Posted on 10/31/2006 4:56:54 AM PST by Brilliant
WASHINGTON -- California Rep. Henry Waxman, the vocal corporate critic slated to run a powerful committee if Democrats win the House, said he would aggressively expand oversight of many large industries -- with a focus on drug prices, oil-company profits and Halliburton Co.'s contracting work in Iraq.
In an interview, Rep. Waxman, the senior minority member of the House Government Reform Committee, said he also would boost oversight of the Bush administration, along with "waste, fraud and abuse" across the federal government -- especially rebuilding efforts in Iraq and the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast. The committee has extensive -- and vaguely defined -- oversight responsibilities covering broad swaths of corporate America and the government, and the chairman has the power to issue subpoenas, compel testimony and call hearings.
Of particular concern, Mr. Waxman said, would be rooting out what he called "profiteering." His aides define the term broadly enough that it encompasses Iraq contracting, the massive growth in homeland security expenditures, pharmaceutical prices and soaring oil-industry profits. Probes into prices and profits could prove controversial, however, because the government itself has never been able to define precisely what constitutes price-gouging or profiteering.
In discussing his goals, Mr. Waxman is touching on many of the hot-button issues being aired both in the campaign and behind the scenes among Democrats. The party has been debating how much to spotlight what could be controversial actions before voters go to the polls, or how much to stick to more general policy slogans. Republicans already have begun trying to cast Mr. Waxman as a partisan who would abuse his investigative powers.
A 32-year veteran of the House, Mr. Waxman, 67 years old, has had little real power since Republicans took control of the House in 1994...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Now there's a shocker! Who'd 'a thunk it.
If he puts the economy on its back, the conservatives need to hold him accountable, and exact payback.
Hmmmmmmm..... He's a good looking guy. (The one on the right, that is).
Communist
And the POLLS show Americans trust Dems more the Pubbies on the economy?
Every election cycle, the MSM and the Dims try to convince Americans that they all want something for nothing, that the rich should pay and evil businesses are taking advantage of all.
There is very little difference between Communists and Democrats.
Frankly, the Pubbies need to talk more about the tax cuts benefiting the economy than letting people keep their money. A lot of voters don't pay net taxes, so why should they care?
But they do care about the economy.
So this guy has spent almost half of his entire lifetime in Congress? Time for him to go home to some reality.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.