Sen Reid: '1st Order Of Business-Reinvigorate Congressional Scrutiny Of Exec Branch'

[kpete]

Don't touch me

After meeting with Mr. Bush at the White House, Senator Harry Reid, the incoming Senate majority leader, said “the first order of business” when Democrats formally take over in January will be to reinvigorate Congressional scrutiny of the executive branch, with a focus on Iraq.

“Let’s find out what’s going on with the war in Iraq, the different large federal agencies that we have,” said Mr. Reid, Democrat of Nevada. “There simply has been no oversight in recent years.”

The willingness of Democrats to begin confronting Mr. Bush and his party over Iraq suggested that the early promises of cooperation across the aisle would be tested quickly by deep differences over policy and political imperatives on both sides.

more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/11/us/politics/11elect.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

[Demit]

1. Yes! Actual oversight. Congress actually performing one of its functions.

Won't that make a welcome change!

[nancyr]

2. What an interesting concept!

[madokie]

4. that probably will be the most important early step for the new leadership

[d---mad2]

19. Reid says "Lets find out whats going on in Iraq."

Very simple Reid---WATERBOARD BUSH; ITS LEGAL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[formercia]

35. We need to oversee Congress

and make sure they do their job.


Fix it or we will find someone who will.

[Black Adder]

37. to quote Rumsfeld

[bigtree]

3. he told reporters that there would be supoenas

Democrats know how to govern

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[gratuitous]

5. Got it in one, Mr. Reid

The American people deserve to know what their money has been spent on in the last four years, and what has been done in our names by this administration. Sadly, your colleagues across the aisle seemed wholly uninterested in those topics, and now they have a minority party status from which to contemplate their failures. It sounds like you're not interested in duplicating that mistake, and that's very, very good.

We don't have to be vindictive, but we do need to be thorough.

[texpatriot2004]

6. music to my ears, restore Congressional Oversight and get our

checks and balances back - Thank you Senator Reid.

[City Lights]

7. Thank you, Senator Reid!

I, once again, have hope for America's future. :bounce:

edited for typo :dunce:

[goforit]

8. Sure Reid!!! And you give Lieberman The #1 Bush supporter Homeland

Security Post?????

[Pastiche423]

24. That's exactly why I don't want Reid as Senate Majority Leader

How are the majority leaders selected/appointed/elected?

[stevedeshazer]

33. We won!

Why the whining?

[jasmeel]

9. Woot!

[sutz12]

10. This is the true 'mandate' of this election cycle.

The people want this. The Democrats should deliver.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Andreas Baader]

11. We talk a good game...

But I'm going to hold on to my cheers until I actually see us hauling rummy, cheney, rice and shrub before committees and make them explain their every mistake.

[sutz12]

12. Hey, it's a start....

and they can't really do anything but talk and plan until Jan. Meanwhile, they have a ton of lame duck legislation that the chimpster is trying to ram through to fight off. The next two months should show us something about how serious they are.

[Karenina]

31. They can start by giving a thumbs down

to Robert Gates :thumbsdown: and John Bolton :thumbsdown: .

[Black Adder]

26. I would not make that my primary objective.

If the facts (through due diligence and oversight) ultimately show that there was prosecutable abuse of power by the Administration, then let chips fall where they may. But it is far more important to show the electorate that the Democratic House and Senate can get stuff done. The Repugs have set expectations that the Democrats don't have any domestic or foreign affairs plans and can't get stuff done and that all they're interested in is getting back at the Bush Administration. I wouldn't play into their hands.
There's lots of moderate and centrist stuff which can be pushed thru which Bush won't veto.
Keep your eye on the prize The House, Senate and Presidency in 2008..

[durtee librul]

28. and if they don't appear

either with a subpoena or writ of arrest, then they get hauled off for contempt to spend the night in jail with 'real' people.

Cheney and his 'above the law' attitude HAS to be stopped.

Personally, I would have liked it if somehow all the shredders in Congress and the WH would have gone on the futz Tuesday night when the results started coming in. Half, if not more, of the evidence we need is now gone. I'd bet on it.

[Rageneau]

13. Oversight is not partisan.

But using the machinery of oversight to gin up phoney investigations into operations at the White House Travel office, or Arlington Cemetery, or 20-year-old failed land deals or FBI raids that were planned under your predecessor -- simply for the purpose of weakening and embarrassing the President -- most definitely ARE partisan.

Republicans follow the Aluminum Rule, not the Golden one. The GOP's Aluminum Rule is "Do Unto Others, But Whine Like Hell When They Seek To Do Likewise Unto You."

[bluerum]

14. Not partisan? What about the last 12 years!?! How do you possibly claim

that republikaner oversight has not been partisan?

Over 400 subpoenas during the Clinton presidency. But none, zero, nothing during six totally fucked up years of the current squatters occupation of the White House.

