I'm Backing Waxman for the Chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee
By John Amato Wednesday Nov 19, 2008 10:00amHere's a very important story. How great has Waxman been since '06? I think he needs our backing in this fight for the Chairmanship. I'm here for you Henry.
Matt Stoller explains: Automakers and Dingell vs. Waxman
I'm surprised, given the amount of attention foisted on the US auto industry at the moment, how few people are actually watching the Dingell versus Waxman dogfight over the Chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee. E&C is the policy-making committee that will probably have jurisdiction over a good amount of the rule-making around whatever bailout happens, since it handles CAFE standards, industrial regulation, etc. So whether it goes to the super-green but sensible Henry Waxman or the more traditional John Dingell matters quite a bit.
It's very hard to tell what's going on with the conflict. Since it's secret ballot, certain members are probably promising their vote to both, and others are lying about who they will vote for. What makes it even more difficult to suss out is that Dingell is waging his campaign through the media, and Waxman is not.
..read on
OK, I didn't want Holy Joe in either, but Obama made his decision and the Senate obeyed his wishes. This is a big one we should get involved in. Especially where we are today.
Waxman is an effective, green progressive and he knows how to get things done. Dingel is an elder who is discredited by his relationship with the auto industry and the NRA. If pragmatic change rather than milquetoast status quo bipartisanship is what people voted for, this is where the action is.
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Waxman is the right guy to be in charge of these things as we deal with this economic/energy crisis. Whatever threats there may or may not be to the seniority system by putting Waxman in charge pale in comparison to the necessity to have the House working properly on these issues.
I couldn't agree with Matt and Digby more. Let's go Waxman.
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How great has Waxman been since '06?
Not very. Lots of letters and threatening. But little action.
With a name like Waxman he should be waxing the president's limo
Or Michelle's legs.
Waxman has a sharp mind and won't let himself be pushed into pollution friendly legislation, he's a much better choice.
I agree and he doesn't let anyone push him around on anything.
Digby is way off base here--I don't think he knows Dingell well; heck he doesn't even know how to spell the guy's name correctly.
Dingell has been a crusader in the House for many years and has been more effective at oversight (Pentagon, EPA, FDA, etc.). What has Waxman done besides get on every cable news outlet? He was one of the ones talking about steroid abuse when we should have been doing aggressive oversight of Iraq and Bush's failed policies.
And who cares about Dingell's pro-NRA point of view when he's the chair of the Energy & Commerce committee? Why bring that up? Digby's post seems almost spiteful with the snide comment about Dingell's age.
Texasdem...Digby is a she BTW. Dingell has had the Detroit lobby in his back pocket for more than forty years. That he and they have run out of steam, finally, was inevitable. Detroit makes shitty products.
Dingell has been a proponent of universal health care. I'll give him that. But, why has he? It ain't rocket science...Ford, GM, and Chrysler pay unconscionable amounts annually for employee health care. Add Microsoft, HP, IBM and who knows else. A revolution waiting to happen.
Waxman continues to be one of the most active members of Congress. I'd like to see contempt citations and the like for Bushies ducking subpoenas, but it's other congressional Dems who are the real drag on progress.
Waxman is THE go to guy in the house. Whatever he wants/I want. As to your small comment about Lieberman, now that he's leashed, look at him as the most reliable vote Obama has. Vote with me or lose your chair.
Speaking as a resident of Southeastern Michigan, and a constituent who just voted for Dingell in the election, I wholeheartedly agree with the need to get someone progressive into this chairmanship. Detroit's willful resistance to change and non-innovative culture as embodied in Mr. Dingel need to be seriously confronted through new leadership on this committee.
There is no industry lap-dog more fat, happy and sleepy as Mr. Dingel. Don't get me wrong, he's not a bad guy and is certainly preferable to the alternatives on the ballot. But in this case, he's just the wrong guy.
Go Henry!
What did "the small comment about Lieberman" MEAN? I'm pretty thick in the skull region. Help.
Did Waxman voice some sort of support for Lieberman?
Cuz if he did...
(I wasn't a repug at one time for nuthin. I brought one thing with me: extraordinary meanness.)
It is a little bit short-sighted to support Waxman outright without a full accounting of their record. The only thing that Digby and others are concerned about is his relation to the auto industry.
If you look at Dingell's record as a whole, his leadership on health care, the Food and Drug Administration, Medicare and Medicaid and environmental issues other than CAFE, not to mention his oversight of the Executive Branch, which is legendary. His body of work drwarfs Waxman.
I'm really frustrated that folks knee jerk support of Waxman. Supporting Waxman just because of his positions on CAFE are short sighted and wrong. This is a huge mistake and digby needs to do a little research.
It just reinforces the belief that you think Michigan is nothing more than a flyover zone in the US.
I will never back Waxman since he sold out vaccine damaged kids in favor of his pharmaceutical interests.
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