Friday, December 01, 2006
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Pelosi Names Silvestre Reyes New Head of Intelligence Committee
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Posted by:
Mary Katharine Ham at
11:37 AM
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Well, it ain't Alcee Hastings, which is kind of a downer when we're talking about entertainment value, but a major plus when we're talking security of the country. I'll take security in that choice.
Pelosi settles on the compromise candidate.
Under Democratic control, his committee is expected to conduct more public oversight of some of the most difficult issues facing the United States, including terrorism, Iraq and government surveillance. Given the committee's inherently secret nature, much of the work will have to be done behind closed doors.
In an interview this month, Reyes said he will insist on more information about the Bush administration's most classified programs and how they are working. The Republicans, he said, have made a habit of rubber-stamping those programs.
I wonder how much time this will eat up:
He also wants to look at the role of intelligence three years after the war in Iraq and the state of traditional spycraft, known in spook lingo as "human intelligence."
"We haven't required or haven't had the administration give us the details, evaluation or plan of how these classic programs are functioning," he said. "There is plenty to do on the role of intelligence, the programs that are vital and critical to our national defense, and certainly to our war fighters."
Dan Riehl is looking at his security votes:
Voted NO on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
Voted NO on federalizing rules for driver licenses to hinder terrorists. (Feb 2005)
Voted YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses. (Feb 2005)
Voted YES on supporting new position of Director of National Intelligence. (Dec 2004)
Voted NO on adopting the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. (Oct 2004)
Voted YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Apr 2003)
Voted YES on permitting commercial airline pilots to carry guns. (Jul 2002)
Voted YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill. (Jul 1999)
Voted YES on deploying SDI. (Mar 1999)
Stopping Vieques bombing range good; sooner is better. (Jun 2001)
Rated 78% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)
Voted NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on approving removal of Saddam & valiant service of US troops. (Mar 2004)
Voted NO on authorizing military force in Iraq. (Oct 2002)
Voted NO on disallowing the invasion of Kosovo. (May 1999)
Condemns anti-Muslim bigotry in name of anti-terrorism. (Oct 2001)
But, even with this pick, Pelosi isn't out of the dark woods of Dem ethics problems. Remember when the "Culture of Corruption" was a Republican thing? Funny how we never heard much abou this stuff until after Dems took control.
I remind you of Reyes' crony scandal involving a no-bid contract for a broken U.S.-Canadian border camera system run by a firm that employed Reyes' daughter as vice president of government contracts. I've been surfing the liberal blogs, and they have next to nothing to say about Reyes, except for "better than Harman."
Update: Harman: "I have enjoyed working closely with Silver and other members over four congresses on a committee that I dearly love," Harman said in a statement. "He brings great experience from his work on [the Intelligence Committee], the Armed Services Committee and as head of the Border Patrol in El Paso."
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Some thoughts from Teddy Roosevelt that seem particularly relevant today.
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
“Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.”
"In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
"We can have no 50-50 allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all."
"Life is not easy, and least of all is it easy for either the man or the nation that aspires to great deeds."
"We are face to face with our destiny and we must meet it with a high and resolute courage."
"It is not what we have that will make us a great nation; it is the way in which we use it."
"The American people are slow to wrath, but when their wrath is once kindled it burns like a consuming flame."
"I would rather go out of politics feeling that I had done what was right than stay in with the approval of all men, knowing in my heart that I had acted as I ought not to."
It is both foolish and wicked to teach the average man who is not well off that some wrong or injustice has been done him, and that he should hope for redress elsewhere than in his own industry, honesty, and intelligence."
"If an American is to amount to anything he must rely upon himself, and not upon the State; he must take pride in his own work, instead of sitting idle to envy the luck of others. He must face life with resolute courage, win victory if he can, and accept defeat if he must, without seeking to place on his fellow man a responsibility which is not theirs."
"We believe in all our hearts in democracy; in the capacity of the people to govern themselves; and we are bound to succeed, for our success means not only our own triumph, but the triumph of the cause of the rights of the people throughout the world, and the uplifting of the banner of hope for all the nations of mankind."
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I wish Democrat leaders, forever glued to the rearview mirror, understood that every great human milestone is inherently risky, and often costly. At the start, the outcome is uncertain. Orville and Wilber Wright could’ve just as easily died in their first prototype glider, and only their family would know their names today. If it's not risky, it's not very important. CIA agents take risks, military test pilots take risks, Army Special Forces troops take risks. George W. Bush took a good faith risk in Iraq, and the outcome is not final yet. If we didn't take risks we wouldn't learn anything, or gain anything. The worst tragedy in life is not dying. The worst tragedy in life is never risking anything. The modern Democrat problem is that they hate risk and uncertainty much more than they love success.
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