A Moderate Victory
It couldn't be a bigger win for the Democrats in Congress! When I reported that the "Results Are In" for the winter votes, I was premature and now that I have completed my physical arrangements for the upcoming holidays, I must report with glee that the results of the US House of Representatives actions on the US Senate actions on the first day of winter, turns the tide completely in favor of a more moderate approach to government.
Standing on "principle" (make that read ego, for not having been consulted), Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R, WI), Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary refused to go along with the compromise that Sen. Frist, Senate Majority Leader, and Pres. Bush finally gave in on for an extension of the Patriot Act rather than have a permanent extension.. The result is that the act got an extension of 5 weeks rather than the 3 months the Senate Democrats were willing to give or the 6 months that Frist/Bush finally agreed to with the Democrats. And... the Senate had to have another meeting in order to accede to Sensenbrenner's wishes.
Five weeks is the second worst of all the solutions; the worst solution being the permanent extension. Nothing can happen in the next five weeks in the Senate Judiciary Committee because that is the period during which the confirmation hearings for the appointment of Samuel Alito to Associate Justice of the Supreme Court are scheduled. Sen. Arlen Specter (R, PA) has become a thorn in the side of the Bush Administration by being the moderate he is. It must be difficult for him to straddle the line he has had to follow to be a good Republican and still be true to his own beliefs.
A word about that Senate meeting to take up the House change to the Patriot Act extension held at 8:00 P.M. following the House meeting. It consisted of a meeting of 1 Senator, Senator John Warner (R, VA), the senior Republican Senator from the geographically closest state to the US Capital. And all actions necessary and the authorization for the placement into the hands of Sen. John Warner of all future actions that may be necessary to accomplish the passage of legislation dealing with the extension of the Patriot Act, between now and the time the Senate comes back into session, were agreed to by unanimous agreement, the vote, essentially of the one Senator present, Sen. John Warner. Now that's Democracy!
And what of the Budget Reduction act for which the Vice President had to cut short his travels to the east in order to cast the deciding vote in the Senate. Since there were some minor changes made to this act by the Senate to address procedural problems with the inclusion of certain provisions, the House now had to pass the changed act. After months of putting up with less than inspired leadership by Rep. Nancy Pilosi (D, CA), Minority Leader, I was pleased that she stood up for protecting the safety net of the least fortunate in this nation and against a bill that the Democrats in the House had unanimously opposed. She refused to agree to the Speaker's request for a unanimous agreement to the changed proposal and wanted a full debate and vote on the issues. There not being time for that and getting out of Washington early for the holidays, the result was to put off any action on the changed bill until after the new year.
In the intermediate frame, nothing may be gained. It may only a bump in the road and nothing more that political shenanigans. In the short term it is an impediment to one party rule and shows that President Bush has lost the unlimited control he has had for the past 5 years, and that's a good thing. For the long haul it may indicate that there is a chance to return this nation to a more moderate approach to government. Amen!
Standing on "principle" (make that read ego, for not having been consulted), Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R, WI), Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary refused to go along with the compromise that Sen. Frist, Senate Majority Leader, and Pres. Bush finally gave in on for an extension of the Patriot Act rather than have a permanent extension.. The result is that the act got an extension of 5 weeks rather than the 3 months the Senate Democrats were willing to give or the 6 months that Frist/Bush finally agreed to with the Democrats. And... the Senate had to have another meeting in order to accede to Sensenbrenner's wishes.
Five weeks is the second worst of all the solutions; the worst solution being the permanent extension. Nothing can happen in the next five weeks in the Senate Judiciary Committee because that is the period during which the confirmation hearings for the appointment of Samuel Alito to Associate Justice of the Supreme Court are scheduled. Sen. Arlen Specter (R, PA) has become a thorn in the side of the Bush Administration by being the moderate he is. It must be difficult for him to straddle the line he has had to follow to be a good Republican and still be true to his own beliefs.
A word about that Senate meeting to take up the House change to the Patriot Act extension held at 8:00 P.M. following the House meeting. It consisted of a meeting of 1 Senator, Senator John Warner (R, VA), the senior Republican Senator from the geographically closest state to the US Capital. And all actions necessary and the authorization for the placement into the hands of Sen. John Warner of all future actions that may be necessary to accomplish the passage of legislation dealing with the extension of the Patriot Act, between now and the time the Senate comes back into session, were agreed to by unanimous agreement, the vote, essentially of the one Senator present, Sen. John Warner. Now that's Democracy!
And what of the Budget Reduction act for which the Vice President had to cut short his travels to the east in order to cast the deciding vote in the Senate. Since there were some minor changes made to this act by the Senate to address procedural problems with the inclusion of certain provisions, the House now had to pass the changed act. After months of putting up with less than inspired leadership by Rep. Nancy Pilosi (D, CA), Minority Leader, I was pleased that she stood up for protecting the safety net of the least fortunate in this nation and against a bill that the Democrats in the House had unanimously opposed. She refused to agree to the Speaker's request for a unanimous agreement to the changed proposal and wanted a full debate and vote on the issues. There not being time for that and getting out of Washington early for the holidays, the result was to put off any action on the changed bill until after the new year.
In the intermediate frame, nothing may be gained. It may only a bump in the road and nothing more that political shenanigans. In the short term it is an impediment to one party rule and shows that President Bush has lost the unlimited control he has had for the past 5 years, and that's a good thing. For the long haul it may indicate that there is a chance to return this nation to a more moderate approach to government. Amen!
-- Michael My Blog: http://myweb-blog.blogspot.com "As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." ~H. L. Mencken
posted by Michael | 9:33 AM
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