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Home Front: Politix
Democrats seek 'truth commission' probe of Bush
2009-03-05
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Democrats on Wednesday suggested Republicans should join their call for a nonpartisan "truth commission" to probe whether the Bush administration abused its power, or face partisan congressional investigations.

The GOP response: Forget it.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, was supported in his commission proposal by a former career diplomat and a retired admiral. But he told a hearing he convened that if Republicans "remain absent or resistant, this opportunity can be lost."
As it should be. This is more than a partisan witch-hunt; it's an attempt to attack government officials for policy decisions. It's what you do when you think you're safe from retaliation. Leahy wants to criminalize policy decisions and keep the Pubs on the defensive.
Leahy said the alternative was "accountability through more traditional means" -- defined by Leahy's aides as congressional hearings controlled by Democrats.
Which he'll do anyway. Let him try and have the Pubs mount a full-throated defense.
Both moderate and conservative Republicans made clear to Leahy, D-Vt., that they'll take their chances with the alternatives to a truth commission. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., ranking GOP member on the committee, said he opposes a truth commission because Democrats "can walk in the front door" of the Justice Department and "ask directions to the relevant filing cabinet."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, part of his party's conservative wing, added: "The idea that this so-called truth commission would somehow resolve the good-faith disagreements ... is just asking us to believe in the tooth fairy." He said he's willing to have Congress do the job itself.
A 'truth commission' would be owned and operated by the progressive Left. They'd install a few Pub fools and has-beens onto the commission as window-dressing but those Pubs would always get rolled. The commission would hire a whole bunch of young progressive lawyers and staffers, thus providing both a payroll and a way to start grooming the next generation of hacks and thugs.

This is all about beating down any conservative or Pub who might want to serve in a Republican administration in the future, and it has as to do with 'truth' as 'Pravda'.
Posted by:Steve White

#16  Plus, this type of Stalinist show trial will piss-off so many people that the Dems would be guaranteeing the loss of the House in 2010, and possibly the loss of the Senate in 2012.
Posted by: Shieldwolf   2009-03-05 19:50  

#15  My prediction for the Dems AFTER Hussein's first and ONLY term : no major candidates for President that have not been in the military, have not been Governor of a major state, or are not Caucasian. Plus, I think that the Repubs will have another 12 year lock on the Presidency just like they did after Carter.
Posted by: Shieldwolf   2009-03-05 19:48  

#14  My assessment.... after this fellow is finished, it may be a long dry spell for Kenyan presidential candidates here in the US.
Posted by: Besoeker    2009-03-05 18:20  

#13  The economy's in free-fall and these geniuses are prepping for a good old-fashioned Stalinist show trial.

Sheesh!
Posted by: WTF   2009-03-05 18:17  

#12  I dunno, Pat. "Truth conmmision" sounds too Cultural Revolutiony. But I'll bet you'd look good in your little Mao suit and the foopy hat with the red star on it screeching at enemies of the people.
Then again, you could go home this weekend and get bit by a rabid cow. Which would be nice...
Posted by: tu3031   2009-03-05 13:57  

#11  #9 This will bite them on the ass eventually.


Not even eventually. With the economy in freefall and foreign affairs in shambles the voters will be even harsher than they were with the Clinton impeachment.

This would a particularly bad move for a government that's already getting to be known for attacking its critics.
Posted by: DoDo   2009-03-05 13:57  

#10  They really, really hate Bush, don't they? It's pathological. They're seriously unhinged.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2009-03-05 12:49  

#9  This will bite them on the ass eventually.

Just like the Office of the Independent Council and HUAC (originally a creation of the leftists, such as Samuel Dickstein)
Posted by: charger   2009-03-05 12:05  

#8  I think this commission should probe Barney Frank. On second thought, maybe not. I'm thinking that Barney may like the probe.
Posted by: Art   2009-03-05 09:50  

#7  It's "Dorogoi", Silk.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-03-05 08:14  

#6  Call it a coincidence if you will, but the model for Senator Leahy's proposal appears to have as it's foundation the South African Truth and Reconciliation Act (TRC) of 1995. The TRC exercised it's mandate through three committees: the Amnesty Committee, Reparation and Rehabilitation (R&R) Committee and Human Rights Violations (HRV) Committee.

"... a commission is a necessary exercise to enable South Africans to come to terms with their past on a morally accepted basis and to advance the cause of reconciliation."
Mr Dullah Omar, former Minister of Justice

South African Minister of Justice the late Abdullah Mohammed "Dullah" Omar attended Kipling Street Muslim primary school, University of Cape Town and later became a legal representative to the African National Congress (ANC). You are certainly free to draw your own parallels and conclusions.
Posted by: Besoeker    2009-03-05 07:32  

#5  I'm all for it, as long as they open each session with a rousing rendition of "The Internationale", and address Chairman Leahy as "Dorogai Senator".

(If you're gonna have a show trial, it's best to follow tradition IMAO.)
Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie   2009-03-05 06:39  

#4  what bothers me is how well it worked out for the rest of the country during that time period.
Posted by: Gluting Fillmore6653   2009-03-05 06:00  

#3  The Democrats feel perfectly safe when they seceded from the Union and formed the Confederacy as well. Remember how well that worked out for them?
Posted by: Shieldwolf   2009-03-05 02:59  

#2  It's interesting that they feel perfectly safe in creating a precedent.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-03-05 02:01  

#1  I think its a terrific idea. A "truth" commission addressing liberal concerns on the WoT may not get much attention, but can you imagine a "truth" commission about the mortgage problems,including Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae?

Political and comedy Gold for the republican!!
Posted by: badanov   2009-03-05 00:38  

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