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December 14, 2006

About Time

While I'm sure there will be many things about a Democratic Congress I will dislike, I'm pleased to see that at least they're going to do one of the things that convinced me to vote for them: provide some oversight of the executive branch. More precisely, they're going to take a closer look at defense spending on Iraq and Afghanistan, an issue that was shamefully ignored by the Republicans over the past three years.

Military activities often require unexpected expenses, and there is a place for emergency appropriations during a time of war. But the Bush administration has abused the privilege, refusing to account for any of the costs of the war in the budget they submit each year, instead insisting that Congress approve emergency spending bills as necessary to finance the war. In 2003 that might have been acceptable. In 2007, it most certainly is not. Part of the DoD's budget ought to include what the administration expects to spend on the war. If it turns out they need more money, they can go back to Congress, explain precisely why their budget was incorrect, and Congress can determine whether or not to provide the additional funds.

I'm sure this will be spun by Republicans as threats to cut off funds to the troops, and the administration will push that line hard in order to gain political advantage. But whether the Bush administration likes it or not, Congress is not a subordinate branch of government; if anything, Congress is the superior branch of government. That is why the Constitution opens with the establishment of the Congress before moving on to the executive. As at least a co-equal branch of governmnet, Congress not only has the right to know how the people's money is being spend, it has an obligation to make sure that it is being spent wisely. The Bush administration has gotten away with no oversight for far too long, and if it takes Congress not giving the President everything he wants for a few months or a year to reestablish the proper relationship between the two branches, so be it. Despite the warnings you'll no doubt hear, I'm sure Congress will provide sufficient funds to keep the military operational.

The American government was established as a republic. An executive was seen as necessary to execute the laws, but the power to make laws has always resided in the Congress. It's time the Bush administration was reminded of that fact.