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| Dems to continue oversight effort |
| 2004-12-14 |
| U.S. Senate Democrats Monday signaled they would continue to try and unofficially oversee the Bush administration. Sen. Byron L. Dorgan, D-N.D., and Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced several oversight hearings on a range of subjects next hear. The minority party in Congress argued the Republican leadership has skirted its responsibility for administration oversight as defined in the Constitution. But the hearings -- eight this year on subjects ranging from the deficit to U.S. contracting in Iraq -- have had little impact beyond political show because they are highly partisan affairs with no subpoena power. Inadvertently, I think the democrats may have stumbled on to something, here. There should be permanent "committees of the opposition" holding frequent hearings to complain about what the majority do. Since the Congress and the President are separate, there should be one opposition committee for each. This continual barrage of *why* what is being done is "wrong" would force both the President and the majority party in Congress to detail why their decisions are "right". An annoying and noisy critic is often a good thing to help you improve yourself. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #9 Hell, I'm looking for evidence that the Democrats aren't on the other side. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-12-14 2:07:07 PM |
| #8 Anonymoose - good points... but why do I have this nagging feeling that the Dhimmidonks aren't just anti-war or seeking to constrain unbridled rampant Pub Gov't abuse -- but, instead, are on the other side? And I mean The Other Side? Capisce? It might have a little to do with the way they were such total socialist moonbat looneytoon toolfool wanking whores during the last election season... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-14 11:22:16 AM |
| #7 Frank G: Granted, they can't cross-examine, but they can examine. They can bring an endless stream of "experts" of all kinds to slam what the President and Congress are doing. Now, here's the important point: the US Constitution is *not* designed to promulgate laws, it is designed to prevent laws from being passed. When the system is short-circuited to avoid this process, we get bad laws. So any additional stumbling blocks that can be erected to new laws being considered will most likely be a good thing. It would also help cut down on abuse of office, generating tons of fodder for angry bloggers to reveal to the public. Imagine if there had been a CSPAN-3, filled with intense and pointed republican attack, back in the Clinton administration? It would have been something like a 24/7 Rush Limbaugh show. Who knows what it might have prevented? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2004-12-14 11:15:48 AM |
| #6 This continual barrage of *why* what is being done is "wrong" would force both the President and the majority party in Congress to detail why their decisions are "right". An annoying and noisy critic is often a good thing to help you improve yourself. Only if there's an impartial channel for the responses to get out. The modern press is much, much more likely to cover the "opposition" in agonizing detail with unquestioning fawning and ignore the response -- at least when there's a Republican in the White House. Once there's a Democrat in office, they'll ignore/twist any opposition to him. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-12-14 11:03:15 AM |
| #5 night basketball lol! |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-14 11:01:25 AM |
| #4 It's kinda like night basketball for PEST sufferers, it keeps 'em off the streets. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-14 10:58:49 AM |
| #3 IIUC - the minority has no power to set up real oversight committees. They can have kangaroo courts with no power of subpoena or real authority, if it makes them feel good. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-14 10:51:46 AM |
| #2 I agree with you, anonymoose....but "Crying Wolf" also comes to mind. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-14 10:45:43 AM |
| #1 This is a hold over from the Daschele buiness plan and it served him very well! This is just what the public was looking for when they turned the Senate over to Republican control. If I were a Red State Senator with a 'D' after my name I would be leary about attacking the current administration. I bet this is nothing other than Dems creating a 'I want to run for President' club and placing a label on it. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2004-12-14 10:42:38 AM |