# And So the Whitewash Begins ... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 8, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669 "2005-09-08T16:34:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/1 "2005-09-08T16:34:45Z")
After 9/11 Congress formed a bi-partisan committee to investigate. [There will be no bi-partisan investigation of Hurricane Katrina.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090702125.html) The GOP has announced that they’re forming a GOP-controlled committee to investigate government response to the disaster. The Democrats, as the minority party, have no way to block them from doing this. Politics before country. Party loyalty above the public good. What are they so afraid of? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/2 "2005-09-08T16:43:47Z")
One of our posters has long proposed that we have an independent fourth branch of government to investigate wrongdoings and failures of the other branches of government. This is a perfect example of why this is neccesary. The party currently in power can use their power to cover up what they’ve done (or in this case, haven’t done). Something about that isn’t right. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/3 "2005-09-08T16:44:51Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > What are they so afraid of? Nothing. No one cares. At least until the next natural disaster or terrorist attack. ---
**Author:** ![Exploding\_Kitchen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Exploding\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exploding_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/4 "2005-09-08T16:50:34Z")
Because the GOP just can’t pass up a chance to prove themselves morally bankrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/5 "2005-09-08T16:51:44Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > One of our posters has long proposed that we have an independent fourth branch of government to investigate wrongdoings and failures of the other branches of government. This is a perfect example of why this is neccesary. The party currently in power can use their power to cover up what they’ve done (or in this case, haven’t done). Something about that isn’t right. Right, but will the majority of employees be democrats or republicans? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/6 "2005-09-08T16:56:10Z")
> [@Exploding Kitchen](#): > > Because the GOP just can’t pass up a chance to prove themselves morally bankrupt. I thought we weren’t supposed to rush to judgement. You’d think that “This isn’t the time or the place” to form a committee so quickly. Ah well, what’s good for the goose is good for the FUCK YOU, PEON! WE SHALL DO AS WE PLEASE. BEND OVER! -Joe, crouching ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/7 "2005-09-08T17:20:36Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > Right, but will the majority of employees be democrats or republicans? 🙂 Neither. It would be nonpartisan. My proposal would be to make it a random selection of qualified people who serve for 2 year terms. It’d be like a Grand Jury except it has potential oversight over the whole government. It takes a simple majority vote to initiate an investigation into anything. The proceedings would be made public except when the counsel is investigating classified matters of national security. They’d be required to issue a yearly report on any problems they see within the government, whether it be pork barrel spending or actual criminal actions. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/8 "2005-09-08T18:00:17Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > After 9/11 Congress formed a bi-partisan committee to investigate. > > [There will be no bi-partisan investigation of Hurricane Katrina.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090702125.html) > > The GOP has announced that they’re forming a GOP-controlled committee to investigate government response to the disaster. The Democrats, as the minority party, have no way to block them from doing this. > > Politics before country. Party loyalty above the public good. > > What are they so afraid of? What’s so upsetting about this? Congress usually appoints committees to investigate various matters, and sometimes they will do so even if there are other commissions looking into the matter as well. Those commissions aren’t common things either, and don’t in any way change the fact that Congress is a primary and coequal branch of the federal government. Furthermore, the Republicans won majorities in both houses in fair elections, and thus get to set the committee structure. Them’s the rules, and they’ve been written this way for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/9 "2005-09-08T18:06:25Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Them’s the rules, and they’ve been written this way for a long time. Well, if the rules allow those who fucked up to investigate themselves, I’m sure there can’t be any problems. Rules are rules, after all. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/10 "2005-09-08T18:16:14Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Them’s the rules, and they’ve been written this way for a long time. Did I say that the Republicans weren’t within their rights to do this? No. Am I implying that this stinks to high heaven? Yes. This isn’t some piddling little matter. This is an investigation into the mismanagement of what is probably the largest natural disaster ever to strike the United States. A great deal of evidence suggests that a large share of the blame for that mismanagement lies with the Republicans in the White House. A bi-partisan investigation would demonstrate to the American people that the Republicans in Congress are more interested in the truth than party loyalty. I’m an American first and a Democrat second. Can you say the same, **Mr. Moto**? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/11 "2005-09-08T18:19:10Z")
