it does not look like that the card check provisions which would effectively eliminate the secret ballot for determining union representation will survive, at least in any EFCA type bill passed by this Congress, there is still some irony in the comments of Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, who is leading the push for the bill in making the following comment about his fellow Democratic Senator:

“Every two years the caucus could have a secret ballot on whether a chairman should continue, yes or no,” said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “If the ‘no’s win, [the chairman’s] out. “I’ve heard it talked about before,” he added."

The chairman who might be ousted by such a secret ballot election is Max Baucus, D-Montana who is cross-wise with Harkin on the details of the healthcare plan, according to the article in The Hill, Dems warn Baucus with gavel threat.

Apparently what's good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.