And yet no one would go up against Lieberman for his chairmanship? What worms.

Way to go, Hank! As a constituent of Waxman's, I've followed his relentless activity as Gov. Oversight chair, both minority then majority, over the past 8 years.

He will definitely get the ball rolling.

Actually you shouldn't be suprised because Dems have history of ousting old committee chairmen: F. Edward Hebert of Armed Services back in 1973; Wright Patman of Tex back in 1974; and Ray Price of Armed Services back in 1985.

27 terms? Gads, that is longer than Ive been alive, and Im no spring chicken.

Stop talking about energy legislation and CAFE standards as "left" policies. The environment should not be a left-right issue. We need to change the terms of the conversation on this one.

Woohoo!!

My question: does this make any kind of auto industry bridge loan more or less likely?

apples and oranges regarding the Lieberman and Dingell posts, though the bottom line is governance: keeping Lieberman was an instance of "making nice" for larger political goals on a committee that won't be doing much; ousting Dingell was dumping a dinosaur who could block all sorts of important legislation. Also to remember about Lieberman: what was given can be taken away; moreover, he's chair, but his hands are tied behind the back of that chair

He's been in the House for 27 terms,

I'm not a big fan of term limits, but serving for two generations is too much. 24 years, tops.

And yet no one would go up against Lieberman for his chairmanship?

That's the Senate. Think country club, not parliament.

Oh, and what troglodyte said about the environment. Keeping the planet from frying isn't a big program favoring liberals, the way tax cuts for the rich were a big program favoring conservatives.

This news almost...almost...wipes away my disappointment regarding the Lieberman vote. Waxman is one of my favorite Dems, and I'm not saying that just because he's MY Representative either. I've watched several of the feeds from his committee hearings on government corruption and was always impressed with his diligence and gravitas. This, despite Republican committee members trying to portray the same hearings as some sort of kangaroo court.

"I honestly expected Dingell to prevail. He's been in the House for 27 terms, made a lot of friends, and had organized a large whip team to help him keep his gavel. Giving the gavel to Waxman, Dingell kept reminding us, would represent a shift to the left on energy policy."

Yes, a shift to the left...precisely what's needed! I'm delighted that Waxman won this vote.

Why anyone would still have their underwear in a twist over Lieberman is beyond me. The old adage pick your fights seems to apply. I'd much rather the dems put on a full court press were it counts (positions that could affect real change) than worry about Lieberman's oversight of the administration. Since its unlikely Obama will be getting lap dances in the oval office or shredding the constitution, let Lieberman continue to do fill that post and do nothing just like he's been doing all along.

Could it be the Obama team knows what it's doing?

I think losing Waxman from the House Government Affairs committee and keeping Lieberman at Senate Government Affairs means that oversight into the misdeeds of the bush administration will go nowhere for the next two years at least.

Thats crappy.

That's the Senate. Think country club, not parliament. Posted by: PeakVT

Rather, think House of Commons v. House of Lords.

I wonder if Steve ment 27 years. 27 terms would make it 54 years and that is a really long time. Unless Dingell is a lot older than he looks of course.

Palinoscopy (love the handle, by the way), if Lieberman continues to do absolutely nothing as Homeland Security chair, OK. If he uses the position to launch unwarranted investigations of the new administration, then not so fine. There was plenty of justification for putting in a new committee chair who would actually do something, but once Obama gave the sign that he wanted to make nice the result was ordained. I agree it's time to think about other things now.

WAHOO!

If the Dingellsaurus kept that slot our kids would be fracked. Big time.

Go Henry!

Giving the gavel to Waxman, Dingell kept reminding us, would represent a shift to the left on energy policy.

And that's a bad thing because...?

It seems to me that having energy policy directed from the right, behind closed doors with Cheney and his cronies, was an unmitigated disaster. Shifting to the left can't be worse.

Why anyone would still have their underwear in a twist over Lieberman is beyond me. The old adage pick your fights seems to apply. I'd much rather the dems put on a full court press were it counts (positions that could affect real change) than worry about Lieberman's oversight of the administration. Since its unlikely Obama will be getting lap dances in the oval office or shredding the constitution, let Lieberman continue to do fill that post and do nothing just like he's been doing all along.

