Democratic House a failure -- except Henry Waxman

No Democrat in the House of Representatives deserves reelection in 2008 more than Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA).  When voters elected Democrats to end the war and investigate the Bush Administration, Waxman was one of the few lawmakers that listened and acted.  He chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

In the last few days, Waxman has worked overtime on the issue of contractors, and has the White House worried:

For months, Rep. Henry  A. Waxman, chairman of the House oversight committee, has been threatening, subpoenaing and just plain badgering Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice  to come before his panel to answer questions about the run-up to the Iraq  war, corruption and State Department  contracting.

Today, Rice will finally appear. But Waxman (D-Calif.) has not spentthe week on a victory lap. He has found time to produce evidenceaccusing State Department security contractor Blackwater Worldwide of tax evasion, to fire off a letter to Rice demandinginformation about alleged mismanagement of a $1 billion contract totrain Iraqi police , and to hold a hearing on uranium poisoning on Navajo land.

Waxman has become the Bush administration's worst nightmare: a Democratin the majority with subpoena power and the inclination to overturnrocks. But in Waxman the White House also faces an indefatigable capital veteran -- with a staff renownedfor its depth and experience -- who has been waiting for this for 14years.

Now that is called answering the call of fed up voters!

Comments

[George]

Good article about Waxman. It's too bad there aren't more of him.

[Ted K.]

Actually, being a Californian, I thank God there are NOT more of this wackjob.
Talk about a guy totally left of mainstream!

[Chief Editor: Todd]

How is wanting accountability "left of mainstream?" I think we all want that.

[George]

Right. I'm not sure how being either left or right affects this.

You of all people, Ted, should appreciate that someone cares where your taxes go.