In the exciting game of Musical Chairs starting in Washington with the changing of the guard from the outgoing to the soon incoming administration, there was a major development. Rep. Waxman is in at the helm of the hugely powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and, after nearly 28-years, Rep. Dingell, buddy pal of the Big Three US Automakers, is out.
US Auto Industry, let me introduce the environmentalists. Yes, some of them are wild, looneytunes tree-huggers all right; but some are not. You’ve had a great run, but you have spent much of it running after others, far to the West and almost as far to the East, who have innovated better and read the tea leaves better than you. Your chickens are now coming home to roost. You are broke and begging Congress for money. The unions beat you up pretty badly and you have to pay for a lot of people who don’t work for you anymore and who, when they worked, made pennies on the dollar compared to the benefit levels you are paying them now. You’ve been coddled, indulged, and treated like little princes. Why, you even flew in to Washington to face Congress like princes fly.
Dingell, 82 years young, has been in Congress since right before Eisenhower ran for and was elected to his second term. Waxman, 69 years young, is not exactly a newbie there either. It’s not like the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has any big jobs ahead or anything; they will only be handling legislation on climate change, energy and health care under the Obama Administration; that’s all!
Rep Waxman’s office issued this: ""I am running for the chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee because we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance health care, achieve energy independence and tackle climate change . . . . These are difficult and contentious issues, and I believe I can provide effective leadership so that Congress and the new administration working together can deliver results for the American people." I really hope so.