I do believe you've nailed it with this conclusion
Frist may hit on "DEM obstructionism" in the Senate as the reason the USA PATRIOT Act is not renewed.
Didn't the patriot act just get renewed with "cosmetic changes" something like 97 to 3? I wouldn't be a bit surprised that that vote happened Friday in order to keep this from being in issue for Frist on Sunday
I don't know if the asbestos bill will come up.
I'm betting not. It would require real work on both the journalists and politicians parts to actually provide real information to the public. You know that neither of them are interested in doing that!
the general thrust will be "Congress is going to 'do something,' but it doesn't know just what, just yet."
This is emerging as a major behind the scenes fight between Congress and the executive. Even the Republicans in Congress, particularly the Senate, are jealous of admitting that the President has any powers not granted by them. Roberts is even trying to force feed yet another "judicial review" process on Bush over this. And Roberts is even balking at the deal the rest of the Republicans and most of the Democrats agreed to where Bush agreed to provide oversight to a newly created joint House/Senate subcommittee of the Intelligence committees for programs like the current NSA international surveillance. Roberts is wanting to punt it to yet another "judicial review" body like FISA. He's apparently afraid that the joint committee would actually make politicians accountable for screwing up in this regard.
Are there no politicians that one can count on?
And for FEMA "all directions lead to MORE Federal government."
Who watches the watchers? None of the investigations have asked the simple question "did Congress screw up when they created these bureaucracies?" That is the most important question. I think that the recent sell out by the House Katrina committee blaming all problems on an ill defined "government" totally distorts reality. Where are the reminders that FEMA is not accountable for any actions for the first 72 hours after a disaster? That has been part of the equation since day one simply because there is no way in hell that a federal bureaucracy can respond quickly enough or get resources in place in time to help before that. This administration, represented by the US Coast Guard, actually did better than that, saving over 6,000 lives in the first 72 hours after the floods (more lives saved than in any other comparable period - more likely any other previous YEAR). This is going to be a scandal that will make (or break) historians careers.
The Whittington shooting meme is an example of how superficial the media is
This is my great joy from this week. The MSM, as embodied by twit Gregory of NBC, have NOT shot themselves in the foot. No, they were a little higher and more towards the center line. The verdict from the public and the rest of the media is consistent and irreversible.
I wonder if Iran will come up
only as a way to bash Bush for not being tough enough.
or the impending flurry of activity when SCOTUS announces a decision on either the Padilla or Hamdan case
Not a chance. That would require work by the "journalists."
No. That was a cloture vote on whether or not to take up S.2271 (USA PATRIOT Act Amendment) for debate. Now the Act is up for debate, and a cloture vote on the bill is scheduled for the week the Senate returns from recess, sepcifically Tuesday, February 28. A vote on the bill (good bet that cloture will pass) is scehduled for March 1st.
This [NSA terrorist surveillance] is emerging as a major behind the scenes fight between Congress and the executive.
There's plenty of fighting in the open too ;-) I don't think it's unhealthy, which puts me in a distinct minority among FReepers.
At any rate, I think the Sunday shows will be yawner again this week. Thanks for your prequel work - it's invaluable.
I think the vote on Thursday re: the Patriot Act was just a vote NOT to have it filibustered.
They are scheduled for a cloture vote on Tuesday..and then a final passage vote after that.
After listening to hearing after hearing about the Katrina response...I got the distinct feeling that all this was, was an EGO STROKE for the Congresscritters, in being able to point fingers at others, BUT, since they are the ones to establish Homeland Security...and include FEMA as a part of HS, instead of its own entity...
THEY need some fingers pointed back at themselves...AND their stubborn intent to make this a FED problem FIRST, rather than a city, county, state problem that failed so completely, that by the time the FEDS could LEGALLY do their jobs...it was past a time of "prevention"...and onto "rescue"...
Chertoff is going to be a "whipping boy" on all of the shows tomorrow, but, he is only the one they are USING to get to Bush, who ISN'T on the shows.