Senate Melt-Down?

rmthunter · #1 11-02-2005, 09:05 AM

No, just finally starting to do its job.

I think Reid deserves a gold star for this -- it's about time the Democrats stood up on their hind legs.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...110101037.html

Quote:

Republicans condemned the Democrats' maneuver, which marked the first time in more than 25 years that one party had insisted on a closed session without consulting the other party. But within two hours, Republicans appointed a bipartisan panel to report on the progress of a Senate intelligence committee report on prewar intelligence, which Democrats say has been delayed for nearly a year. . . .

Beneath the political pyrotechnics was an issue that has infuriated liberals but flummoxed many of the Democratic lawmakers who voted three years ago to approve the war: allegations that administration officials exaggerated Iraq's weapons capabilities and terrorism ties and then resisted inquiries into the intelligence failures. Friday's indictment of top White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on perjury and obstruction charges gave Democrats a new opening to demand that more light be shed on these issues, including administration efforts to discredit a key critic of the prewar claims of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

AmericaBlog has the text of Reid's statement. I never thought I'd live to see it:

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005...s-and-sen.html

Quote:

What has been the response of this Republican-controlled Congress to the Administration’s manipulation of intelligence that led to this protracted war in Iraq? Basically nothing. Did the Republican-controlled Congress carry out its constitutional obligations to conduct oversight? No. Did it support our troops and their families by providing them the answers to many important questions? No. Did it even attempt to force this Administration to answer the most basic questions about its behavior? No.

Unfortunately the unwillingness of the Republican-controlled Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities is not limited to just Iraq. We see it with respect to the prisoner abuse scandal. We see it with respect to Katrina. And we see it with respect to the cronyism and corruption that permeates this Administration.

Time and time again, this Republican-controlled Congress has consistently chosen to put its political interests ahead of our national security. They have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican Administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why.

poseidon · #2 11-02-2005, 12:00 PM

Like most things, we'll see what actually turns up versus what is more hooey than anything. I have no problems with congressional hearings. It stops Congress from doing other things.

erik_kosberg · #3 11-02-2005, 12:00 PM

It’s nice to see that the Dems seem to be growing a spine. Wow, did Frist have a childish hissy fit or what?

murasaki · #4 11-02-2005, 12:32 PM

I do have to give Senator Reid credit (for once--he's not my favorite legislator).

Redlass · #5 11-02-2005, 12:40 PM

I was a little surprised at Frist's outburst--it didn't seem like something he would have wanted to say if he'd stopped to think about it for a few minutes longer.

I guess I didn't understand why he was angry about the closing of the doors. You'd think on this issue, he might be gald that it was taken behind closed doors rather than being argued through the media (though, mind, it's not something I think should happen often--there is that whole right-to-know thing going on).

And yes, it is nice to see the Democrats do something productive on this issue.

poseidon · #6 11-02-2005, 12:44 PM

I don't think it is the closing of the doors that bothers Frist. I think it is doing it without notifying the opposing party. Apparently, it goes against tradition (which is supposed to be a big deal to Senators).

realtraveller · #7 11-02-2005, 01:46 PM

I don't get it. There already was a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation of pre-war intelligence.

http://intelligence.senate.gov/conclusions.pdf

Just one of the conclusions:

"The Committee did not find any evidence that Administration officials attempted to coerce, influence or pressure analysts to change their judgments related to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities"

rmthunter · #8 11-02-2005, 02:33 PM

Oh, you mean the Republican whitewash that the Democratic members of the committee refused to sign off on?

I think that's what Reid was getting at.

poseidon · #9 11-02-2005, 02:33 PM

Quote:

realtraveller said

"The Committee did not find any evidence that Administration officials attempted to coerce, influence or pressure analysts to change their judgments related to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities"

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

rmthunter · #10 11-02-2005, 02:36 PM

Quote:

poseidon said

I don't think it is the closing of the doors that bothers Frist. I think it is doing it without notifying the opposing party. Apparently, it goes against tradition (which is supposed to be a big deal to Senators).

Frist is just bent out of shape because all of a sudden, he's had his face shoved in the fact that he's not the only one who can play with the rules. Let's see how willing he is to invoke the nuclear option now.

I think the Democrats should really start holding people's feet to the fire on this -- the whole big question, including the torture memos, our own use of Soviet detention camps (that's the latest tidbit to break), and legitimate limits on the executive.

erik_kosberg · #11 11-02-2005, 05:53 PM

Let's not lose track of the fact that this happened solely because Republicans have reneged on the promised Phase 2 of the investigation. If at first you don't stonewall, try, try again.

erik_kosberg · #12 05-16-2006, 10:32 PM

"It'd be hilarious if it weren't so ridiculous."

rmthunter · #13 05-17-2006, 08:51 AM

Five years ago I wouldn't have believed that anyone could consider Frist presidential material.

wivabef · #14 05-17-2006, 10:34 AM

I'm glad the carpetbagger linked to the Hill article...I had forgotten all about the Gang of 14. It's more than a little sad that Larry Craig can't get his own cahunas swelled up enough to vote against Frist (should Frist attempt the maneuver) and instead is relying on "the (Gang) of 14 to work things out."

poseidon · #15 05-17-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

rmthunter said

Five years ago I wouldn't have believed that anyone could consider Frist presidential material.

This Republican doesn't, FWIW.

**drmomentum**[$] · #16 05-17-2006, 12:39 PM

Spineless, hypocrytical chickens#!&s.

erik_kosberg · #17 07-31-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

erik_kosberg said

Let's not lose track of the fact that this happened solely because Republicans have reneged on the promised Phase 2 of the investigation. If at first you don't stonewall, try, try again.

Truly, they have no shame.

**drmomentum**[$] · #18 07-31-2006, 03:47 PM

I've said to peop[le in the past that there's not much the Democrats could do because of the lock that the Republicans have on so much of the government. But I look at this today and I don't think the Democrats can say "we did what we could at least."

Regardless of the Republicans, I don't think the Democrats are acting as the opposition party that this country needs. Get on the stick, Democrats!

erik_kosberg · #19 12-12-2006, 05:26 PM

Quote:

erik_kosberg said

Let's not lose track of the fact that this happened solely because Republicans have reneged on the promised Phase 2 of the investigation. If at first you don't stonewall, try, try again.

It's been a long time coming, but one side effect of the November election is that Phase 2 will finally be released.