Glenn Greenwald reports that some high-profile Senators have reintroduced the bill from last year that would limit excessive assertion of the State Secrets privilege. Here's hoping it gets through this time--which I guess would mean a lot of the Republicans who were against it when one of their own was in the Oval Office now would sign on to limit the powers of a Democratic president.

Then again, they've already "rediscovered their principles" on spending restraint, so there would seem to be a chance.

So you think there may be bipartisan support? I'm down with that.

I have no idea, really. Specter is a sponsor, according to the Greenwald post. But obviously he's not very representative of their caucus.

It's a question of how they view executive power, and maybe one of those internal contradictions of Republicanism that I like to go on and on about: the neocon tendency would be to oppose that bill because they're for an unfettered executive, while the small-government, limited-powers crowd would very much want to impose some constraints. That second group was pretty quiet during the Bush years, going along with huge spending and wiretapping and all sorts of things that made Barry Goldwater spin in his grave. Was that just a temporary matter of party-over-branch, or has that strain of Republicanism basically died off? I guess we'll see.

Judd Gregg withdraws from consideration for Commerce

FTN wrote:Judd Gregg withdraws from consideration for Commerce

Did he not pay his taxes either? I can't keep track.

Citing major differences in policy with Obama

FTN wrote:Citing major differences in policy with Obama

He doesn't want to hop aboard a sinking ship? Differences in opinion doesn't seem like that big of a deal, unless he thinks Obama is going to complete ignore him. Either way, I consider this news disappointing.

Werthless wrote:

FTN wrote:Citing major differences in policy with Obama

He doesn't want to hop aboard a sinking ship? Differences in opinion doesn't seem like that big of a deal, unless he thinks Obama is going to complete ignore him. Either way, I consider this news disappointing.

While its certainly reasonable to disagree with Obama on the stimulus package, it isn't like the overall package is coming as a surprise to anyone. When did he realize he disagreed so profoundly he couldn't serve in the cabinet?

He probably realized a combination of things:
1) The differences in policy would result in him being ignored.
2) Accepting the position wouldn't help him with his constituents, if he was planning on doing something post Obama.
3) He likes being a Senator.

lol sinking ship. good one.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Sen. Judd Gregg withdrew as President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Commerce Department, citing "irresolvable conflicts" over the stimulus package and the Census. "We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy," Gregg said in a statement. "Obviously the president requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives," said Gregg, a New Hampshire Republican

Link

Werthless wrote:He probably realized a combination of things:
1) The differences in policy would result in him being ignored.
2) Accepting the position wouldn't help him with his constituents, if he was planning on doing something post Obama.
3) He likes being a Senator.

Well, fine. But then this makes me think of a line from the wedding singer.

Gee, you know that information... really would've been more useful to me *yesterday.*

TenuredVulture wrote:

Werthless wrote:He probably realized a combination of things:
1) The differences in policy would result in him being ignored.
2) Accepting the position wouldn't help him with his constituents, if he was planning on doing something post Obama.
3) He likes being a Senator.

Well, fine. But then this makes me think of a line from the wedding singer.

Gee, you know that information... really would've been more useful to me *yesterday.*

My guess is that 1) snuck up on him. He probably thought he would do a lot of good working for Obama, and probably fell for a pretty good sales pitch. Once he started interacting with the administration, reality probably hit him.

That's speculation, of course.

It's not like Obama's ideas regarding the stimulus were unknown until this past week. Gregg knew what Obama would be pushing for from Congress when he accepted the position.

And as for the census, don't you think Gregg should have asked if the control of it would stay under the Commerce Secretary's jurisdiction before accepting the position? IMO, Gregg comes off as wishy washy here. These "irresolvable conflicts" were known when he accepted the position.

My guess is, he realized that right now the need is for decisive action, and he wasn't ready to jump 100% behind everything Obama wanted to do. So instead of setting up a potential problem publicly, he just decided to pass.

Fantastic news.

jerseyhoya wrote:Fantastic news.

You mean from a Senate numbers perspective, right? Why do you think he declined?

I don't know yet. When I get home I check BSG first. Haven't read any articles about it.

So long as the reason he declined isn't that he's dying of cancer, it's great news. More than sheer numbers, he's actually a really good senator. There wasn't really any upside to him going into the administration. It's not like they'd have let him write policy.

Interesting point made by Ray LaHood just now.

Gregg approached Obama for a position, not the other way around. Now he's changed his mind. Seems kind of strange.

FTN wrote:Interesting point made by Ray LaHood just now.

Gregg approached Obama for a position, not the other way around. Now he's changed his mind. Seems kind of strange.

Not how it was reported a week ago

Who knows. It really doesn't even matter.