TRICKY DICK
Posted: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 12:18 PM by Countdown
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
Part Three of the Washington Post's investigative series on Vice President Cheney takes a look at his influence on the administration's domestic policy. Its thesis: That if President Bush is "the Decider" Mr. Cheney serves up his menu of options. For instance, Mr. Cheney led the group that narrowed down the list of potential Supreme Court nominees (we all know how that turned out.)
Mr. Cheney inserted himself in the investigation of Democratic Congressman William Jefferson, apparently as alarmed as Mr. Jefferson's colleagues were about the seizure of the congressman's files... what with being a member of the legislative branch and all. He presented Mr. Bush with the course of action that was taken - the files were placed under seal for 45 days. Lastly, but by no means all, Mr. Cheney has shaped tax cut policy.
The Post reporting that on a rare occasion when the president actually told his alleged second banana 'No' (on deep reductions on capital gains tax on investments) Mr. Cheney did an end run around Mr. Bush and successfully lobbied Congress for them directly. Not that the president will ever even find out about it. He doesn't read newspapers.
COUNTING DOWN TO SEPTEMBER: Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana has become the latest Republican to announce he doesn't believe the president's policies are working in Iraq. Countdown is still drawing a line between Republican senators who speak out against the president's policies in Iraq and those who actually do something about it. (Senator Warner, that means you.) The true test will come in September.
A FILIBUSTER IS A FILIBUSTER: Speaking of which, Countdown is tired of hearing the term "procedural vote" used in reference to today's action regarding the immigration reform bill on Capitol Hill. Before the Democrats took over the Senate, any attempt to prevent an up-or-down vote in that body was called a 'filibuster' loudly and often. Now that the Republicans are in the minority, much of the MSM seems to have abandoned that term.
How adept has the GOP become at blocking legislation, you ask? Let's just say the House has passed and sent 239 bills to the Senate - 239 - that, one way or another, haven't been heard from since.