White House Puts Limits on Queries From Democrats! -WashPost

[better2know]

-Must read-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9708-2003Nov6.html?referrer=emailarticle

The Bush White House, irritated by pesky questions from congressional Democrats about how the administration is using taxpayer money, has developed an efficient solution: It will not entertain any more questions from opposition lawmakers.

The decision -- one that Democrats and scholars said is highly unusual -- was announced in an e-mail sent Wednesday to the staff of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. House committee Democrats had just asked for information about how much the White House spent making and installing the "Mission Accomplished" banner for President Bush's May 1 speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The director of the White House Office of Administration, Timothy A. Campen, sent an e-mail titled "congressional questions" to majority and minority staff on the House and Senate Appropriations panels. Expressing "the need to add a bit of structure to the Q&A process," he wrote: "Given the increase in the number and types of requests we are beginning to receive from the House and Senate, and in deference to the various committee chairmen and our desire to better coordinate these requests, I am asking that all requests for information and materials be coordinated through the committee chairmen and be put in writing from the committee."

Campen's e-mail wording suggests the policy may extend to other inquiries about the functioning of the Executive Office of the President, but the immediate targets were the spending committees. For years, those panels had a strong bipartisan tradition in which the majority party generally joined the minority in tough oversight of the administration.

UN-BE-LEEVABLE!

-All committee chairmen happen to be republican, putting additional tremendous pressure on them and the committees to toe the WH line.

-The spending committees are the only ones with any power left, the power of the purse string. So if this sticks, that's the whole ball game for opposition to question the WH.

-If they're not guilty...they should have nothing to worry about.

[alexwcovington]

1. Holy Crap!!!

Let's hear it for the fascists, winning their latest battle without a shot.

[Don_G]

2. Another Debate Issue

The great uniter refuses to listen to the people and wields a club instead of a helping hand.

[BrotherBuzz]

3. "A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier...

...there's no question about it, " - Bush
-- Business Week, July 30, 2001

Did Christmas come early for the Shrub?

[Catholic Sensation]

4. if anyone is surprised by this

just wait till elections are declared unconstitutional.

[mhr]

5. Why Should Anyone Wonder Why Republicans Are HATED!

eom

[better2know]

6. must kick

please read this and pass it on