Posted on 12/14/2006 10:14:39 AM PST by Nachum
Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she will create a new congressional panel to examine the administration's intelligence budget and to make sure the money is being spent properly. Creating the panel, Pelosi said at a news conference, "makes oversight stronger and makes the American people safer."
Democrats have been highly critical of the conduct of intelligence agencies in the days before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the lead- up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Pelosi, D-Calif., also said that one of the first tasks of the Democratic-controlled House she will lead beginning in January will be approving the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, including taking steps to make intelligence decisions more transparent.
The Select Intelligence Oversight Panel proposed by Pelosi would be made up by members of the Appropriations Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, and would work within the Appropriations Committee.
It would examine, through hearings, the president's intelligence budget, prepare the classified annex to the annual defense spending bill and conduct oversight of the use of appropriated funds by intelligence agencies.
Oxymoron indeed; planned by a moron, no less.
All Democrats to receive brain enhancements.
-are they doing brain transplants yet?
This article could have been a lot shorter. The author could have written "Democrats to cut intelligence spending." and been done with it.
Nancy Pelosi and intelligence don't elong in the same sentence.
If the US modern liberals had their way, we would have a parliamtentary style government, and as in Britain, cabinet officers would be expected to have an equal role with the chief executive on many policy matters.
If you follow legislation since the 1920s, Congress has been gradually usurping the strong executive the founders created. Essentially they have no understanding or respect for the division of powers, and assume, irrespective of what the Constitution says, the POTUS is not supposed to wipe his butt except by the means and method proscribed by Congress. How wrong they are.
A few liberals in the last few years have even thrown out the Constitution, in remarks in which they said Congress was the "supreme law of the land".
Also what they ignore completely, is while collectively, district by district they were elected by the people, the POTUS is the only one elected by the voting of all the people.
First off, they're looking for a Democrat with intelligence.
Alternate headline:
Pelosi draws straws. Will follow Yellow Brick Road with Homeless Waif and Pooch.
Very well put...I have heard speeches on the floor of the Senate this last few years by dems that don't even try to hide that they want to have more power than the POTUS...
They really assume that Americans are so ignorant..that when they rant and rave about Pres. Bush's so-called "power grab", which is only his duties under the Constitution....that the American people will then rise up and elect a POTUS that SAYS that he/she agrees with the Senators...ala Obama or Hillary.
However, we both know that the minute they would be sworn in...it would be back to the ACTUAL Constitution..and too bad GOP Senators...LOL
There's a blog with interesting analysis about Pelosi's plan. Murtha plays a role. You can read the whole piece here: The Politics of Intelligence Reform.
Here’s an excerpt:
Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi has unveiled plans for a new Intelligence Oversight Committee, which will apparently focus on the nation's intel budget, and how those resources are used.
…snip…
According to Pelosi, the oversight committee will be comprised of members from the Appropriations Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), which has traditionally exercised oversight authority.
…snip…
...Ms. Pelosi's plan is more about politics than oversight reform. By giving the appropriations committee a key role in intel oversight, the speaker-elect will grant more power to a pair of key allies, David Obey of Wisconsin (who will chair the panel in January), and Pennsylvania's Jack Murtha, whom she supported in a failed bid for majority leader. Obey and Murtha (who will chair the defense appropriations sub-committee) are expected to have a major say in who winds up on the intel oversight panel, and the matters they pursue. And since both strongly oppose U.S. involvement in Iraq, they (along with Ms. Pelosi) can use the sub-committee to investigate various intel issues they oppose, and further weaken administration policies in the War on Terror.
Let me or jazusamo know if you want on the Murtha Watch Ping List.
Perhaps she's planning on being intelligent in the future...sometime..?
I note, however, it wasn't "Pelosi announces AN INTELLIGENT plan".
Thanks for the ping.
I hope Pelosi is able to do this in spades.
Then, when (not if) there's another terrorist attack on the USA and a bunch of us get killed they will have some very embarassing questions to answer.
You don't understand, they are CongressCritters, Democrat ones at that, they don't answer questions, they ask them. Often they ask very stupid questions, but they ask, they don't answer.
Unfortunately, I DO understand. Which is why I bought more ammo when I was at Wal*Mart earlier today.
Here it is...
It's nice that NanPo understands her own weaknesses and now plans to get some of that intelligence stuff, which she hears is a useful commodity to have. Here's the AP headline:
Pelosi Announces Intelligence Plans
Of course, most of us prefer it when our leaders come pre-packaged with intelligence.
The real story behind the headline is actually pretty shocking. What she's done is nothing more than a shameless ploy to put the the House's primary intelligence work in John Murtha's hands. The Select Intelligence Oversight Panel she announced today -- sort of an ISG for intelligence -- will be housed at Murtha's Appropriations Committee, not at the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Could there be a more obvious admission by NanPo that her man at Intelligence, Silvestre Reyes, is not up to the task?
That story flew right over the head of AP reporter Katherine Shrader, who probably doesn't have a tough question for NanPo anywhere in her head.
LOL .......... just wanted to see how long it would take for me to find someone to post my thoughts. The second post.
LOL
Wow, the words Pelosi and intellegence in the same sentence! Now that is an accomplishment.
You caught that one too... For cryin' out loud, what the hell is the matter with that woman?
Great minds .... :-)
Sounds like a tool to impeach the President.
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