Waxman: "I'm not a scary guy, unless somebody has some reason to be frightened of Congress"

[sabra]

http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_5458725,00.html

<snip>

"I think I'm a nice guy," Waxman said, flashing a disarmingly toothy grin. "I'm not a scary guy, unless somebody has some reason to be frightened of Congress looking into what they are up to."

...

However, oversight inevitably leads to confrontation, especially with an administration not known for openness.

"This is the most secretive White House that any of us can possibly remember, much more than even Richard Nixon's administration," Waxman said. "I think they were enabled being even more secretive than they otherwise might have been by Republican leaders in Congress, who thought they were doing the administration a favor by not asking them questions and not requiring them to give up information.

"I think they did them a disservice because when you air these ideas and get some input and criticism that is constructive, you might have avoided some of the terrible problems that this administration has caused in Iraq and other places with their policies."

[demnan]

1. He's not a scary guy but

His office in the Rayburn building has a little dish of pocket-sized Constitutions to give away. And if we all pick one up and demand our government abide by its laws, that could be very dangerous for the current administration.

[xxqqqzme]

3. well, for the neo-con rethugs

that availability to the Constitution is very scary.

[FiveGoodMen]

17. Has anyone heard about the actual, original copy of the Constitution?

I saw a news report in July of 2001 saying that it was being removed from its display space and treated to make it, "easier to read(!)"

I haven't heard if it was ever put back. (And if it was, did anyone check to see if the words had changed?)

[SoFlaJet]

2. I think this administration

scared the republicans in CONGRESS-almost forcing them to toe the party line-under who knows what kinds of threats OTHER than the kind levied against Michigan's Jim Smith over the Medicaid bill...

[Lugnut]

4. I think Henry is right.

I'm glad he's on the job now.

[Cabcere]

5. The more I hear about Henry Waxman...

the more I like him. :) Keep up the good work, sir! :thumbsup:

[Kurovski]

6. An ethical guy with power is the GOP's worst nightmare.

You bet he's scary. K&R.

[phatkatt]

7. Light is scary only to burglars and cockroaches

Go Waxman!

[hootinholler]

13. You forgot vampires n/t

[Kurovski]

19. ...and mold.

[AndyA]

8. Guys like Waxman are a source of comfort to me.

And I'm glad they're on our side.

I also find great satisfaction in knowing that the scoundrels know Waxman is coming after them.

[mile18blister]

9. Be afraid, NeoCons

Be very afraid.

[Pastiche423]

10. Henry has been preparing for this time

for almost six years.

And believe me, he is prepared!

[Robbien]

14. So true. What would really be the crime

is if all the dirt Waxman has been collecting remained unused on the shelf.

It is fun to image his face/mood when he heard we gave control of the Congress over to the Dems last Nov. He must have done a Snoopy dance of joy.

[Laurab]

11. K & R - Henry Waxman is one of the reasons the republics were afraid

of Dems taking back Congress - in fact, one of the biggest reasons. And from what I've seen so far, they were afraid for good reason. Actual oversight and accountability is something they don't think should apply to them.

I love Henry Waxman - it's comforting to me that he is the one in charge of so much of the oversight, because he's been waiting for SO long to be able to do something about this administration, and has been preparing for a LONG time. He's smart, he's tenacious, and seems pretty fearless, which gives me hope for the first time in a long time.

I think the next two years will be interesting, to say the least.

[rman]

12. Like, if you have something to hide from Congressional Oversight,

if you want "no outside interference" in your Covert Operations.

That's when Waxman is a scary guy.

[The Count]

15. Reminds me of Truman: I don't give them hell, I give them the truth and they think

it's hell!"

[CrazyOrangeCat]

16. Indeed.

kick.

[EFerrari]

18. K&R for Mr. Waxman.