Sad day for SE Michigan, nation
This is, indeed, a sad day for Southeast Michigan and for America.
John Dingell didn’t deserve to have his key Energy and Commerce chairmanship taken from him (link to story). For his party to ignore his long and impressive legislative record is a slap in the face and a shame.
But, as they say, that’s politics. You don’t spend 50-plus years in Washington without knowing it’s a tough place and that you’re going to win some and lose some. Rep. Dingell has won his share.
And it’s not that Henry Waxman is a bad person, or that Dingell is going away. They’ve worked together on the Energy and Commerce Committee for years, and will continue to do so. Rep. Dingell will still be looking out for the auto industry, and he still has plenty of friends in Congress.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
The obvious battle this year has been Republicans vs. Democrats.
But the seething battle underneath the surface is between moderate/midwest/labor Dems and liberal/coastal/social Dems.
Pelosi has been actively campaigning for liberal Dems over moderate Dems.
And Obama owes a debt to the liberal Dems because of the way they helped him outflank Clinton.
I do not think that a liberal Pelosi/Obama government will be anything more than a short term deal. And it certainly won’t be the type of “new” politics that the country seems to want.
I hope that one of two things happen:
1) Obama gets a backbone and lets Pelosi know that he is president.
2) The moderate Dems create a working coalition with Republicans in the House to mute the power of the liberals.
It’s ironic, but it might be in moderate Dems best interest to root for Republican victories in the Minnesota and Georgia senate races to keep a check on the dreams of the liberals.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:55 pm
I fail to see what the big deal about John Dingell is, and for that matter, Carl Levin. Michigan has been in a steady decline for years and I don’t see where either has did that much good for our region and state. If someone competent would run against them, I’d vote their opponent. Until then, they reluctantly get my vote because they are the best of the worst.
Dingell keeping his post as chair because he’s been in Washington for fifty years? That’s a very illogical reason for someone to keep their position. It should be based on merit and skill, of which I don’t believe he has much.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Two observations: Liberals, like conservatives, are not all bad nor all good. Dingell losing his chairmanship is bad.
I may not know what I’m talking about but Me certainly doesn’t.