This is interesting because it suggests that there is some strong pro-Lieberman faction, Liebercrats, for whom Joe has merely been carrying water. Apparently he's not the only one.
Otherwise, he would be an easy guy to out. Talk about a fight worth picking. Who could possibly be offened - besides his mother?

So these fellows need to be outed. What better way to do so than to nail Lieberman?

The Democrats, who were ever so complicit under Bush, justified their actions because they needed to win the next election. Well, we have had that election. And the Democrats had god damn well better produce. Now. No excuses. No delay. Period.

And what happened to Lieberman is not a good sign.

Wikipedia: Since 1955, he has represented a district that was first in western Detroit but has successively moved further into that city's western suburbs, currently Michigan's 15th congressional district.

This is good news, of course. But the bad news is that 122 votes went for Dingell. What in the world are these people thinking? Voting for a guy who represents gas guzzling pickup trucks and SUVs? How can we count on these troglodytes (with no prejudice toward the commenter above) to vote for change, then?

Don't these people get it? This is a crisis, not just for the country, but for civilization itself, and that's not hyperbole.

And I agree this is not a shift to the left, but a step forward. Let's make that clear, we're stepping forward, through the 21st century, not leftward, or backward (what rightward actually means).

I'm a Detroiter and of two minds about what it portends for an auto industry bailout (whatever that might mean). My initial thought was that it allowed Congress to support a bailout "with rigorous conditions," since Waxman, and not Dingell, could plausibly be expected to hold the industry accountable for meeting those conditions. My counter-thought was that Dingell, but not Waxman, could get the unions on board behind a bailout that will require major worker, and especially retiree, sacrifice. I now think this makes more sense. It will be excruciatingly difficult to get the unions to accept slashed retiree benefits and reduced current compensation. They don't have the leverage to force a deal they like, but they are capable of causing the dems major pain down the road.

Sean @ 11:43,

It is Melvin Price.

I'm no big fan of Dingell, but I'd be wary of Waxman; I still recall how he thwarted mass transit to the Westside of Los Angeles for decades because his wealthy constituents opposed it, the public as a whole be damned. Maybe he'll atone for that, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Who's gonna replace Waxman, does anyone know? Don't know the story Vincent (@14:32) i talking about but for the last 4yrs or so that I've been watching Waxman operate, I developed a great deal of admiration for him (though not his looks). He has, seemingly, all the traits of the best working dogs...

The first thing I thought while reading the article as how craven the Democratic Senators are and how the House Democrats have what it takes to do the job. It looks as if everyone else had the same thought.

I fear that it is wishful thinking that Lieberman is in any way constrained in his actions from now on. I am willing to bet that he will all of a sudden discover that his committee is responsible for oversight of the administration and we will now have a veritible blizzard of investigations into Obama's birth certificate, relations with Rezco and Ayers, other terrorist relationships, contributions, etc. While the Democrats on the committee won't support this program, you know that the Republicans will be only too happy to go that route.

Man, I can't quite get over how everything is lining up to get some very substantial policies through congress.

I worked on the Hill 30 years ago, and dealt mostly with issues in what was then the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, dealing regularly with Dingell and his staff. Dingell probably has made over the years more enemies than friends, even in his own party. This is an excellent step in the right direction, imho.

Clearly Dingell should have campaigned for McCain.

Party loyalty is so passe.

This is such great news!!

Last year, when the environmental movement was pushing the Safe Climate Act through Congress, it was Dingell who was the major roadblock. He watered down the requirements for mileage increases, from actual numbers to percentages, so that the @#$%$#@@!! Toyota Tundra, which gets 10 mph, would be just fine in 2024 if it got 14 mpg (a 40% increase), rather than had to make the 30 mpg (or fucking die) that the original legislation called for with light trucks and SUVs.

If there is one part of Detroit that needs to DIE, it is John Dingell.

God, I love living in Waxman's district - best congressman in the place.