Posted on 10/29/2006 9:34:42 AM PST by Proud_USA_Republican
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim McDermott, Washington's most liberal congressman, is called courageous by his fans and an embarrassment bordering on irrelevant by his detractors.
Next month, both camps may be calling him Mr. Chairman.
If Democrats win control of the House, McDermott could become an important politician.
He'd get a subcommittee chairmanship on the House Ways and Means Committee, a platform he says he'd use to push for universal health-care coverage and alternative energy.
Speculation about McDermott's potential elevation — and that of other Democrats, such as Rep. Norm Dicks of Bremerton — is part of the grand guessing game in full swing on Capitol Hill.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Other things to look forward to if hezbocrats take the house mentioned in this article:
"All the committees will be more aggressive on oversight. You'll see a lot of CEOs in the House being sworn in," said T.J. Petrizzo, a lobbyist with Seattle clients.
McDermott would move up on the Ways and Means Committee, which handles tax legislation. He is in line to become chairman of the panel's subcommittee that deals with social services, but he has his eye on the Health subcommittee.
More important, many of his congressional friends in the party's left wing would become powerful committee chairmen.
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, who wants to consider impeaching President Bush, would chair the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York would lead Ways and Means. Californian Reps. Henry Waxman and Tom Lantos would get Government Reform and International Relations, respectively.
Former Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas, now a lobbyist with DLA Piper, speculates that McDermott and Ways and Means leaders might try to raise gasoline taxes to repress consumption of fossil fuels and reward use of alternative energy.
The 2003 Medicare drug bill also is in the Democrats' sights. They want to repeal rules that prevent the government from negotiating bulk drug prices with pharmaceutical firms.
Norm Dicks would be in line to chair the House Appropriations subcommittee that handles money for the Interior Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and related matters.
But he could end up leading the prized defense Appropriations subcommittee, if Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., were to become majority leader, a position he has said he wants. Murtha currently is the ranking Democrat on defense Appropriations.
I've met him a couple times, through my work. He is distinctly unimpressive.
Any attempt to raise taxes will be met with a veto and the dems will give the Republicans a smoking gun to use in 2008 on the tax and spend issue.
However, I do think that the government needs to start looking at energy as a matter of national security and as such should supporting these programs. A few billion a year to hydrogen and solar will keep the Arabs honest on oil. However, it is a tad bit dishonest for the dems to try and claim the high road on energy when they vote no on drilling for more oil.
This should send chills up any American's spine.
Sounds expensive to me, and just who is going to pay for these grandiose plans?
I know I care about my family and work hard for their welfare. I don't not care about others but let them get off their asses and work for their own welfare.
The state doesn't have much clout now, certainly.
Wasington doesn't deserve it. Look at the liberal incompetents they keep voting into office now that Seattle has been overun by californians and northeast liberals for the past 15 years.
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