WHY ISN'T THIS SURPRISING?

This morning’s Washington Post reports that Democrats have set a record in breaking a major campaign promise even before they assume control. That’s never happened before, to the best of my recollection.

It was a solemn pledge, repeated by Democratic leaders and candidates over and over: If elected to the majority in Congress, Democrats would implement all of the recommendations of the bipartisan commission that examined the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
But with control of Congress now secured, Democratic leaders have decided for now against implementing the one measure that would affect them most directly: a wholesale reorganization of Congress to improve oversight and funding of the nation’s intelligence agencies. Instead, Democratic leaders may create a panel to look at the issue and produce recommendations, according to congressional aides and lawmakers.

Actually, they’ve broken two campaign promises with one inaction. Democratic candidates promised more vigorous oversight and they promised to implement the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations. I’m guessing that the Democrats are only interested in oversight if it’s able to criticize Halliburton or the Patriot Act and the like. It’s obvious that they aren’t the least bit interested in oversight into truly important matters.

Bill Clinton campaigned on giving a middle class tax cut. He gave up on that fairly quickly, saying “I’ve never worked harder in all my life” on anything but it just isn’t possible with the huge deficits. At least he waited until he was in office a couple weeks before breaking a major campaign promise. Congressional Democrats couldn’t even live up to that modest benchmark.

Why am I not surprised?

“I don’t think that suggestion is going anywhere,” said Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL), the chairman of the Appropriations defense subcommittee and a close ally of the incoming subcommittee chairman, Rep. John P. Murtha, (D-PA). “That is not going to be their party position.”

Color me shocked and surprised that John Murtha isn’t interested in reform. Color me shocked and surprised that Democrats aren’t interested in reform either. Frankly, I don’t know why the American people believed that Democrats are reform-minded. Nothing in their past suggests that they’re interested in reform.