And do you think those Democrats on the committee will just go along with that “whitewash”? What about Republican members from the Gulf Coast? Would they be more beholden to their constituents, or the Administration? Listen, I’m so terribly sorry that you’re upset with the makeup of Congress. But take heart - you have an opportunity to remedy that situation next year, if you can get your act together. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/12 "2005-09-08T18:23:32Z")
As one of the voices calling for pause during the heat of action, there’s nothing wrong with beginning to empanel an investigative body about now. Sadly, it’s starting on the wrong foot by not being truly bipartisan. Unless it is restructured before going much further, the left won’t believe a word of it, and some of us on the right will consider it a waste of time and paper. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/13 "2005-09-08T18:32:39Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > And do you think those Democrats on the committee will just go along with that “whitewash”? What about Republican members from the Gulf Coast? Would they be more beholden to their constituents, or the Administration? Control of the committee means control of its subpoena power. A GOP-controlled committee can simply refuse to investigate anything that might prove embarassing to the White House. And the Democrats on the committee will be powerless to prevent it. In any case, Pelosi and Reid are calling upon their fellow Democrats to boycott this sham. > [@](#): > > Listen, I’m so terribly sorry that you’re upset with the makeup of Congress. But take heart - you have an opportunity to remedy that situation next year, if you can get your act together. Look, this isn’t about scoring points in some abstract game. It’s clear that the government’s ability to respond to a national disaster is broken. But the message that the Republican leadership is sending to the country is that they’re more interested in covering their asses than in fixing it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/14 "2005-09-08T18:36:04Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > As one of the voices calling for pause during the heat of action, there’s nothing wrong with beginning to empanel an investigative body about now. Sadly, it’s starting on the wrong foot by not being truly bipartisan. Unless it is restructured before going much further, the left won’t believe a word of it, and some of us on the right will consider it a waste of time and paper. Thank you. And yes, speaking as someone on the left, unless this committee is bipartisan I won’t believe a word of what it says. If you want to divide the country in the middle of a crisis, this is a damn good way to do it … . ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/15 "2005-09-08T18:37:50Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Sadly, it’s starting on the wrong foot by not being truly bipartisan. Unless it is restructured before going much further, the left won’t believe a word of it, and some of us on the right will consider it a waste of time and paper. Yup. Some of us are _still_ [waiting for the senate to complete its investigation into Bush’s use of pre-war intelligence](http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/07/27/senate_probe_of_prewar_intelligence_stalls/?page=1). There’s no reason to expect the republicans to be any more interested in actually finding out how the Katrina response went wrong. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/16 "2005-09-08T18:43:08Z")
Why don’t we wait for them to do something wrong before we condemn them, shall we? I’ll admit that the structure of the committee leaves much to be desired, but who knows? The horse may sing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/17 "2005-09-08T18:43:14Z")
Moto, nobody anywhere should be investigating themselves. If the Republicans in Congress aren’t willing to allow an independant investigation they shouldn’t waste our money on a phoney one. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/18 "2005-09-08T18:43:22Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > It’s clear that the government’s ability to respond to a national disaster is broken. But the message that the Republican leadership is sending to the country is that they’re more interested in covering their asses than in fixing it. [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/08/katrina.washington/index.html) > [@](#): > > “Let us be clear: We should not diminish the fact that there were acts of heroism by individuals, and victories by our first responders who risked their lives. But we all agree that in many areas, the initial relief response to Hurricane Katrina was **unacceptable at the local, state and federal level** ,” Hastert and Frist said in a written statement. My bolding. I’ll agree that the White House is interesting in covering _its_ ass. So far, I’m willing to give other Republicans the benefit of the doubt. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/19 "2005-09-08T18:58:04Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Why don’t we wait for them to do something wrong before we condemn them, shall we? I’ll admit that the structure of the committee leaves much to be desired, but who knows? The horse may sing. 😃 Because if enough people make enough noise right now, there’s still time to switch to a bipartisan commission and avoid this huge waste of time. Right now Ried and Pelosi are pushing for a Democratic boycott of the panel if its not bipartisan. Public pressure on our representatives NOW could change the way this plays out. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669/20 "2005-09-08T19:07:29Z")
> [@](#): > > One of our posters has long proposed that we have an independent fourth branch of government to investigate wrongdoings and failures of the other branches of government. Great idea! Of course, isn’t that what the fourth estate is for? :dubious: Oh wait, you said _independent_. Let’s just hope the recent infusion of spinal fluid we’ve seen in press gaggles lately will work its magic! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-whitewash-begins/320669.md?page=2)