The Carte Blanche Commission
Bowing to significant political pressure to act on the 9/11 Commission Report, Senators McCain and Lieberman introduced a bill Tuesday that would enact all 41 of the Commission's recommendations. McCain was quoted by the New York Times as hoping the "legislation would not be stalled" by election year politicking.
In an election year where terrorism ranks high on the issue list, the 9/11 Commission's report should not be taken lightly. So what's wrong with Congressional rubber stamping of the recommendations in the interest of national security? A lot.
The 9/11 Commissioners have undertaken a task few Americans envy, and have done so honorably. Only six of the ten commissioners have ever been elected by the people; of those six, one of them was defeated in his last election. These are men and women who have worked diligently to make our country safer, but they are not the men and women we put our trust in to make the final call - that duty falls to the 108th Congress.
Congress will likely split hairs here and there about the 41 recommendations - hopefully enough to put their own stamp on intelligence reform. To do any less is to cede their power to a temporarily appointed body - and leave the American people with an intelligence system designed and approved by people they've likely never seen on a ballot, and probably never will.
Congress should kindly thank the 9/11 Commission for their selfless service and begin the task of reviewing their recommendations, passing out those they agree on and debating those they don't. Legislating by cut & paste serves neither the people nor the democratic process.
Related Posts:
Representative Democracy: 1; Cafferty: 0
Any job worth doing is worth doing fast
In an election year where terrorism ranks high on the issue list, the 9/11 Commission's report should not be taken lightly. So what's wrong with Congressional rubber stamping of the recommendations in the interest of national security? A lot.
The 9/11 Commissioners have undertaken a task few Americans envy, and have done so honorably. Only six of the ten commissioners have ever been elected by the people; of those six, one of them was defeated in his last election. These are men and women who have worked diligently to make our country safer, but they are not the men and women we put our trust in to make the final call - that duty falls to the 108th Congress.
Congress will likely split hairs here and there about the 41 recommendations - hopefully enough to put their own stamp on intelligence reform. To do any less is to cede their power to a temporarily appointed body - and leave the American people with an intelligence system designed and approved by people they've likely never seen on a ballot, and probably never will.
Congress should kindly thank the 9/11 Commission for their selfless service and begin the task of reviewing their recommendations, passing out those they agree on and debating those they don't. Legislating by cut & paste serves neither the people nor the democratic process.
Related Posts:
Representative Democracy: 1; Cafferty: 0
Any job worth doing is worth doing fast
<< Home