| John Dingell is Washington's latest man-in-the-middle. | | | | expected to do more. They have to make the |
| The tough man is expected to face the beleaguered | | | | automakers part of the solution to the increasing |
| auto industry to remedy the nation's need for tougher | | | | concerns about global warming and foreign oil |
| fuel economy mandates. Dingell is placed in a difficult | | | | dependence. |
| situation where he is expected to exude impartiality | | | | "They have not done the job of cultivating this place |
| notwithstanding the Democrat's affiliation with the auto | | | | like they should have," Dingell said of the automakers' |
| industry in the past five decades. | | | | Washington lobbying, a complaint shared by other |
| "This is going to be the most difficult damned problem | | | | members of Michigan's congressional delegation. "They |
| I've faced since I've been in the Congress," Dingell, the | | | | have not done a good job of analyzing this place or |
| chairman of the influential Energy and Commerce | | | | put the right resources down here." |
| Committee, said in an interview. "I'm trying to bring the | | | | However skilled or incompetent Detroit's Washington |
| Republicans in and now the Democrats are | | | | lobbying may be, spending the better part of the past |
| denouncing me. But that's the way legislating should be | | | | couple of years slashing jobs, closing plants, selling |
| done." | | | | operations and appearing to teeter on the edge of |
| Dingell, also called Big John, is currently the longest | | | | bankruptcy does not help. Nor does closing plants in |
| serving member of the House of Representatives, | | | | states like Georgia, and Virginia and Minnesota win |
| with a tenure longer than the entire lifetimes of 121 of | | | | allies, either. Oklahoma, Maryland and New Jersey are |
| his current colleagues. In 2006 midterm elections, he | | | | part of the dreaded list as well. "Withdrawal from six |
| again became chairman of the ECC, a panel he | | | | states means that 12 U.S. senators and probably twice |
| previously chaired. | | | | that many representatives no longer have reason to |
| Pushing Dingell from the left are environmentalists, a | | | | worry about the companies' competitive situation," |
| Senate majority and some House Democrats. There | | | | noted JP Morgan in a 2006 report. |
| also is Speaker Nancy Pelosi backing California's push | | | | With the Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. |
| to regulate greenhouse gases, and numerous | | | | and Nissan Motor Co. and the Hyundai Motor Co. |
| lawmakers from both parties. On the other side, there | | | | flooding places like Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi and |
| is Detroit's Big Three - the General Motors Corp., the | | | | Texas, Detroit's allies in Washington are becoming |
| Ford Motor Co., and the Chrysler Group - whose | | | | extinct. Meanwhile, most lawmakers are insisting for a |
| leaders have bet that Dingell could single-handedly | | | | drastic change in fuel economy mandates. It may |
| keep the fuel economy chase at bay. | | | | necessitate enhancement of auto equipment such as |
| "There is a lot of hostility - it's just there," Dingell said | | | | the newly released Volvo XC90 parts. |
| now, echoing other members of the Michigan | | | | "The old arguments are less effective," said a ranking |
| delegation. "There are some people trying to get me | | | | lobbyist with one of the Detroit automakers. "We |
| out of this chair because they think I'm too close to the | | | | almost should have a 24-hour school or lease cars |
| industry." What qualifies being 'too close'? Could it be | | | | outside the Capitol. They're very ignorant on what we |
| the circumstances surrounding it? Or the zealous | | | | do." Who is to blame? While the parties are pointing |
| defense of his state's biggest employers? | | | | fingers, critics say that it is better to push efforts to |
| Dingell, the 80-year-old lawmaker, readily tells the top | | | | attain one great 'viable' solution to remedy the |
| executives of GM, Ford and Chrysler how poorly they | | | | industry's dilemma. |
| have made their case on Capitol Hill. At present, he is | | | | |