9/11 Proposals Lead the Agenda Facing Congress - NYT

[Nambe]

NYTimes

After weeks of being overshadowed by presidential politics, members of Congress return Tuesday for a charged march to Election Day that has been complicated by the call to reorganize the nation's intelligence agencies.

House and Senate leaders are planning to advance legislation that carries out recommendations from the Sept. 11 commission report that was issued just before Congress recessed for six weeks. Lawmakers must also dispose of a dozen required spending bills as well as decide what to do about a popular highway measure and a host of other proposals, all while jockeying for advantage in the November elections, which will decide control of both houses.

To that end, each party has a distinct political agenda. Democrats say they will
pressure the Republicans to embrace the Sept. 11 commission's 41 recommendations fully or face the political consequences.

Republicans intend to use their control of both chambers to schedule legislation in an effort to put Democrats on the spot. In the House, the majority plans to hold a vote this month on the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and will force floor fights over abortion, taxes and reforms to the legal system. In the Senate, Democrats say they expect a floor vote on a proposed constitutional amendment barring flag desecration. ..

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[Ruffhowse]

1. Flag desecration....Oh God, their not gonna roll this old horse out again!

I swear, this is the most clearly un-American issue. Free speech absolutely trumps flag desecration.

[shanti]

2. going for the gusto now...

that's obvious. the next few months will be ugly.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Outlaw box cutters, saudis, and commercial airplanes?

What the hell else relates to 9/11 anyway? Am I missing something in this "debate"?

[Old and In the Way]

4. Supposedly, terror is our #1 problem

So, do the Republicans want to talk about the 9/11 recommendations? No, they want to talk gay marriage, more taxcuts, and flag desercration.

The only ones desecrating the flag these days are the ones wearing flag pins in their lapels.

[punpirate]

5. Both parties seem to be in brain-dead mode....

Rushing through the 9/11 commission's recommendations will cause chaos, and with regard to creating an intelligence "czar" with cabinet-level power will politicize intelligence in precisely the ways that many have fought against.

On the Republican side, fighting the culture wars will simply waste time to no good effect. They may score points with the right-wing crazy voters, but nothing will come of it.

The rest of the world is laughing at us, and our legislators are giving them even more straight lines.