Another domino about to fall?:confused:


The retirement of two of Nancy Pelosi's closest confidants is raising questions about whether the House Democratic leader's reign could be nearing an end.

The pending departures of Reps. George Miller and Henry Waxman mean Pelosi will have to do without her most trusted lieutenants if she decides to run again as Democratic leader.


The two fellow California Democrats helped engineer the major achievements of her speakership on healthcare and climate change, and could be counted on during good times and bad.

One former Democratic leadership aide described the loss as “a substantial changing of the guard” – a transition stirring speculation Pelosi will not stay on as leader despite her insistence that her work is not done.

“I have to think she's gone in '15 since it does not look like they take the House back,” the former leadership aide said.**

Read more: What now for Pelosi? | TheHill
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** One can only hope.

Maybe now he can get those portholes he calls a nose looked at. Creepy lookin cat.

Partisanship is a matter of degree, I think. There's a good quote from Barney Frank about it (which I can't find). Someone called him a partisan. He said something like, "You're darn right I am. That's what my constituents elected me to be." Waxman seems to have a similar mindset. The problem with partisanship comes when people don't know when to stop. Waxman's record of accomplishment suggests to me that, despite his partisan bent, he knows how to work with people to get things done.

I say all of this having observed him from a distance and being a fan of his performance in committee hearings on CSpan. Perhaps we have some of his constituents here who can comment on his strengths and weaknesses as a Congressman.

And I really would appreciate your letting me in on the conspiracy joke. I still can't figure out what it has to do with Waxman.

I read somewhere that Pelosi has been ready to retire for a while but was convinced to stay. Maybe the departures of Miller and Waxman will nudge her more in the retirement direction. History will consider her among the all-time greats in the House of Representatives.

I dunno about that. Waxman's supporters make a strong case: 32 Laws Waxman Helped Craft That Touched The Lives Of Every American

If they're there long enough, there ought to be plenty of folks pleased with their (hat trick!) tenure and able to point to favorable legislation.

I just happen to thing it's way too long. That's just my piddly, insignificant opinion.

There are just as many entrenched Grand Old Pharts that I'd love to see put out to pasture.

Oh, yeah? Well, keep it to yourself. ;)

I'm not entirely comfortable with having the country run by career politicians, but that is way low on my list of concerns. The problems in Washington, it seems to me, come from the newcomers more than the old timers. Frank Wolf (R Va), for example, has been in Congress for an eternity and he is just a tremendous public servant. People like Wolf and Waxman are not the problem, IMHO.

Waxman has done a lot of good for the country. But no matter how effective the person, a 40 year tenure is way too long for anyone to be a member of Congress. The desire that we as a culture have on brand familiarity is one of our most harmful attributes. Term limits should be no more than 3 terms for any member of the US or State Congress.

While I want my coffee supplying company to be somewhat consistent, even they change offerings from time to time. I want the state and fed .gov to better respect the Will Of The People and having a person as an effective ritual to a static ideology destroys reasonable and timely progress for the country.

Sorry. :(:P:D

It's not high on my priority list either but it's there.

Family and business keep my mind occupied enough.

I've likened it to the snout of a sow over the years.:(

Too long at the trough...??;)

I agree. I've always had 2 terms in my head but 3 is probably a more reasonable amount of time.

Old Guard

Another Duke Cunningham for instance? Can't say.. Don't know enough about the man to judge from afar. At least Waxman is going home, not to jail.;)

Some talking head on NPR referred to Waxman's performances as the origin of televised committee histrionics.