Posted on 11/29/2004 2:50:26 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
The head of the 9/11 commission says it's time for President Bush to spend some of his much-touted political capital and get his fellow Republicans in Congress to quit dragging their heels on intelligence reform.
The crucial question about the reform bill, said former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean, "is whether it will pass now or after a second attack."
The bill likely would pass if House Speaker Dennis Hastert would allow it to come to a vote when Congress comes back next Monday, Kean said, but first "the President has got to go to work."
The bill is languishing in the House of Representatives because Hastert (R-Ill.) pulled the bill in deference to the two key opponents, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.).
Showing no signs of wavering, the two holdouts defended their opposition to the bill yesterday.
Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told "Fox News Sunday" he is concerned that the intelligence realignment could interfere with the military chain of command - an issue that means "life and death to our people in the field."
Sensenbrenner, head of the House Judiciary Committee, also wants the bill to deal with illegal immigration.
"We have to do something about plugging up our immigration laws," Sensenbrenner said.
But Kean said separate legislation could address those concerns at a later date. "To hold up every single one of these other provisions to make the American people safer for this one provision or two provisions, to me doesn't make any sense," said Kean, also a Republican.
Bush, who previously vowed to use the political capital he received from his reelection, should "do whatever he can to get this bill through," Kean said.
The bill provides for "thousands of new people" to protect the nation's borders, offers better protection against nuclear proliferation and funds improvements to police and fire department communications, Kean said.
"I mean, this is a huge omnibus bill. And if it doesn't succeed, the American people aren't going to be as safe as they would be otherwise," he said.
President Bush has said he's prepared to sign the bill, but it remains unclear what he is prepared to do to push it through.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), a lead negotiator for the bill, said yesterday on ABC's "This Week" that if Bush is sincere about his support, "I cannot believe Republicans in the House are going to stop him from getting it."
Hunter and Sensenbrenner, Lieberman said, "are entitled to their opinions. But they're not entitled to stop this critically important national security measure, which President Bush and a majority of members of both houses want, from getting through, because we need it in the middle of a war."
Tom Kean - the RINO's RINO.
Kean's 15 minutes of fame is over and he needs to remember who the damn President is....freaking RINO.
His 15 minutes are over but he doesn't know it.
Kean headed a panel of idiots. He was idiot-in-chief. I wouldn't trust anything they wanted.
I say, f-him!!! Gorelick too.
Too bad Mr Rino isn't laungishing! Maybe next time.
Kean needs to be reminded the 9/11 Report isn't the Bible of terrorism, for crying out loud.
There's lots of new information that has come out they admit they didn't pursue.
"I mean, this is a huge omnibus bill. And if it doesn't succeed, the American people aren't going to be as safe as they would be otherwise," he said.
No Mr. Kean, just the opposite. If the bill passes as is Americans will be less safe. Everyone recognizes that this Intelligence "Reform" bill is neither intelligent or reforming. It's an extremely cynical exercise in PR and political grandstanding.
You want to do something INTELLIGENT for national security? Remove the wussy girly-men from the State Dept.
Kean is in it up to his ears with Saudi oil connections.
Good point, you beat me. I trust conservative congress critters over another birck in Gorelick's wall.
birck = brick
Just heard Sean Hannity on his radio show doing the same as I and most of the FReepers. He is backing Sensenbrenner and Hunter. I say yahoo. I think he said they were going to do a story on it tonight. I not tonight, then this week.
I wish all of the Freepers, talk show hosts, TV hosts (conservative) would get on Hunter and Sensenbrenner's side.
Maybe, Bush would listen. I just don't understand why he would want this bill that much. I just adds bureucracy to an all ready too large government.
Maybe we should all e-bomb the White House also, letting him know.
I just don't see this as being a very potent political issue for the MSM to agitate against.
The average American doesn't understand the difference between the intelligence bureaucracy before the reforms, and after the reforms. I have no idea whether these reforms are an improvement, or not.
But what I do understand is that I am tired of having a revolving door at the Mexican border. I am also tired of illegal immigrants getting driver's licenses, which they can use as identification to board flights and enter buildings.
I'd take a couple real, tangible reforms (like shutting down the border and getting rid of licenses for illegals) over a reshuffling of chairs at the CIA any day.
This bill should NEVER receive consideration as long as it allows for issuance of drivers' licenses to illegal aliens! What the heck were these people thinking?
Anybody know what that scumbag Gorelick does for a living? I'd like to write her employer a nice little note.
How can it be legitimate when Kean said the following: " Our purpose is not to assign blame".
How in God's name are you supposed to investigate 911 without "assigning blame"?
President Bush, take the 911 report and throw it in the dumpster.
Administration has Kean on ice. Doesn't stop him from all this arm-waving.....
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