When I look at today’s congress, I think of the scarecrow, the tinman, and the lion in The Wizard of OZ: No heart, no brain, and no courage.
This bunch has cravenly caved in to The BushCheney Regime’s power grab to impose an imperial presidency on the U.S. For example, when it was revealed last December that Bush was not merely a lawbreaker, but had repeatedly flaunted the law for four years by issuing secret and illegal orders to spy on the American people – what did congress do? At first, there was much huffing and puffing, indignantly demanding a deep investigation into the criminality of the secret snooping.
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But then, Pat Roberts, the pathetically weak-kneed chairman of the senate select committee on intelligence, abruptly canceled plans for a senate investigation and ran to the White House waving a surrender hankie. He came out beaming, comically claiming that he’d negotiated a deal with Dick “Buckshot” Cheney. Roberts said that, in exchange for the senate giving up its crucial investigative function, Cheney graciously agreed to give the senate an oversight role in Bush’s illegal spy program.
Wow! Way to go, Pat! But wait – specifically, what did he get? Well… uh… um… a new subcommittee. This seven-member panel is to get occasional reports from the White House on the secret snooping. Hello… Pat. Your full committee is already supposed to be getting such reports – and using the information to stop any illegal executive actions.
Here’s a president who has flagrantly committed a serious felony, punishable by a five year prison term. Yet, rather than hold Bush accountable, the senate agrees to set up a superfluous subcommittee to watch him continue breaking the law.
This is Jim Hightower saying… Luckily, there is one senator with a heart, brains, and courage. Russ Feingold has introduced a resolution to censure Bush for breaking the law. To learn more, call Feingold’s office: (202) 224-5323.
Sources:
“The Death of the Intelligence Panel,” The New York Times, March 9, 2006.
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