Waxman -- A Consistent Record of Incompetence

Despite the nearly 2-to-1 Democratic advantage in the newly-drawn 33rd Congressional District, 28% of the voting public in this district has declined to state any party preference. With the other 28% of registered Republicans, Independent candidate Bill Bloomfield commands a sporting change of taking the district, as he should. Waxman’s 38 years in Congress have dulled his sense of accountability to the voters whom he is called to represent.

I also do not believe that every Democrat will automatically cast a vote for Henry Waxman, whose politics of confrontation and controversy have caused more harm than good.

Originally, I was not very interested in the race. As far as I was concerned, I would just as well resign myself to a Democratic candidate who will likely win the election.

Before the Primary, Easy Reader News reported on the then upcoming Congressional Election. I was offended by his arrogant attitude, reported in the Easy Reader:

Waxman admitted he hasn’t campaigned much yet in the South Bay – the seasoned politician is certain he’ll finish first in June – and is still acquainting himself with issues pertaining to this new group of constituents. “I’m still trying to figure out what needs to be done and where I can help,” Waxman, 72, said over the phone on Monday. (Henry Waxman -- Easy Reader News)

The June 6^th Primary set aside for me the status quo cynicism which discourages many open-minded yet independent voters. Henry Waxman only took in 45% of the vote, indicating that Henry Waxman was in big trouble. Waxman has lost half his constituency with the redistricting effort that took place following the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, indicating that the new district contains a new registration one half of which is completely new to him.

Then in a recent letter to The Beach Reporter, a resident of the Beach Cities informed readers that Congressman Waxman demonstrated an inexcusable incompetence regarding the basic steroid laws in this country. (Beach Reporter on Waxman)

I have shared before about Henry Waxman’s ineffective public service documented in  “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” (Waxman Clueless in "Bigger, Faster, Stronger"). Not only did he have no basic knowledge of the basic steroid laws in this country, he could not account for the $15 million dollars which was allocated by the Bush Administration for steroid education. And this man was conducting Oversight Committee hearings on steroid abuse in Major League Baseball during that time!

A quick check on YouTube exposes some other disturbing lapses in judgment by Congressman Waxman.

Consider this clip, showcase the-Chairman Waxman overseeing the mark-up of his Cap-and-Trade legislation (Waxman on Waxman-Markey) The chief architect of the job-killing, over-regulating Cap and Trade legislation admitted in open committee that he had no idea what was in his own bill! Ranking member Joe Barton pressed Waxman notwithstanding his professed lack of knowledge about his own bill. Waxman’s blatant ignorance cannot be ignored.

Yet that’s not all. During the final floor vote for Waxman-Markey, the LA Congressman attempted to cram a 300-page amendment into the bill at the last minute (Waxman’s 300 page Amendment). Waxman was offended that then-Minority Leader John Beohner demanded that Congress take more than a mere five hours on the expansive Cap and Trade Bill and the last-minute 300 page amendment.

“Don’t you think that the American people expect us to read to what is in this bill?” – John Boehner demanded to every member of the chamber. Eventually, the bill passed on the slimmest of margins, 219-212.

Waxman despised the perceived this lack of parliamentary order, yet a year earlier, he nearly threw another member out of Committee because he demanded that all members, including the Chairman, pursue regular order. (Whack-y Waxman in Committee)

Congressman Waxman’s more recent remarks on the national debt are more startling. Currently, as a ranking member of the House Energy Committee, Waxman declared "We're Not Broke". This nation is facing a $16 trillion dollar national debt, and  Waxman’s answer is “We’re not broke!” ---- ?

Yet the most disturbing lack of awareness, lack of judgment, or brazen unpreparedness on the part of Henry Waxman took place in a budget committee hearing in 2012: (Waxman Unaware of Auto Bankruptcies) Chrysler and GM both went bankrupt despite the massive bailouts secured by the Obama Administration, yet apparently Mr. Waxman was unaware of both, a remarkable lack of awareness considering that GM was the second largest bankruptcy in US History. What’s worse, while Chrysler went bankrupt, receiving no bailout from the Obama Administration, union-backed General Motors received a substantial bailout, in which secured bond-holders – members of the Indiana State Teachers Retirement Fund and the Indiana State Police Pension Fund --  did not receive bankruptcy protection, as the money in those funds was transferred to help out GM. 

Whether discussing the basic elements of his Oversight committee hearings, the details of his own legislation, or his lack of preparation or decorum on key matters which affect the American people, Congressman Henry Waxman has more than made the case for his record of consistent incompetence.

The Santa Monica Bay deserves better. Vote for Bill Bloomfield for the 33^rd!