For more than twenty three years, I've been saying that senators and congressmen need to do a better job at reminding everyone which branch of the federal government is supposed to be the most powerful.
This specific instance is not exactly what I had in mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by akv
I don't know the man or this issue, and would likely disagree with his politics, however IIRC this is the same gentleman and military author who won the Navy Cross, and pairs of Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, and Purple Hearts in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, and his son also served in Iraq. With this background I'd like to think he cares more for the troops than the average politician.
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AKV--
That Senator Webb (a) is attempting to embarrass SecDef Gates by making public the content of his letter to SecDef Gates,* (b) is making so much noise over a "very basic request for information,"** and (c) lists his home state as the first area that may experience the "significant ramifications" of the closure, all suggest that he's being driven by political considerations on this specific issue.
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* A point of emphasis in every edition of the U.S. Naval Institute's
Marine Officer's Guide that I've read is "praise in public, criticize in private."
** Bluntly, I find it difficult to believe that neither the CRS, Senator Webb's own staff, nor the staff of the senate committee on armed services could not find ways to get this information through open source materials and back channel requests. The search button is everyone's friend.