Levin is acting chair of Ways and Means panel

? Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan took over as chairman of the powerful tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee Thursday after Democrats decided they wanted a consensus builder rather than a firebrand going into the midterm elections.

Levin, a liberal, replaces Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who stepped aside Wednesday while the House ethics committee continues to investigate his fundraising and finances after concluding last week that he violated House rules forbidding lawmakers from taking trips paid by corporate sponsors.

Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark, D-Calif., was next in line for the post and held it a day, until Democrats decided they didn’t want one of their most confrontational members — Stark once accused Republicans of wanting to send troops to Iraq “to get their heads blown off for the amusement of the president” — in such a high-profile job when their party already is under assault from voters.