Intelligence Bill Slipping Away, but Foe Won't Budge (& Bush won't help)

[papau]

All Bush needs to say is pass it with or without a majority of GOP voting for it - the idea that only a majority within the GOP can be allowed to pass anything, ignoring Dems - is nuts.


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-intel1dec01.story
THE NATION
Intelligence Bill Slipping Away, but Foe Won't Budge
By Mary Curtius
Times Staff Writer

December 1, 2004

WASHINGTON — President Bush has personally lobbied him. Families of the Sept. 11 victims have publicly blamed him. But with time running out for Congress to enact a bill this year that would put a single official in charge of the nation's intelligence agencies, Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) is standing firm in opposition.

As head of the House Judiciary Committee, Sensenbrenner is one of two powerful chairmen who defied the White House and their own GOP leadership to scuttle a compromise — approved by a House-Senate conference committee — during last month's lame-duck session. With a reputation for stubbornness, he is widely expected to hang tough next week, when the 2004 Congress returns for one last try at passing the bill this year.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has said that he opposes the bill because a national intelligence director, with authority over all 15 spy agencies, could disrupt the direct link between U.S. combat troops and the real-time intelligence they need in battle. Sensenbrenner's concerns revolve around immigration and law enforcement provisions that his committee wrote into the House version of the intelligence bill.

Although Senate negotiators have denounced some of the measures as divisive, Sensenbrenner insists they are essential components of a national counter-terrorism strategy, and he has made it clear that he would rather see no bill than one that does not contain the measures he regards as core.<snip>

[Ernesto]

1. "Just let it slip away"

Sounds alot like the "old assault rifle ban trick" to me. After all the time & $$$$$$ spent on this issue, the majority "just lets it slip away"........ repuke government in action (or lack of).

[gratuitous]

2. Gee, playing political games with national security

Okay, let's be up front: The nation's security isn't dependent on what these clowns do or don't do. Which is really a good thing.

I think it's odd how the librul media get all het up when Republicans claim that it's a Democrat who's playing politics with a serious issue, and every Democrat on every talk show is called on either to defend some indefensible-sounding position (and look just as culpable) or to denounce the "obstructionist" (and hurt party unity).

Yet, when it's happening right before their watery, rheumy eyes, suddenly it's one or two maverick Republicans, courageously standing on principle for some ill-defined goal that seriously damages the business of the nation. None of the other Republicans is put on the hot seat with them or asked to denounce them. Some "unnamed" Republicans might be quoted for a mild rebuke, but nobody has to risk going on record.

[papau]

3. Our media - Meet the Press etc - does not put the GOP in the hot seat

the way they try to do to any Democratic Party person.

[MichiganVote]

4. This administration does not want to focus on 9/11 unless it benefits them

[napi21]

5. Wait until shrub gets back in the US. He's still in Canada.

Although I don't believe him, he said "when I get back to Wash. I will talk to them." I think they have until next week to do something with this bill.

[ItsThePeopleStupid]

6. Rumsfeld and power is like Charlton Heston and guns.

They'll take it away when they pry it from his cold, dead fingers.