"George Bush was not elected President of the United States to be King of the United States." Dana Rohrbacher
By PG - February 16, 2008, 10:28PM
I keep thinking about a hearing that I watched recently. The substance of the hearing was valuable; legal assessments about the "Declaration of Principles" with Iraq, SOFAs, etc. In part, it was interesting because there were only four representatives asking questions so the answers were thorough and informative.
Beyond the substance however, was the remarkable opening statement by Dana Rohrbacher. If you're as tired of partisan rhetoric as I am, you'll find it refreshing. Chairman Delahunt called it eloquent.
I certainly don't agree with all of Rep. Rohrbacher's statements or conclusions, but many of his thoughts echoed those I've heard from speakers I admire. I keep thinking that there must be some value to the country if other republicans hear one of their own stating those ideas. I know that I'm guilty of closing my ears to those I don't trust.
Rep. Rohrbacher talks about the Constitution and the role of Congress. He talks about participation in open discussions and how denial breeds mistrust on the part of Congress and the public. He talks about the perception of deals being reached behind closed doors. And
amazingly, he states the line that I used as my title.more at:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/02/george-bush-was-not-elected-pr.php