Flawlessly logical: Waxman wins powerful Chair

Above: Queen to King's Level One.

Like my favorite Vulcan, Obama seems to be good at playing 3-dimesional chess. This from Politico:

California Rep. Henry A. Waxman on Thursday officially dethroned longtime Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, upending a seniority system that has governed Democratic politics in the House for decades.

The ascension of Waxman, a wily environmentalist, recasts a committee that Dingell has chaired since 1981 with an eye toward protecting the domestic auto industry in his native Michigan. The Energy and Commerce Committee has principal jurisdiction over many of President-elect Barack Obama's top legislative priorities, including energy, the environment and health care.

Waxman’s win is a big victory for environmentalists who want a more aggressive stance on global warming from the committee, and the vote showed the powerful hand of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Waxman ally, even though she officially remained neutral in the race.

The ousting of the ultimate Old Bull — just three months before Dingell was set to become the longest-serving chairman in the House — is also a shot across the bow for other senior lawmakers who have enjoyed a comfortable and unchallenged ride in their chairmen’s seats.

And the news of Dingell being dethroned has allegedly sent stocks lower today, another sign that big-business was hoping to keep him around. Sorry guys. It's hurts less if you just rip the band-aid off fast.

Read full Politico article here.

Waxman and Dingell both handily lose Congressional beauty contests, but one will soon be very powerful

This is a small machination in the Democratic caucus that could be very meaningful to making some real progress in Washington. Henry Waxman (California) is trying to unseat long time Democratic juggernaut John Dingell (Michigan) for chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Dingell has held that Chair for quite a while.

As I understand it, this critical position is key in making sweeping changes on environmental issues. Dingell, who seems to be catching on to the climate crisis, has nonetheless been in ardent opposition to auto industry regulation (including seatbelts, airbags, and fuel efficieny). Beholden to Michigan auto workers/voters and well funded by the auto industry, he may continue to hold back progressive legislation. He has been called the "go to" guy for the auto lobby.

In a recent interview on Frontline called "Heat", Dingell denies these allegations.

All that being said, he's not an overall bad guy. He's pushed for regulation and health care in his own right. He's just been a dumb ass on auto regulation.

Waxman, on the other hand, is a bulldog on reform, from what I can see. I believe he has been sent on a secret mission from Pellosi and Reid to unseat (or at least scare) Dingell to help the Obama agenda.

Here's some Bloomberg reporting on it:



Click here to see an clip from the excellent "Heat" Go 2:40 in for the part on Dingell.