The Mission Ahead: Congressional Relations
Roemer: Oversight More Important Now Than Ever
March 19, 2009
With the gravity of the multiple crises facing our nation bearing down upon us, Congressional oversight is no longer just an issue of Constitutional responsibility; it is an issue paramount to national security.
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Peabody: How to Build a Better Confirmation Process
August 10, 2009
Last week, immediately after the Senate approved Sonia Sotomayor to sit on the Supreme Court, national leaders praised the hearings leading up to this vote. President Barack Obama applauded Senators for giving his nominee “a thorough and civil hearing.” Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) hailed the “fair” confirmation process, while the top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell (Ky.), commended his colleagues “for conducting a dignified and respectful hearing,” even as he cast his vote against Sotomayor.
Lazarus: Don’t Blame Democrats for Republican Obstruction of Obama’s Judicial Nominees
June 25, 2009
One month after Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court, it is apparent that the White House’s stated aspiration of putting “the confirmation wars behind us” has few, if any, takers on the Republican side.
Tobin: On Voting Rights, Justices Reveal Contempt for Hill
June 4, 2009
In his confirmation hearings, Chief Justice John Roberts quaintly compared judges to umpires, who objectively call balls and strikes. Furthering that analogy, Roberts and his fellow conservative justices may have just moved the strike zone.
Thompson: Obama’s Ethics Agenda Seems to Be Lost
April 21, 2009
President Barack Obama’s ethics agenda, the most ambitious ever proposed by a new administration, was posted on the White House Web site at noon on Jan. 20. But, a few hours later, it vanished, replaced by this notice: “The ethics section is currently being revised to reflect President Obama’s Executive Order concerning Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel, issued on January 21, 2009. Please check back soon.”
Taking Executive Privilege to Absurd Levels?
February 6, 2009
Advocates of open government delight at the changes occurring in Washington. Several early decisions by the Obama administration suggest that the days of the obsessive executive branch secrecy of the Bush era are over.
Issa: GAO at-Risk List Underscores Importance of Oversight in 2009
January 26, 2009
In his first weekly radio address, President Barack Obama promised “unprecedented effort to root out waste, inefficiency and unnecessary spending in our government.” The fact that Obama has chosen his very first weekly radio address to underscore the need to address waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in our government is an encouraging first step in what I hope will be an ongoing commitment and partnership to bring accountability and oversight back to government.
Light: Congress Needs Tools of the Future to Save Past Gains
November 20, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama is currently besieged with proposals for the future, but he must also decide what he should do to maintain government’s greatest achievements of the 20th century.
Panetta: Obama’s Ultimate Legacy Will Be Forged on Capitol Hill
November 20, 2008
A new president promising dramatic change is really not news. A new president who can deliver dramatic change — that’s news. The difference between hope and reality depends on the relationship between the president and Congress. Under our system of government, the president proposes but it is Congress that disposes.
DeLay: A New Conservative Agenda Can Trump Democrats’ Three Agendas
November 20, 2008
The word agenda has two related but distinct political definitions. The first meaning is superficial, as in, “The agenda for this week will be ...” That is, what a political leader or constituency wants to do. The second is deeper, as in, “What’s their agenda?” That means, what does a political leader or constituency really want to do?
Simpson: Take Off the Boxing Gloves and Make the System Work
November 20, 2008
Advice and counsel from one of the Old Guard who has “been there before” is not always delightfully and charitably received by a great number of present laborers in the legislative vineyard in Washington, D.C. But not being a faint-hearted guy, let’s set ’em up in the other alley (that’s bowling parlance) and let ’er rip!
Chun: Cyber Attacks Demand Strong Public-Private Response
Nov. 6, 12:35 p.m.
The federal government is increasingly taking a leadership role in improving the nation’s cybersecurity. But, with a threat that is quickly growing and more sophisticated each day, it’s clear that the government — for all of its good intentions — cannot win this battle without a robust commitment from technology companies. Read Full Article
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