Rep. Joe Barton of Texas went to the floor this morning to decry the patently absurd move by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D., Beverly Hills) to haul industry execs before his committee to explain how they dared to comply with their legal obligation to publicly profess the wallop they will take as a result of the health-care takeover.
In so doing, Congressman Barton also made the first reference I have heard to a similar, more recent initiative by Waxman: to intimidate in the same fashion the American Farm Bureau over its opposition to cap-and-trade legislation and EPA’s backdoor “endangerment” scheme. (I’m proud to note that AFB delegates voted unanimously at this year’s annual meeting in Seattle to oppose these moves, coincidentally after yours truly had been graciously allowed to express his opinion to the membership on the matter.)
Waxman has now canceled his stunt over the health-care opposition. The Farm Bureau apparently remains in his sights. Talk about timing, but as noted below, I have told you so about these people, in great (and often amusing — or disturbing) detail. Read all about it.