So there's a Senate bill that would create a public database of government finances--of contracting, loans, and everything to do with what the Federal government spends. It ostensibly has broad support in the Senate; the co-sponsors are Tom Coburn and Barack Obama. It has broad support among the ideological interest groups.
And it's going nowhere, because one member of the Senate put a hold on it.
Secretly.
The Chronicle printed a wire story yesterday (no link because the online versions are all truncated) that focussed on the 'mystery' of who's holding the bill and why. The story displays a maddening faux naivete on this score.
For example:
It could be anyone, Democrat or Republican, Darling said.This Darling guy just happens to be with the Heritage Foundation, by the way. So, yeah, of course he would say it could be either a Democrat or a Republican. Three guesses as to which of the two is far more likely.
Darling's statement goes unchallenged.
And then there's this howler:
What is puzzling is that the proposed database would give the public access to how the executive branch spends money, Miller said. It has nothing to do with holding the Senate more accountable.Let's see now: the Senate leadership (along with the House goon squad) has been doing the administration's bidding for, what, approximately five and a half years...and it's puzzling that some Senator would put a hold on a bill that might well embarrass the White House? That's about as puzzling as the sun rising in the east, isn't it?
Reading between the lines, it looks like the whole thing is Kabuki. The Republican leadership get to look good by 'supporting' the bill (Frist and McCain are both ostensibly supporters), while some unnamed Republican (maybe somebody who isn't up for re-election) makes sure it never passes. It's a win-win for the Republicans.
Too bad we won't see it reported that way.
[That's all, folks]
|