The full Democratic House caucus met this morning and voted 137-122 for Henry Waxman of California as chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee saying bye-bye to John Dingell of Michigan.

 

Dingell was the faithful servant of energy polluters and auto industry execs who kept producing gas-guzzlers despite all contraindicated information. 

 

This was an important vote for change.

 

Matt Stoller at Open Left writes: "Wow.

Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.) has ousted Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell (Mich.), as Democratic lawmakers voted 137-122 Thursday morning to hand the gavel of the powerhouse panel to its second-ranking member.

The vote marks a stunning rebuke of the seniority system Democrats have honored for decades. It also constitutes a win, of sorts, for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is ideologically aligned with Waxman and has clashed repeatedly with Dingell.

"That's a big deal.  Looks like we could be heading for a progressive Congress.  Cue conservative whining.

"Oh, and go Jim McDermott!

But one of his supporters, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), said Waxman would do just fine in building coalitions if he's elected chairman. "You always try and scare people about progressives," he said. "It's bulls---."