The old leftist lions who finally fulfilled themselves under Obama

Paul Nachman writes:

I hadn’t realized the specific roles of some of the Democrats’ old lions in the House, particularly David Obey and Fortney (Pete) Stark. The catalogue comes from the Wall Street Journal:

• David Obey, first elected in 1969, wrote the $814 billion stimulus and directed it toward transfer payments rather than job-producing public works.

• Barney Frank, class of ‘80 and patron of Fannie Mae, wrote the financial reform bill with its 243 new rule-makings and enshrinement of “Too Big to Fail.”

• Henry Waxman, class of ‘74, and Ed Markey, class of ‘76, wrote the Cap-and-Tax bill that passed the House but failed when Democrats revolted in the Senate. That vote is now punishing Democrats across the U.S.

• Pete Stark, class of ‘72, drove Obamacare as far left as it could go in the House, insisting on a new payroll tax. This vote will also end many Democratic careers next week.

• George Miller, class of ‘74, wrote the federal takeover of the student loan industry and is Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s chief enforcer.

• And of course the Speaker herself, first elected in 1987, who famously told Mr. Obama not to compromise on ObamaCare after the Senate election of Scott Brown in January. She would jam the bill through no matter the opposition.
  

Posted by Lawrence Auster at October 31, 2010 05:20 PM | Send