There's no match to the 20th century family fame of the Kennedy brothers on Capitol Hill -- Democratic Sens. John F. and Teddy, of Massachusetts, and Bobby, of New York.
But Michigan's Democratic brothers Levin are now something unique early in the 21st century -- chairing two of the most high-profile committees on the Hill.
Six-term Sen. Carl Levin, 75, is Michigan's longest-serving senator and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, dealing with two wars and assorted other front-burner issues from terrorism to gays in the military.
Fourteen-term 12th District Rep. Sander Levin, of Royal Oak, 78, his party's gubernatorial nominee in 1970 and 1974, last week became chairman of the powerful tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named him to replace scandal-plagued Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., who stepped aside while the House ethics committee continues its investigation of him.
As acting chairman, Levin vows to act in "collegiality" with Republicans "to move our nation forward." The Hill newspaper, based on what it was told by him, wrote Saturday, "Levin is planning to wake the powerful panel out of its slumber."
"We're going to be scheduling more and more hearings," Levin said. Other than a February oversight hearing on President Barack Obama's 2011 budget, the full committee has not gathered since Oct. 1, according to the Ways and Means Web site.
The Office of the House Historian, according to the Detroit Free Press, said there have been four instances of brothers chairing congressional committees at the same time, but none since 1881 -- and never anything as prestigious as the jobs held by the Levins.
History aside, Sander Levin's chairmanship gives Michigan a unique one-two power punch on the committee because the ranking Republican is 4th District Rep. Dave Camp, of Midland, who hailed Levin's appointment. Camp said:
"I want to congratulate Sandy, though I know this is not how he or anyone would want to take over the reins of the committee. Sandy and I have had a long and good working relationship, especially when it comes to the Research and Development Tax Credit, and I expect that to continue.
"Given the state of the economy, our nation needs this Congress and especially the Ways and Means Committee to fire on all cylinders. I and every Republican on the Committee stand ready to work with Chairman Levin and our Democrat counterparts to find the solutions to put our nation back on a path to prosperity."
Striving to "fire on all cylinders" is a good rallying cry not only for the committee but all of Congress and both parties at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington and under the dome at the Capitol in Lansing.
As Gov. Jennifer Granholm recently told the National Journal about the disconnect between what is going on in Washington and out in the states:
"We're in the middle of this massive recession; all these people are out of work. And all they see is all this crazy partisanship happening between Democrats and Republicans."
It's no surprise that Democrat Granholm praised Levin's appointment, calling it "a great day" for the state and a congressman who "has always been a leader in the areas of job creation, economic development, trade policy and health care."
Also cheering Levin's elevation was 1969-82 Gov. Bill Milliken, a Republican twice challenged by then-state Sen. Levin, who narrowly lost by 44,409 votes in 1970 and by 114,618 in 1974.
Milliken, who talked with Levin by phone shortly after his elevation, said Saturday of their battles: "Since those days long ago, I have developed a great respect for Sandy and a warm friendship. We had tough battles but with a degree of civility and without the name-calling that is so prevalent today.
"He now chairs what is clearly the most important committee in the whole House. That's good for Michigan and the country."
Levin appears optimistic about getting the parties to overcome, at least on his pace-setting committee, the "crazy partisanship" that Granholm correctly sees looming on the political landscape.
"I really believe we're going to do it," Levin replied to Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC last week when asked about the prospect of the parties uniting to move the country forward.
"Let me put it this way, my job now is to take the gavel, to hit the table hard, hit the place running, and I'm doing that," he told Mitchell.
A few minutes later, Mitchell had Carl Levin on the program, talking about his issues.
The Levin brothers make interesting split-screen images on any TV screen -- the self-described "rumpled" Carl with his specs well down on his nose and Sandy with his white hair flared out to the sides.
One memory I have of covering Carl Levin's campaigns is of watching the brothers tossing a football on a Metro Detroit street. They share a love of sports.
As Sandy notes, "We're very, very close."
Michigan voters have been electing him every two years since 1982 (he had 72 percent of the vote in 2008), and to his younger brother every six years since 1978 (63 percent in 2008).
Call them the Liberal Brothers Levin. According to the just-released annual vote ratings by the National Journal, Sandy Levin had the most liberal voting record in Michigan's 15-member House delegation last year -- voting "liberal" 77.8 percent of the time on 92 issues, just ahead of Detroit Democrats Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick and John Conyers.
Carl Levin was tied with three other senators with the chamber's 11th most liberal record -- voting liberal 84.3 percent of the time on 99 issues. In earlier years, he was ranked higher on that scale. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, at 78.3, ranked 21st in the Senate.
George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.
Recording Superstar Whitney Houston Dead at 48
Fans 'Speechless' Over Houston's Death
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Absolute Lin-sanity
Hate to be Rude: Bubba Watson
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Test on Comforter in Powell Unit Shows Blood
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Hero Driver Saves Kids From Burning Bus
Funeral to be held for Powell boys
Sandusky on having to stay inside and people turning on him
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Woolly Mammoth Caught on Camera?
Did JLo 'Assault' Marc Anthony on Camera?
Christie Brinkley's Runway Slip
Toddler forced to run half-naked in snow
Halle Wants to Leave the Country
Northern Lights shine above earth
Plane makes perfect belly landing
