If there was ever a policy wonk, Congressman Henry Waxman is it. And a nerdy-looking one at that. But when it comes to getting laws passed through the maze that is Congress, he’s your guy. After 33 years he’s one of the most powerful politicos in Congress.
It talked with him for about 90 minutes in his L.A. office. This guy is so popular in his Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica district that he’s been re-elected for 16 consecutive terms. Not bad for a Jewish kid from south L.A.
I loved it when he gave hell to corporate CEO’s who were bringing down obscene bonuses while thousands of Americans were losing their savings or their jobs. That was when he was head the oversight committee. Now he’s running the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. He ousted a long-time Detroit Congressman to get there. So expect energy policy to take a decidedly California pov.
We only used a small part of the Waxman interview in our broadcast. So here are some outtakes for you to check out. He talks about politicians’ reputation, what his folks taught him, and how our society is going to have to change to get us through hard times.
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