Henry Waxman -- Leading the Fight for Whom?

"He [Waxman] fights for us and the things that are important. And he wins - which is important" -- Henry Duclos , Hermosa Beach Council Member

What has Henry Waxman fought for?

1. We no longer smell cigarette smoke on an airplane. How that constitutes anything heroic is just beyond me. Consumer activism through supply and demand has coerced many companies to change policies noxious to inidividual consumers.

2. The Congressman claims that he passed the first bill to "stabilize" the climate. Henry Waxman's comrade of climate change US Senate Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) has submitted that God cannot change climate change. What gives Waxman the impression that he or any legislation passed by Congress can do it, then?

3. He expanded the number of working poor eligibile for Medicaid 24 times. One Hallmark of Democratic Party leaders has been to help poor people. When will they institute policy which will help poor people no longer be poor? People do not want to be poor, and handouts only keep people from getting their own hands out.

4. Nutrition Labeling on foods. So, I know what's in my food. How is that a fight, and how is that a win, when the men and women who have fought and won for us in other countries do not have a decent place to sleep or recovery from their war wounds?

5. One of Waxman's "greatest deeds" -- Going after Big Tobacco. With all due respect, the Seven CEO's were sitting ducks for no one. Corporate liability immunizes CEOs, so that they can say just about anything, yet the stock-holders get hammers, and "The CEOs come out on top [1:43-1: 45]". His preening for the camera had nothing to do with both my mother and father quitting smoking, by the way.

6. Henry Waxman takes the credit for preventing cigarette marketing to minors. I applaud the parents, not paternalistic Big Government, for keeping our kids healthy. They are the ones who quit smoking and encourage their own children not to smoke. They are the only advertisement that our children need.

7. He "defended" sick kids in need of health insurance. How then does Congressman Waxman justify higher premiums, lower acces, higher taxes, and fewer doctors all because of his signature legislation, Obama-WaxmanCare?

8. Moved clean energy legislation that creates thousands of jobs.

This assertion is the most ludicrous and laughable. If Waxman was so proud of such a record, how come he declared (weakly) in open committee: "I'm sorry Solyndra happened." Not just one, but nineteen green tech companies have gone bankrupt with taxpayer dollars. Waxman's only retort: "Are you going to call the Koch Brothers?"

9. He pressed forward an abortive Cap and Trade bill in 2009, which had no chance of passage in the Democratically-controlled Senate. The policy has done nothing but aggravate pollution in Europe, while benefitting a few stock inside traders while pushing up fuel prices. How is this fighting for anyone?

"For Henry Waxman's record, look for the things you don't see. Henry Waxman: Leading the Fight".

Indeed.