Wax On, Wax Off
Posted October 12th, 2007 by Da King
Since the Democrats captured congress in 2006, Henry Waxman (D-Cal) has been investigating alleged government misconduct. Actually, he's been doing it for 8 years, but when the Democrats took control, Waxman became chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, which gave him subpoena power and free reign to investigate, in Waxman's own words "everything that the government is involved with". The targets of Waxman's probes have been the Plame farce, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, the mischaracterization of Pat Tillman's death, the 'heroics' of Jessica Lynch, the government of Iraq, Walter Reed Hospital, construction and hiring practices at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Defense and State contracting practices, and Halliburton. Time magazine, in a misleading piece of admiration masquerading as reporting, called Grand Inquisitor Waxman, The Scariest Guy In Washington, due to his carte blanche investigative authority. Oliver North wrote an article about Waxman that offsets some of Time's partisan hype.
Waxman hasn't come up with much of any wrongdoing yet with all his investigating, but as Time said, he has sure produced a lot of newspaper headlines, which is, of course, the point. Actual wrongdoing doesn't need to be uncovered as long as the accusations and allegations are flying around in the mainstream media every day. For any who don't know, 90% of the mainstream media acts as the publics relations arm of the Democratic party (while feigning neutrality, very poorly). The political issues the Democrats want on the front page ARE on the front page. The issues Democrats want ignored ARE ignored. Invariably, the issues are framed and spun to suit the Democrats needs as well. The Republicans have only Fox News and talk radio on their side (and the Democrats are busy trying to censor talk radio. Talk about arrogance).
Between Waxman and Patrick Leahy (D-Hell), who has been investigating the legal firing of 8 US attorneys for about 46 years now, they have also pushed enough paper to destroy the rainforest. Maybe someday, hope against hope, they will actually find that someone somewhere has done somebody or something wrong. I bet Nancy Pelosi is praying for it, just like she prays for Bush to save all those middle class children by expanding the S-CHIP program on the backs of 22 million new smokers (most of whom will be lower income folks, according to the statistics). Amen.
You might be saying to yourself, 'what's wrong with investigating the government ? The government SHOULD be held up to the light and examined', and I agree. However, notice that in the long list of Waxman's investigations, you will only find investigations into alleged Republican misconduct. Mr Waxman doesn't seem to have any interest at all in the John Murthas, Harry Reids, or William Jeffersons in government. It's only Republican skirts he wishes to lift up and peek under. The House Government Reform Committee has become the Republican Government Reform Committee. He isn't investigating "everything that government is involved with", he's investigating "everything that Republicans are involved with". That makes Waxman a partisan witch hunter, not a seeker of truth and justice. Waxman is Torqemada in a three piece suit, seeking out heretics who would stand in the way of Democrat rule.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Now here is one clear picture of Rep. Waxman. He has surely been on a witch hunt aimed at Republicans and he could do so much better with his investigations if he concentrated on the Pork King of the House, John Murtha. There seems to be so much in the way of government machination involving Murtha that could keep Waxman's committee busy 24/7/365 if he chose to investigate that part of government.
Your mention of how Waxman has found nothing of consequence, but created so many headlines with his hunt for dishonest Republicans is so very true. I guess when they threatened to investigate and investigate the Republicans they really meant it. Waxman is real proof of just that.
I wonder what it would take for him to investigate Rep. Jefferson. Maybe the arrest and incarceration of the gentleman would spur him to investigating Jefferson.
Outstanding effort, King.
October 12th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
To wingnuts, oversight of Republican politicians is "witch hunting".
Wingnuts believe that no oversight of a Commander Guy is necessary,(a GOP Commander Guy), and especially while the Greatest and Longest War of Civilization is being warred. Wingnuts also believe the Justice Department must be fully politicized to function properly. Wingnuts also believe that when the defense department cooperates with the White House to propagandize us (Jessica Lynch) or lie to us(Pat Tillman), nothing needs examined….nothing is wrong.
But then Wingnuts don't believe a lawyer convicted by a jury of 4 felonies, including obstruction and perjury should be punished, and in fact, should have never been charged and convicted. I suppose that's because wingnuts also believe outing a CIA operative working on the non-proliferation of WMD's doesn't require or call for any, you know, legal oversight.
Waxman is doing his job. Something a Republican Bush Congressional cultist wouldn't know anything about if his ass was being bitten by it.
October 13th, 2007 at 7:17 am
You are getting pretty good at cramming lots of false insinuations into very few words, Rev. I guess practice does make perfect. Let's see if I can unspin your words concisely in return.
"Wingnuts believe that no oversight of a Commander Guy is necessary"
Now, I believe I said that oversight WAS necessary. It's just that when all the 'oversight' is against one side of the aisle, without much in the way of any evidence of actual wrongdoing, and with obvious partisan intent, that is no longer oversight, it is, as I said, a witch hunt.
"Wingnuts also believe the Justice Department must be fully politicized to function properly".
Clinton fired 92 US attorneys. Bush fired 8. So who politicized what ? And I don't think it's very respectful for you to call former president Clinton a 'wingnut'. I think 'sexual predator' is the correct term.
Jessica Lynch, Pat Tillman: Anyone fighting in combat for the USA who is injured/killed in the line of duty is a patriot and war hero in my book.
Plame was outed by Robert Novak based upon a leak by Richard Armitage. That ain't a conspiracy. If it weren't for Plame's hubby going around printing lies in the NY Times, none of it would have ever happened. Get over it.
Waxman IS doing his job, though. I'll grant you that. He's doing his job as the Grand Inquisitor Of All Things Republican. As luck would have it, Waxman might be onto some actual wrongdoing with the Blackwater case now. That is so much nicer than him having to just make things up out of thin air or political spin, don't you think ?
October 13th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I wonder if Reverend Red would see anything to investigate in the declaration of guilt for the Haditha Marines by Murky Murtha? I wonder why Waxy doesn't look into that one since so many of Murtha's words are being proven wrong.
If Waxman isn't over-investigating Republicans only he is telling us that Democrats never do anything a bit shady like old Murtha and his earmark business. He trades votes all over the place for earmarks. At least he has admitted to doing so and asked what is wrong with it.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
greatings…
wonderful post…