Ryan's panel assignment speaks well of work ethic

While the comparisons to the late Congressman Michael Kirwan may be premature -- two terms do not a statesman make -- Congressman Tim Ryan is certainly demonstrating the same political instincts and work ethic that were hallmarks of Kirwan's long tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kirwan, who served in the House from 1937 to 1970 and was hailed as one of the most influential Democratic members of Congress, put the Mahoning Valley on the national political map.
His personal relationship with presidents and other powerbrokers in Washington gave him the ability to ensure that the Mahoning Valley received its fair share of federal largess.
That, after all, is the primary role of a representative of the people.
Ryan of Niles will be starting his third term in January as the 17th District congressman, and while he has a long way to go before he will reach Kirwan's political stature, he seems well on his way.
His appointment to the powerful House Appropriations Committee after just four years on Capitol Hill is a testament to his political acumen. He jumped on Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's bandwagon early on and was soon recognized as one of two young Democratic congressmen willing to do the minority leader's bidding.
With Democrats taking over the House next year, Pelosi will become speaker -- and Ryan's stock will keep rising.
Power of the purse
As a member of the appropriations committee, he will be one of a handful of individuals deciding how 873 billion should be spent. Membership has its rewards. Each member has a pool of money that he or she controls, which puts them in a strong position to bargain with other members.
Thus, while the initial reaction to Ryan's appointment is that the Mahoning Valley will finally be able to secure some significant federal funding for projects such as the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, the Youngstown Business Incubator and a regional health care initiative involving the Valley, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, there's much more he will be able to accomplish with the new assignment.
But while he talks about "millions and millions of dollars" coming to the Valley, Ryan also cautions against high expectations too soon. The reason: The ballooning federal deficit which Republicans have all but ignored while they have controlled the House and Senate.
There is one thing, however, that the 17th congressman says that we should all take to heart -- and act on: "We need to start thinking big."
Such thinking requires the kind of cooperative spirit in the Mahoning Valley that has not always been evident.
Ryan's appointment to the appropriations committee is an opportunity for this region to show that it can rise to the occasion of taking advantage of his political success.
We cannot expect the congressman to do the heavy lifting insofar as coming up with the kinds of projects that would meet his definition of "thinking big."
Another area congressman, Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, D-6th, has also secured an important committee assignment -- for a freshman.
Wilson, a millionaire businessman, will take office in January and will serve on the important House Financial Services Committee. It oversees the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the banking and insurance industries.