(no subject)
May. 25th, 2006 12:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
novapsycheThat Hastert somehow has his fingers in Abramoff pie and that's why he's upset about the FBI raid into a congressional office, that's a smokescreen. This is demonstrated by the fact that both Pelosi and Hastert came out against the act, and the Justice Department immediately coming out with a denial that Hastert was under any investigation.
If the White House is worried about propriety and Jack Abramoff and wishes to point fingers, then it first needs to release all of the information it has about Mr. Abramoff's visits to the White House.
No, this is about the changed role of the Attorney General, that being the policeman in the President's pocket. The Attorney General should be an office which investigates serious matters of lawbreaking, and we already have a President who has admitted to breaking the FISA law. Repeatedly. And he indicated he would continue to do so in the future.
This is a power play, pure and simple. He's already used the houses of Congress to enact all of the executive's wishes when their power mattered. Now he is in political trouble, and not just from Democrats. Not just from liberals. Not just from moderates. Not just from independents. Now he is facing fire from those within conservative circles, and now that they are distancing themselves from him, he is using what power he has.
In the last week, the "culture of corruption" story changed when the House suddenly announced that they were investigating two members, Ney and Jefferson. Bob Ney was already linked to Abramoff, so he would be safe to throw overboard. Elevating William Jefferson, a Democrat, would change the frame of the corruption narrative to being equally a Republican and Democrat affair (the realities of K Street be damned). Then, wow, we hear about him stashing money in a freezer. He's obviously not just corrupt, but dumb. Those Democrats, they can't be trusted. Who knows what party you can trust with your vote.
Pelosi is right to ask the Congressman to step down from his role. The rules of law and the rules of politics do not operate the same. Bush rewards his cronies when they break the rules--engage in corruption--which would be viewed by the average person as unethical. They get promotions and medals and praise. The minority party, in order to maintain some vestige of a two-party system (which, at this point, might be the only thing that saves the Republic), has to position itself as the ethical opposite of this "compassionate conservativism." It must shun those who are tainted. And Jefferson has taint.
That she made this gesture after the FBI search isn't particularly significant, as the cluster of events happened, politically speaking, incredibly fast. The Democratic leadership had barely time to organize its position. Had the FBI waited a week after the freezer story broke, I wonder if the whole chain of events would have transpired the way it did--that Pelosi would ask for Jefferson to give up his seat on the Ways and Means committee, and Jefferson then saying that he must be a target of discrimination. (I want to know what kind of discrimination. Certainly not racial discrimination. That's insane.)
Both she and Hastert know that Jefferson, a name rather obscure in the public vernacular before last week, is being used as a tool. Jefferson, for his part, is only looking out for himself. But someone has to look out for the Constitution.
If this doesn't go to the Supreme Court, we are in serious trouble. The other two branches of government must make this check. Otherwise, the President--the Unitary Executive--will be able to send his watchdogs to investigate anywhere and everywhere. Except the White House. (Executive privilege.)
If the White House is worried about propriety and Jack Abramoff and wishes to point fingers, then it first needs to release all of the information it has about Mr. Abramoff's visits to the White House.
No, this is about the changed role of the Attorney General, that being the policeman in the President's pocket. The Attorney General should be an office which investigates serious matters of lawbreaking, and we already have a President who has admitted to breaking the FISA law. Repeatedly. And he indicated he would continue to do so in the future.
This is a power play, pure and simple. He's already used the houses of Congress to enact all of the executive's wishes when their power mattered. Now he is in political trouble, and not just from Democrats. Not just from liberals. Not just from moderates. Not just from independents. Now he is facing fire from those within conservative circles, and now that they are distancing themselves from him, he is using what power he has.
In the last week, the "culture of corruption" story changed when the House suddenly announced that they were investigating two members, Ney and Jefferson. Bob Ney was already linked to Abramoff, so he would be safe to throw overboard. Elevating William Jefferson, a Democrat, would change the frame of the corruption narrative to being equally a Republican and Democrat affair (the realities of K Street be damned). Then, wow, we hear about him stashing money in a freezer. He's obviously not just corrupt, but dumb. Those Democrats, they can't be trusted. Who knows what party you can trust with your vote.
Pelosi is right to ask the Congressman to step down from his role. The rules of law and the rules of politics do not operate the same. Bush rewards his cronies when they break the rules--engage in corruption--which would be viewed by the average person as unethical. They get promotions and medals and praise. The minority party, in order to maintain some vestige of a two-party system (which, at this point, might be the only thing that saves the Republic), has to position itself as the ethical opposite of this "compassionate conservativism." It must shun those who are tainted. And Jefferson has taint.
That she made this gesture after the FBI search isn't particularly significant, as the cluster of events happened, politically speaking, incredibly fast. The Democratic leadership had barely time to organize its position. Had the FBI waited a week after the freezer story broke, I wonder if the whole chain of events would have transpired the way it did--that Pelosi would ask for Jefferson to give up his seat on the Ways and Means committee, and Jefferson then saying that he must be a target of discrimination. (I want to know what kind of discrimination. Certainly not racial discrimination. That's insane.)
Both she and Hastert know that Jefferson, a name rather obscure in the public vernacular before last week, is being used as a tool. Jefferson, for his part, is only looking out for himself. But someone has to look out for the Constitution.
If this doesn't go to the Supreme Court, we are in serious trouble. The other two branches of government must make this check. Otherwise, the President--the Unitary Executive--will be able to send his watchdogs to investigate anywhere and everywhere. Except the White House. (Executive privilege.)
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-25 01:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-26 10:52 am (UTC)http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig7/rudmin1.html
It's an article on basic statistical assessment of the NSA phonetappings.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-30 04:28 pm (UTC)this is so dangerous and just... not good.