SANITY PREVAILS – AT 11:04 A.M. ET:  We reported last night that Charlie Rangel's replacement as chairman of the ultra-powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which writes tax legislation, would be Pete Stark of California, a charter, gold-card member of the lunatic fringe. 

However, either Stark got a message from above, or above just shoved him out.  His chairmanship lasted less than 24 hours, as the Washington Times reports:

The fallout from the ethical troubles of Rep. Charles B. Rangel, New York Democrat, continued Thursday as his successor chairman on the Ways and Means Committee stepped down just a day after becoming acting chairman.

Rep. Pete Stark, California Democrat, resigned in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which was read on the chamber floor just after the House convened Thursday morning.

His move clears the way for the committee's No. 3 Democrat, Rep. Sander M. Levin of Michigan, to take over.

Some Democrats said Mr. Stark, among Congress's more liberal members, was too far to the left to run the panel, which is seen as one of the more business-friendly committees in Congress. Mr. Stark also has a history of making contentious comments.

Contentious comments?  The man is out of control.  Powerful medicines are required.  Want proof?  It's here.

The Dems did something sane, for a change.

March 4, 2010