What’s in the Wings for Democrats in the House?
Al Ritter
Monday morning the investigations will be underway for Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters. After the recent ousting of the Democratic Party from the house it would in the best interest for house democrats to bring these investigations to a quick and decisive conclusion. They should want to put ethics investigations quickly behind them to isolate their party from wrong doing.
Unfortunately for house democrats the investigations will not stop with just Rangel and Waters. House republicans are poised to investigate even more prominent congressional members. I would be inclined to believe the very first congressmen to be investigated will be newly re-elected Barney Frank. Frank’s involvement in the housing crisis that led to the recession will be closely examined, as will Water’s involvement. Another key figure of investigation will be Henry Waxman and many other figures involved in TARP, the Stimulus Plan, and Healthcare Reform, unless some compromise on repeal is reached.
I think these investigations will bear fruit in the next two years, maybe not in the way you may think though. I don’t think that any of these investigations will lead to a removal of any of these members from congress, but I do think that at least one or two will receive severe admonishments. At least now we don’t have to worry about Barney Frank being the chairman of the financial services committee, thus removing him from any further damage to the country from his rogue actions.
To ignore the past dictates that the same mistakes will be made. The laws that enabled the financial collapse are STILL in place and have never been repealed, and until Barney Frank is relieved of his seat on the committee of finance, and official blame has been assessed the chance for a repeat is high.
"History by apprising [citizens] of the past will enable them to judge of the future; it will avail them of the experience of other times and other nations; it will qualify them as judges of the actions and designs of men; it will enable them to know ambition under every disguise it may assume; and knowing it, to defeat its views." --Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 14, 1781
