OC/DC: Lantos to Retire, Berman May Ascend on IR; Will Profiles Rangel
Posted by: Jeff Solsby | 01/03/2008 6:20 AM
San Mateo County Rep. Tom Lantos is reported to be retiring, due to medical treatments, at the end of his current term. Lantos is well known as one of the House's only Holocaust survivors, and as a member well-liked on both sides of the aisle. California will keep its prominence on the influential International Relations Committee if Los Angeles-area Rep. Howard Berman, also a member well-liked on both sides, rises to the chairman's spot. Coverage is here in The Washington Post. The IR committee is chock-a-block full of Golden State members including Republicans: Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura), Dana Rhorabacher (R-Huntington Beach), Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), Darrell Issa (R-Vista); and Democrats: Brad Sherman (D-Los Angeles), Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), Grace Napolitano (D-Santa Fe Springs--home of the dia de los muertos Rose Parade float), Adam Schiff (D-Law and Order), and Dennis Cardoza, (D-Merced).
Another piece of note in the Post today is George Will's column profiling House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, one of the great characters in congress and a powerful and influential rep in the old school mold. Ways and Means is one of the most powerful House committees crafting tax, entitlement, regulatory, trade and oversight policies touching most Americans. California Republicans on the committee are Chico-area Rep. Wally Herger and Tulare County Rep. Devin Nunes. Democratic members from California include, in order of seniority: Reps. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-Alameda County), Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), and Mike Thompson (D-Napa).
Another piece of note in the Post today is George Will's column profiling House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, one of the great characters in congress and a powerful and influential rep in the old school mold. Ways and Means is one of the most powerful House committees crafting tax, entitlement, regulatory, trade and oversight policies touching most Americans. California Republicans on the committee are Chico-area Rep. Wally Herger and Tulare County Rep. Devin Nunes. Democratic members from California include, in order of seniority: Reps. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-Alameda County), Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), and Mike Thompson (D-Napa).
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Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Jeff, it is good to get a post from your pen. I read the Will column, too; this is just another symptom of the Republican abdication of the mantle of fiscal responsibility. Under our current Republican administration and Congress we have become profligate spenders and have rested on our tax cut laurels earned during the first Bush term.
In the past, the key unifying element of the Republican philosophy was fiscal discipline and downsizing of government. That has been abandoned by the current crop of Reps in D.C. and that will significantly handicap the party in this election year. The 'big tent' of Lee Atwater was held up by the fiscal tent pole; that allowed the others to join in (i.e. the social conservatives and the neocons.) Just what is supposed to unify and motivate the rank and file now? Hate for Hillary is not enough.