Reader Posts
« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »
"George Bush was not elected President of the United States to be King of the United States." Dana Rohrbacher
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.
His words, his criticisms, have been used in any number of scenarios in recent years, but I for one, have felt like the right is deaf because they've mainly been said by the left.
If nothing else, watch the hearing to learn more about the danger that I believe may be just around the corner. I'm afraid that it's possible that speakers on the issue are clueless--if they don't know, they can't be accused of lying to Congress. The "decider" may decide without their knowledge.
The hearing can be found on C-Span and the Foreign Affairs website. It was held by the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight on 2-8-08.
Comments (1)
You had me at, "George Bush was not elected President of the United States..."
February 17, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Post a Comment