WOW... Pete Stark to Chair House Ways and Means Committee, Replacing Rangel - FDL

[WillyT]

Pete Stark to Chair House Ways and Means Committee, Replacing Rangel
By: David Dayen - FireDogLake
Wednesday March 3, 2010 10:41 am

<snip>

This is very good news, if true. Republicans frequently gun for Pete Stark because he’s fearless and he doesn’t back down from a fight. I was concerned that House Democrats would shy away from elevating Stark to such a powerful position, but Pelosi did indeed select him to replace Charlie Rangel as the head of the panel. And since John Boehner is objecting to the temporary nature of Rangel stepping down, Stark may get the seat permanently.

Here’s who Pete Stark is:

Two years ago, a source on Capitol Hill who used to work in Representative Pete Stark’s office told me a great anecdote about Representative Stark.

One day, a lobbyist from a large energy company entered the lobby of Representative Stark’s office. When he heard who was in the lobby, Representative Stark yelled from another room “get the f*ck out of here!” When the lobbyist laughed a bit and didn’t leave, Representative Stark came into the lobby and yelled again “no, get the f*ck out of here!” The lobbyist then left.

Stark has chaired the Health Policy Subcommittee at Ways and Means, and he introduced a bill last year that would essentially provide Medicare to everyone. He’s a good ally at Ways and Means.

<snip>

Link: http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/03/03/pete-stark-to-chair-house-ways-and-means-committee-replacing-rangel/

This could get REAL interesting!!!

:wow:

:kick:

[SoCalDem]

1. He's a bold choice.. great news.. n/t

[supernova]

2. Holy smokes!

:wow:

Dare I say it might even be fun?!

:evilgrin:

[librechik]

3. my spider sense is tingling

don't even want to say what I'm thinking...but Medicare for Everyone is a real good idea!

[Dappleganger]

4. Sweet! nt

[Hawkowl]

5. OUTSTANDING

Time to take the fucking gloves off, and put the brass knuckles on!

[Greyskye]

6. Political judo at its finest

:thumbsup:

[progressoid]

7. Yeah, I'm kinda looking forward to this.

:thumbsup:

[TheDebbieDee]

8. Thanks for the info. I knew nothing about him Cong Starks.

[safeinOhio]

9. A thinking man

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Stark

Stark is the first openly atheist member of Congress, as announced by the Secular Coalition for America.<34> Stark acknowledged his atheism in response to an SCA questionnaire sent to public officials in January 2007.
On September 20, 2007, Stark reaffirmed his atheism by making a public announcement in front of the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard, the Harvard Law School Heathen Society, and various other atheist, agnostic, secular, humanist, and nonreligious groups.<35> Honoring his courage, the American Humanist Association named him their 2008 Humanist of the Year.<36>

[Carnage251]

10. Man of the People

:dem:

[Orsino]

11. A fighter? Heading Ways and Means?

Color me astonished.