WAPO/Broder: THE HOUSE IS DUE FOR A GOOD "SCRUBBING"

[kpete]

Time for a House-Cleaning

By David S. Broder

Thursday, December 8, 2005; Page A33

If the House of Representatives were a person, it would be blushing these days. Unfortunately, the House is beyond embarrassment.


The place needs a good scrubbing, and that is what it would get if the leadership were somehow to embrace a set of rules changes put forward this week by several longtime members. But because the authors are Democrats -- and in some cases liberal as well -- the receptivity of the Republicans managing the House is not likely to be great.

The four members involved -- David Obey of Wisconsin, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, David Price of North Carolina and Tom Allen of Maine -- held a news conference on Monday at the Center for American Progress to introduce their 14-point plan. It is strong medicine -- a stiff enough dose of salts that even a watered-down version would mark a major change in the ethical environment of Capitol Hill.


The Democrats' record during their 40-year reign in the House gives reason for skepticism. But something must be done to cleanse the House -- and this points the way.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/07/AR2005120701892.html

[LeftNYC]

1. Broder's a shill... nt

[bryant69]

2. What's frusterating is that we are in an age of partisanship

which precludes the discussion of ideas. I know that if a Republican like Tom Delay or Bill Frist or Joe Lieberman put forward a plan to say, reform the voting system, I would most likely reject it out of hand based on the sponsers. Which is sad when you think about it; because the plan could, theoretically be good. And of course it's worse going the other way; any plan Democrats put forward is immediately suspect.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Toots]

3. You are right and that was evidenced by Ahnold's plan to stop the way

redistricting is done. I liked the presented changes but because it was put forth by a Republican it had no validity. I say BS. We need to end the BS and look at each and every bill on it's merits or it's dangers.....

[KoKo]

4. I watched the News Conference held at CAP and I didn't see coverage

of it in the Liberal Blogs (at least that I saw...maybe I missed it)
I wouldn't have known about it if I hadn't stumbled across in on C-Span while surfing channels. Center for American Progress sponsored the News Conference yet it wasn't listed as a "Heads Up" on their site which I get every day as a subscriber.

I was going to post about it on DU and, sadly, after I thought about it...I said "why bother?" It's not going anywere. The M$M won't cover it...so what's the point? :shrug:

Glad Broder is speaking about it to give it a little coverage. Their proposals for cleaning up the House were excellent. Maybe someday they can get a vote on this.