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Congressional Oversight

What Obama Is Up Against

Russ Baker | Posted 11.04.2009 | Politics

Read More: John F. Kennedy, Central Intelligence Agency, Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, Military Industrial Complex, Harry Truman, President Obama, George W. Bush, Obama, Bob Woodward, Bush Administration Torture, Robert Gates, George H.W. Bush, Richard Nixon, National Security, Gerald Ford, Nancy Pelosi, Congressional Oversight, Fdr, Hamid Karzai, Bill Clinton, Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Afghanistan War, Iraq War, Bush Administration, Dwight Eisenhower, Cia, Military Spending, Stanley McChrystal, Jimmy Carter, Prescott Bush, Allen Dulles, Lyndon Johnson, Iraq, Torture, Politics News
Russ Baker

We Americans harbor a quaint belief that a new president takes charge of a government that eagerly awaits his next command. But that's not how things work at the top, especially where "national security" is concerned.

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President Obama: Afghanistan Needs More Than a Military Solution

Patricia DeGennaro | Posted 10.29.2009 | World

Read More: Obama Afghanistan, Department of Defense, Anthony Zinni Obama, Anthony Zinni, War in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama, Afghan War, Hillary Clinton Secretary of State, Mcchrystal Afgahn Strategy, Department of State, Civil-Military Relations, Robert Gates, John Abizaid, Stanley McChrystal, Congressional Oversight, Afghan Civilians, Aghanistan, Afghanis, World News
Patricia DeGennaro

The news media has an annoying tendency to focus on the symptoms, not the disease.

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Credit Rating Agencies and the Next Financial Crisis

Rep. Edolphus Towns | Posted 10.19.2009 | Business

Read More: Wall Street Crisis, Wall Street, Bailout, Finance, Financial Reform, Business News, Congressional Oversight, Financial Crisis, Credit Rating Agencies, Business News
Rep. Edolphus Towns

The Moody's business model of "Leave No Fingerprints" might be alright if the credit rating agencies had not played a starring role in the collapse of the financial system. For that reason, this cannot continue.

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Jason Linkins

ABC News' Tapper Advances "Defund ACORN" Story

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 09.25.2009 | Media

Read More: Politics News, Acorn Bill, Darrell Issa, U.S. Congress, Glenn Greenwald, Congressional Oversight, Jake Tapper, Media News, Acorn, Alan Grayson, Anti-Acorn Bill, Media Criticism, Media News

Earlier this week, our own Ryan Grim reported on the incredibly true story of how Congress, in its zealous race to shower ACORN with digestive leaving...

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Jason Linkins

The Unintended Consequences Of The "Defund ACORN" Act

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 09.24.2009 | Media

Read More: Politics News, Acorn Bill, U.S. Congress, Media Criticism, Glenn Greenwald, Congressional Oversight, Acorn, Anti-Acorn Bill, Alan Grayson, Media News

The primary rationale -- the only rationale -- behind your representatives' decision in the ACORN matter was to ensure that their electoral hopes don't founder because of a media-driven scandal.

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Four Ways We Need Obama's Help

Sen. Byron Dorgan | Posted 09.23.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congressional Oversight, Tarp, Financial Crisis, Economic Collapse, Byron Dorgan, Economy, Politics News
Sen. Byron Dorgan

Legislation to overhaul America's financial system will be coming up in Congress this fall, and we can't let this moment pass without making some lasting changes.

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Dueling Bills in Congress Could Help or Hurt Middle Class Firms

Lloyd Chapman | Posted 09.17.2009 | Politics

Read More: Lack of Oversight, Small Business, Parker Griffith, Middle Class Economy, Congressional Oversight, Small Business Committee, Asbl, Lloyd Chapman, Fraud Abuse, Loopholes, Nydia Velazquez, Politics News
Lloyd Chapman

Chambers of Commerce across Alabama are opposed to H.R. 3558, and the American Small Business League (ASBL) has launched a national campaign to rally opposition to the bill.

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The Perils of Being Governed

Saul Segan | Posted 09.19.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congressional Oversight, Government, Health Care Reform, Living, Business, Health Care, Spirituality, Politics, Media, Politics News
Saul Segan

The call for spirituality and the need to put aside selfishness and genuinely try to achieve the desired ends for the greatest of all concerned will result in a greater glory for America.

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The Ghost of Truman: The Wartime Contracting Commission Gives DOD Hell on Iraq Contracting

Dina Rasor | Posted 09.13.2009 | Politics

Read More: Fraud, Congressional Oversight, Iraq Contractors, Christopher Shays, Iraq, Afghanistan, Commission on Wartime Contracting, Politics News
Dina Rasor

I felt the usual dread as I settled down to watch the hearings by the congressional Wartime Contracting Commission. But this time, the ghost of Harry Truman was lurking in the room.

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Attention, Our Leaders: You're Not Listening!

