Remember that big campaign pledge about the 9/11 Commission's recommendations?
TKS
Jim Geraghty Reporting
11/30
I was debating writing something nice about the incoming Congressional Democrats. They seemed to be on a roll — talking serious earmark disclosure; Rahm Emanuel was pounding the table about ethics and gift reform, saying their majority was doomed if they didn't establish themselves as different from their GOP predecessors on that issue; Murtha was rejected for Majority Leader, and now Pelosi had decided not to make Alcee Hastings chair of the House Select Committee on Intelligence. They seemed to have a bit of common sense, a bit of genuine reformer spirit and it looked like they steering clear of obvious and avoidable mistakes.
And then you see this — on page A7 of the Washington Post:
<<< It was a solemn pledge, repeated by Democratic leaders and candidates over and over: If elected to the majority in Congress, Democrats would implement all of the recommendations of the bipartisan commission that examined the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
But with control of Congress now secured, Democratic leaders have decided for now against implementing the one measure that would affect them most directly: a wholesale reorganization of Congress to improve oversight and funding of the nation's intelligence agencies. Instead, Democratic leaders may create a panel to look at the issue and produce recommendations, according to congressional aides and lawmakers.
Because plans for implementing the commission's recommendations are still fluid, Democratic officials would not speak for the record. But aides on the House and Senate appropriations, armed services and intelligence committees confirmed this week that a reorganization of Congress would not be part of the package of homeland-security changes up for passage in the "first 100 hours" of the Democratic Congress. >>>
And we wonder why people are cynical? Our friends on that side of the aisle didn't make that many promises on the campaign trail; the highest profile ones were to clean up Congress, raise the minimum wage, and implement all of the Commission's recommendations. They roasted their opponents for picking and choosing which ones they preferred; they insisted that only instituting all the recommendations demonstrated a serious commitment to protecting the American people.
And now, we learn, that pledge was "crap," as Murtha would likely put it.
tks.nationalreview.com
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