I know - the gop aluminum rule - should be more like the republikaner rubber rule. Bends where you want it when you want it - can be adapted to any situation.

edit for sp.

[sakabatou]

15. Finally! Oversight!

[survivor999]

16. Redistricting as well...

[mmonk]

17. Oversight can be ignored.

[formercia]

25. Voter oversight of Congress has been ignored

for a very long time. Congress are naught but agents of their constituency. When we allow a few to determine the destiny of the many, without ensuring that the actions of Congress, as delegated to the Executive, are in the best interest of all citizens and residents.The Executive is accountable to Congress and Congress is accountable to the citizens, therefore it is our duty as citizens to ensure that the Congress is held accountable for its oversight of the Executive.

[D23MIURG23]

18. Thats what I was hoping I might hear.

Glad to hear that there are people in high places who want this place to go back to being a republic.

[pink-o]

20. Lame Duck Congress back on Monday

It will be verrrrrry interesting to see the Repubs' reaction. I have a feeling they're gonna be pretty concilitory, seeing as they have to work with Reid and Co for the next 2 years!!:bounce: :bounce:

Already, Lincoln Chaffee (who must be amongst the biggest Bush haters in Congress--being a Repig cost him his job) is saying he's not gonna allow John Bolton's confirmation for Ambassador to the UN, and there's chatter about Filibuster (yeah, we heard it before, but things are different now)if Bush tries to push thru the Warantless Wire tapping.

I hope, hope hope these guys are gonna carry the water this time! All I can say is that they know they have the American people behind them, they no longer need to be so timid about pushing forth a real agenda. No longer can these idiot neo-cons paint them as unpatriotic or clueless. I for one will watch C-Span very carefully to pick out the change in the atmosphere on Monday!

[Arkansas Granny]

21. This is a logical first step. Before you can fix something, you have

to find out what is wrong. This administration has been so secretive and much of our national policy has gone on behind closed doors with Bush and his cronies getting a free pass. This is the first step in making them stand accountable for the mess they've made.

[OzarkDem]

22. IIRC Dems haven't been fully briefed on Iraq

A few years ago, before Bush invaded, he adopted a policy of giving separate security briefings to Dems and GOP in Congress. As I recall, its always been assumed that Dems don't know many details about what has been going on in Iraq or Bush's foreign policy. No wonder Reid is putting this at the top of his list.

I would also anticipate the practice of separate partisan briefings will disappear.

[SouthernBelle82]

23. Good!

And I love that picture of Harry Reid. Ha ha!

[MaineMike]

27. I can already hear the the objections....

....of Dick Cheney, who espouses the idea of a "legitimate power of the presidency".

Give 'em hell, Harry!

[renate]

39. welcome to DU!!

:hi:

[savemefromdumbya]

29. BushandCheney hid behind classified documents (or shredded ones)

I guess that's why bush has been looking to move to Paraguay?

[mvd]

30. Yep - definitely needed

There are some things we can do now, and we can REALLY start repairing the damage when we elect a Democratic President in '08.

[whistle]

32. Here, here!

[comtec]

34. THe "Nuclear option" is so off the table

Honestly if I were in the congress I'd say, go ahead!
In two months it'll be the DEMS in power and there's no WAY the GOP will give them that kind of mallet. It'd only be nuclear for the GOP. The Dems can now filibuster everything that comes across their tables until January. Seriously what is the GOP going to do? They KNOW it's be suicide to give the new majority that kind of control.

They have already bunged themselves with all that legislation that gave the majority party massive kinds of power. AND IF they do NOT set apart commities to investigate this administration with NO LESS than a SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, I will call and write MY Senators Boxer and Feinstein and bitch till doomsday (08)!

I want "Kennith Star" TO abuse bush like was done to Clinton. This administration is beyond forgivable. Remember when they did 5 minutes worth of investigation on newt, he immediately resigned they had so much dirt on him. This administration is OVER as long as congress does it's job. Personally, I like the sound of President Pelosi.

-A loving patriot in Exile
(spell check provided by FireFox 2.0)

[Hatalles]

36. Well, you know what that means...

Let's get those shredders going..

[19jet54]

38. My Senator...

... grew up in a mining town of the wild west, was a boxer, is tough as they come, and is a conservative democrat. In the picture, he is just saying 'Nice doggie' to the two mad dogs. Now we start turning over rocks. Give them hell Harry!

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers

[whistle]

40. First order of business is to get Dick Cheney out

[Lasthorseman]

41. Are we serious

It's been six solid years of absolute crap. Downing street, Katrina, the list is endless.
We are a nation which endorses torture and holding people indefinitely.
I really hate to say this but we are just like the Iraqi's holding up purple fingers.
I'll believe it when I see it.