Saul Segan | Posted 08.20.2009 | Politics

Read More: Politics, Congress, Budget, Health Care Reform, Congressional Oversight, People, Health Care, Congressional Budget Office, Politics News
Saul Segan

Seven months hardly constitutes a reasonable interval by which decades of errors in oversight, carelessness, and greed, can be neutralized by the Obama administration.

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Congressional Oversight Needed

Ginny Sloan | Posted 08.17.2009 | Politics

Read More: Checks and Balances, Congress, Mickey Edwards, Federal Government, Congressional Oversight, Congressional Research Service Report, Project on Government Oversight, U.S. Constitution, Chris Shays, Politics News
Ginny Sloan

Effective congressional oversight is critical for maintaining the separation of powers established under our Constitution and serves not only the interests of Congress, but also those of the executive branch and the American public.

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Torture, Wiretaps, Lies to Congress: Old Spy Cronies a Drag on Obama's "Look to the Future"

Frank Naif | Posted 08.16.2009 | Politics

Read More: Inspector General, Warrantless Wiretapping, John Brennan, Eric Holder, Dick Cheney, Dni, Special Prosecutor, Stephen Kappes, Cia, Glenn Greenwald, Congressional Oversight, Assassination, Leon Panetta, Accountability, Marcy Wheeler, Leon Panetta CIA, Politics News
Frank Naif

Over the past week, a triple-whammy of developing national security stories reminded Americans and the Obama administration that the past is a stubborn thing.

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Drones, Torture, Detention Show What US Intelligence Isn't Doing

Frank Naif | Posted 08.13.2009 | Politics

Read More: House Intelligence Committee, US Drone Missiles, Stephen Kappes, Central Intelligence Agency, Cia, Pakistan Drone Attacks, Gang of Eight, Congressional Oversight, Oversight, CIA Torture, Obama National Security, Drones, Obama Detention Policy, Torture, Politics News
Frank Naif

Repeating past glories and thinking inside the bureaucratic box explain how CIA chiefs chose to keep the focus on drones and detentions.

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Increased Judicial, Legislative Oversight of Intelligence Hangs on Pending Bills

Frank Naif | Posted 07.27.2009 | Politics

Read More: Nsa, Nancy Pelosi Cia, House Intelligence Committee, State Secrets Privilege, Nancy Pelosi, Obama State Secrets, State Secrets, Gang of Eight, Congressional Oversight, Pelosi, Senate Intelligence Committee, Politics News
Frank Naif

If enacted, the State Secrets Protection Act would allow courts to review in camera Federal assertions of the state secret privilege.

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Despite Reform Pledges, Panetta Enables CIA's Bad Old Habits

Frank Naif | Posted 07.25.2009 | Politics

Read More: Obama Cabinet, Dni, Cia, National Security, Congressional Oversight, Obama National Security Team, Obama National Security, Leon Panetta, Leon Panetta CIA, Extraordinary Rendition, Politics News
Frank Naif

The Obama team portrayed Leon Panetta as a no-nonsense Beltway veteran who would 'fix' the CIA. Over the past few weeks, however, he has emerged as an obstacle to real reform and accountability at the CIA.

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Wall Street Reform: Regulators and Lawmakers Prepare for Turf War

Jill Schlesinger | Posted 07.13.2009 | Business

Read More: Congressional Oversight, Regulatory Reform, Systemic Risk Regulator, Wall Street Regulation, Tim Geithner, Financial Regulation, Sec, Business News
Jill Schlesinger

Rather than work together to improve the system, regulatory reform could become a classic political turf war. The problem is that once someone has the ball, he's reluctant to give it up.

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Levin Moves to Cut Waste, Fraud and Abuse from Missile Programs

Joe Cirincione | Posted 04.24.2009 | Politics

Read More: Fraud, Congressional Oversight, Aig, Defense Spending, Carl Levin, Barack Obama, Military Spending, Missile Defense, Politics News
Joe Cirincione

In putting the hammer down on the Missile Defense Agency this week, Carl Levin served notice that the lax policies of the Bush administration were over.

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Who Will Rein in the War in Afghanistan?

ZP Heller | Posted 03.26.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congressional Oversight, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Escalation, Vietnam War, Afghanistan War, Politics News
ZP Heller

Chances are he will not be President, so if Kerry wants to leave a lasting mark, it could be through hearings and investigations that rein in the Long War in Afghanistan.

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Watchdog: Government Overpaid By $78 Billion For Bank Stocks, Assets

AP | JIM KUHNHENN | Posted 03.08.2009 | Business

Read More: Congressional Oversight, Banks, Congressional Oversight Committee, Stock Market, Stocks, Economy, Tarp, Business News

WASHINGTON — The federal government overpaid for stocks and other assets in attempting to help financial institutions last year, a government wa...

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Elizabeth Warren, TARP Overseer

HuffPost | Posted 01.16.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congressional Oversight, Tarp, Wall Street Crisis, Elizabeth Warren, Economy, Politics News

Check back for updates Elizabeth Warren, Harvard Law professor and economic thinker, has been appointed to chair the five-person Congressional over...

