Now that can not be true SH. Anyone with half a brain knows that in order to get a leadership or key committee assignments you must march to the party drum. You don't think Patty ( I am a Parrot ) Murray is on the infamous committee to find the 1 point whatever Trillion in cuts because she is a " pragmatist" ? She is there to guard the hard left position period. At least Mr. Alexander was honest enough to walk the walk. You should not expect many other D's or R's to follow though as being a party hack is the way things go. Strange as it is the R's are more tolerate of differing moderate views than the D's are. Go figure.