In 1910, when Wisconsin’s Victor L. Berger became the first Socialist in American history elected to Congress, he proudly refused to caucus with either party, but nevertheless landed a committee assignment when the majority Democrats gave him one of the committee seats reserved for the Republicans.

Berger was eventually elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on six occasions, but was prevented from taking his seat between 1919 and 1922 because he had been charged with conspiracy and disloyalty under the Espionage Act for writing antiwar speeches during World War I.

Years later, the fiercely-independent Wisconsin lawmaker castigated the handful of progressive Republican congressmen who had supported “Fighting Bob” La Follette’s insurgent presidential campaign in 1924 for crawling back to the GOP caucus shortly after that election.

“Any man who claims to be a Progressive, who claims to stand for reform, ought to be willing to pay the price,” he declared from the House floor. “If not, then he is a weakling.” The political price La Follette’s supporters, which included Berger and the Socialist Party, was “so insignificant,” he said, “as to be almost ridiculous — the loss of position on committees.”

The Constitution provides for each house of Congress to determine the rules of its proceedings, select its officers, etc. The caucus system and distribution of committee seats, etc. is an internal system that’s evolved over time and that can be changed at the will of the body.

So, in effect, the majority will determine whether a third party member or caucus gets to appoint to committees, etc. It’s a pretty good bet that a single third party or independent electee, or a small group of them, without close connections to one of the major parties will get the boiler room at Rayburn for an office and no committee assignments.

@1 he is both a Libertarian (LP national member, LP state commitee member) and an independent (unenrolled voter, therefore by law on the ballot as an independent).

Regarding the caucusing issue, does anyone here know what would happen if Joe got elected and wanted to be his own caucus? Could he then be a Minority Leader with the status of the other Minority Leader and the ability to be a Ranking Minority Member on committees? Who would be in charge of his committee appointments…himself? Does it take a certain number of Senators to form a minority caucus? What if some party elected, say, two or five Senators?

Lake: Is this a 21st Century example of Political Venereal Deciese ??????

End the State Income Tax was on the ballot in Massachusetts in 2002 and in 2008, not in 2006.