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Detroit Drives to DC and Dr. Deming Invents Japan

Steve Parker | Posted 01.06.2009 | Business

Read More: Congress, Pontiac Silver Streak Woodie Wagon, Troubled Assets Relief Program, Class Warfare, Hemi Hybrids, Cars, Infrastructure Repair, Infrastructure, Green Cars, Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicles, Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Hybrid Cars, Daihatsu Naked, Ipod, Subway, Ucla, Detroit Three, Chicago Cubs, Detroit CEOs, W. Edwards Deming, Detroit Automakers, Green Infrastructure, Bullet Trains, US Capitol, Monorail, Jeep, Japan, Mitsubishi Mirage, Light Rail, Tarp, Wall Street Bailout, Chrysler, Rick Wagoner, President Obama, Ford, Las Vegas Hilton, Dodge Durango Hybrid, Bob Lutz, Southern California, Credit Markets Tight, Japanese Cars, Robert Nardelli, Electric Cars, Washington, Detroit, Congressional Oversight, Plug-in Hybrids, President Bush, Detroit Bailout, Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, Gas Electric Hybrids, Daihatsu Charade, Uaw, Gm, Alan Mulally, Electric Car Infrastructure, National Infrastructure, Dr. W. Edwards Deming, Mitsubishi Precis, Wall Street, US Marines, Hitachi, Lourdes, Narita, Business News
Steve Parker

We've had enough threats from our sworn enemies -- we don't need them from Detroit executives. These CEOs and their boards of directors must go, whether by car or jet or skateboard, they must go.

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Five Mistakes by DC and Detroit Hurt Detroit Three's Survival Shances

Steve Parker | Posted 12.18.2008 | Business

Read More: Russia, Congress, US Auto Industry, Chrysler, Car Dealerships, The Huffington Post, Fuel-Efficient Cars, Honda, Dodge Viper, Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Future of General Motors, Mike Pence, Ford, St. Petersburg, Automakers, Auto Bailout, Obama Auto Industry, Los Angeles Auto Show, Green Cars, Southern California, General Motors, Hybrid Cars, US Senate, Los Angeles Auto Show Green, Electric Cars, Congressional Oversight, Detroit, Greensburg Indiana, Nissan Motors, Detroit Auto Industry, Fuel Economy, Bankruptcy, Gm, Environmentalists, Detroit Three, Jeep Commander. Hemi Hybrids, Washington DC, American Honda, Daewoo, Honda Fit, Continuously Variable Transmission, Barack Obama, American Auto Industry, Las Vegas, Auto Industry Rescue Legislation, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Volt, Dodge, XTRONIC CVT, South Korea, Kirk Kerkorian, Harry Reid, Consumers, Jeep, Auto Industry Bailout, Europe, Auto Industry, Golden Parachutes, Lordstown, Detroit Automakers, Reid Auto Bailout, Automaker Bailout, Automobiles, Business News
Steve Parker

Sen. Reid's new bailout bill for the Detroit Three does not set additional fuel-economy requirements, nor does it establish a government oversight board. That's two strikes against getting our money's worth.

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Financial Crisis: 60 Minutes Revives Investigative Journalism

Stephen H. Baum | Posted 11.27.2008 | Media

Read More: Financial Crisis, Economy, 60 Minutes, Investigative Journalsim, Congressional Oversight, Deregulation, Regulation, Financial Journalism, Panic of 1907, Alan Greenspan, Media News
Stephen H. Baum

Even on subjects as hot as the financial crisis, much of the "news" and comment we see on TV lacks real critical thinking. 60 Minutes has revived investigative journalism. More please.

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Nature Abhors a Vacuum but so do Wingnuts: The Bailout and our National Security

Lorelei Kelly | Posted 11.03.2008 | Politics

Read More: Iraq War, Wall Street Crisis, Conservatives, National Security, Terrorism, Missile Defense, The White House Project, Congressional Oversight, Sarah Palin Vice President, Political Corruption, Alaska, Palin Biden Debate, Counterinsurgency, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Politics News
Lorelei Kelly

Conservative lip service to ideas like free markets and a strong defense produced neither. These "values" were never actually turned into priorities for policy making.

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The Whole World Is Watching--And It's Not Pretty

Larry Gellman | Posted 11.03.2008 | Business

Read More: John McCain, Wall Street Bailout, Congress, Wall Street Crisis, Government Bailout, Bailout, Economy, Obama, Biden Palin Debate, Hong Kong, George W. Bush, Sarah Palin Katie Couric, John Mccain Suspends Campaign, 2008 Election, Bush Economy, John McCain Economic Policy, Katie Couric, Sarah Palin, Congressional Oversight, Business News
Larry Gellman

From halfway around the world, it all seems simple. The question is if we are going to keep blaming Washington, Wall Street, mortgage lenders--everybody but ourselves--for our problems.

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