Honeymoon’s Over
When even the New York Times, that reliable cheerleader for the Democrats, calls out the party for failing to live up to campaign promises, you know the honeymoon is over. And they haven't even officially taken control.
Weeks before they take majority control of the Capitol, the Democrats are reported to be wriggling out of one of their most important campaign vows: to repair Congressional oversight of the nation’s intelligence agencies. Congress was found to be nothing less than “dysfunctional” on this duty by the Sept. 11 commission, which wisely recommended a full-scale revamping of the committee structure.
This necessarily means a wrenching change in the budget powers over intelligence exercised by the bulls of the defense appropriations process — a monopoly that reduces the intelligence committees to secondary lap dogs. When the Republican-controlled Congress showed no appetite for a turf fight, Democrats eagerly made a campaign vow to promptly enact all of the panel’s recommendations.
Now that they can taste power again, however, the victors seem to be having second thoughts. Instead of attempting wholesale committee reform in the first weeks of Congress, Democratic leaders may punt the idea toward oblivion in some sort of a study panel, according to The Washington Post. Nothing could be more disappointing to voters.
So, for those keeping score, that is two down already. Earlier I linked to a WSJ article on business as usual with lobbyists. Now this backing away from another campaign promise. Meet the new boss.
By TC@LeatherPenguin, Thursday, 7 December , 2006 @ 1:20 pm
meet the new boss