After the midterm elections, I had conversations with a number of left-of-center folks who didn't think much would really happen with the Democrats in control of both houses of Congress. Bush and Cheney had ignored Congress even when it was staffed with Stepford Republicans who'd do their bidding, and these folks didn't expect them to start listening with the Democrats in charge.
My reply to the doubters was always two simple words: "subpoena power." With control of the House and Senate, the Democrats were finally going to be able not just to ask questions and review internal White House policies, but also demand answers. They'd be able to call the administration folks into congressional hearings, place them under oath, and beat the truth out of them.
Pressed as to just which Democrats had the stones to do this, I had two more words: "Henry Waxman." Waxman is a dogged invesitgator and a thorough believer in vigorous oversight. He's busy conducting investigations into the handling of the Iraqi occupation, and just today, he's been busy digging into the books and then raking Paul Bremer over the coals. And this is just the beginning.
Sic 'em, Henry.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
I hope he keeps it up.
Oh, he will. The Times has a great piece on him here.
Most definitely.
Another thing: if Bush gets a little too veto-happy, I say the Congress ought to file articles of impeachment against the current AG. There's enough to make it stick, and it would be a great warning shot to fire across The Good Ship Republitard.
Waxman is da man. He would make a great AG himself.
Two more words (as a proud Michigander): John Conyers.
My personal choice for a primo AG was recently sworn in as governor of New York: Elliot Spitzer. If he does well in his current job, keep an eye out for him to go on to bigger things. He's sharp as a tack, from what I've seen.
Just so happens I'm watching Bremmer and fellow galloping incompetents on C-SPAN right now.
I used to think old Joe Stalin's disposition of cases like theirs was barbaric. Any more, not so much.
Conyers and Waxman are needed in the House, but Spitzer is definitely posed for bigger and better things. Might be the Senate, but AG in a Dem admin would be terrific.
Waxman and Conyers, one of the few people with the stones to step up to the bar and go shot for shot with the drunken bartender (Dubya)
Yep, there was a great clip on NPR this morning with Waxman telling some Bush flunky who tried to say, "let me tell you our principles," that all he wanted to do was talk numbers. After all, we all know what "principles" mean to the Bush crowd. It's like that exchange in Paper Moon when Ryan O'Neal says, "I've got scruples, do you know waht those are?" and Tatum replies, "I don't know, but if you have them, I bet they once belonged to somebody else."
Waxman telling some Bush flunky who tried to say, "let me tell you our principles," that all he wanted to do was talk numbers.
That brought a smile to my face.
Post a Comment