Bad Tidings

Politicians make promises. Politicians break promises. That is the coin of the realm in this world and gnashing teeth about it is like complaining about the sunrise or worrying about whether a relative is going to say something dumb over the holidays. Still, there is something more than a little unseemly about the Democrats' apparent willingness to scuttle their promises to adhere to all of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Report.

First off, however, let us address what this is not: This decision does not represent evidence that the Democrats are not serious about national security issues. If the Democrats adhere to most of the 9/11 Report recommendations it will show a seriousness of purpose and accomplishment that the last five years of rhetoric and grandstanding on the part of Republicans in the executive and legislative branches have not matched. This might be politics as usual. It does not represent Democratic fecklessness. Not yet anyway.

What the decision might represent, however, is a certain level of tone deafness on the part of the Democratic leadership. A cynical world requires cynical strategy. Perhaps the Democrats have come to understand that a dramatic reorganization of Congressional intelligence oversight is simply not nor was it ever a viable option, and by scuttling it right away they are simply reading the reality of the situation and reacting accordingly. I would welcome an introduction of greater openness and transparency in government. And it may be true that the 9/11 report recommendations were never really practicable. But if you promise to enact all of the recommendations, isn't your promise really that you are going to try to enact all of the recommendations? Don't you owe an honest effort to do so and then concede failure if it fails to happen?

It is facile at this point to accuse the Democrats of hypocrisy or disingenuousness. At least for now. Hamhandedness, however, is another question.