| | Moderate Dems worry of liberal ascendancy
Waxman bid to oust Dingell worries centristsHenry Waxman, a long-serving, outspoken, progressive California Democrat, has launched a bid to take control of perhaps the most powerful committee in the House of Representatives.
The move has many moderate Democrats worried about what they see as a takeover from the party's left flank.
Waxman currently chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, but last week he announced an attempt to take over the Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI). The powerful committee has jurisdiction over an array of important areas, including environmental policy and healthcare.
While there had been some expectation in Washington over the last several months that Waxman might seek the new post, his formal announcement last week caught Dingell off guard. Roll Call reports that Dingell is mobilizing allies in the Blue Dog and New Democrats coalitions to stave off Waxman's rise.The coordination marks a departure for the groups, which have not traditionally worked together, and a shared fear that with Democrats preparing to take control of all levers of political power, moderates could get steamrolled by emboldened liberals.
“We’re very concerned about the direction that some are trying to move our majority,” said Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), Blue Dog co-chairman for communications.
Leaders of both groups were working the phones last week to round up support for Dingell, the 27-term dean of the House, in his counteroffensive against Waxman’s surprise challenge. Ross and Reps. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) and John Tanner (D-Tenn.), both senior Blue Dogs, joined Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the New Democrats, on Dingell’s 26-member team. Dingell's sympathy for the auto industry has contributed to a lack of action on climate change legislation, frustrating environmentalists.
President-elect Barack Obama said during the campaign that he wanted quick action on legislation to cap carbon emissions and require polluters to purchase emission credits on an open market. The Senate failed to pass a cap and trade bill over the summer, and Dingell belatedly introduced his own cap and trade proposal last month.
Environmentalists believe Waxman would be more aggressive in pursuing such legislation.
"We have lost a tremendous amount of time. Rep. Dingell has always opposed bringing the energy and transportation sectors into a more efficient and modern era," a senior Democratic aide for a member who supports Waxman's bid told the Associated Press.
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