Who Is Watching The Rat?
Arlen Specter wants Congress to have oversight over NSA operations:
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who has criticized the Bush White House’s secrecy about national security issues, said he would welcome detailed congressional oversight of the National Security Agency’s warrantless eavesdropping.
I think Arlen Specter should offer up a deal. Once members of Congress have real security clearances, instead of “hand shake clearances,” they can do all the oversight they want:
Meanwhile, members of congress are not subject to any type of background check. They are merely asked to promise not to reveal any of the nation’s secrets. That’s it. According to a seasoned professional, Winslow Wheeler, with 31 years experience on Capitol Hill, members of Congress are granted security clearance simply by being elected. Winslow worked for the Senate Budget Committee for six years as a security official. He recently published a book about Congress and national security.
Surely Arlen could agree to that? Or is Congress above the people?
-- Oak Leaf