Yesterday we mentioned that the rapid deterioration of Republican support for President Bush's Social Security phase-out plan had necessitated a revision of the bylaws of the Republican Conscience Caucus.

The entry today of Sen. Gordon Smith (R) of Oregon made the need for a new system of classification even more pressing.

In a subsequent post we will go into more detail about the Caucus's new bylaws. For now, however, with the entry of Sen. Smith, we are adding a new subdivision of the Caucus. As you know, "L&P" Caucus members are those who appear "Loud and Proud" in their opposition to the president's phase-out plan. Our new designation "FIW" ("Finger In the Wind") designates those representatives or senators who have publicly made more or less clear, as Sen. Smith has done, that they are happy to begin phasing out Social Security so long as the president can make it safe for them to do so.

See the revised Conscience Caucus list here.