By The Prowler on 12.9.04 @ 12:08AM
No removal at Treasury -- for now. Plus: A Patriot Act coup. Also: New DNC ponies.
STAYING PUT
Treasury Secretary John Snow got more than he
bargained for when he went to a private lunch with fellow senior
economic advisers at the White House yesterday, met with the
President, and was asked to stay on for the second term. Snow
agreed, thus ending one of the more uncomfortable situations in
Washington.
Snow and his advisers, as well as outside supporters, had been
growing increasingly concerned about the ongoing whispering
campaign that Snow was on his way out. The low hum of rumor was
compounded by the White House's refusal to tamp down the talk that
Snow was a lamer duck than his boss.
Snow may be staying on, but it isn't clear for how long. Despite
the strong statement of support President Bush gave Snow, the
expectations remain that Snow will not remain in the Administration
for more than a year, perhaps 16 months. Snow has talked about his
eagerness to push for tax reform and fairness, and indications are
that that issue may the one that moves ahead in Congress in the
coming months.
A successful tax reform package would afford Snow the kind of
victory any Treasury Secretary would relish on the way out. Should
Snow leave, it would open the door for Office of Management and
Budget director Joshua Bolten to take the helm and
push through the President's Social Security reform and
privatization plan, an issue on which Snow is in less agreement
with the White House.
PATRIOT COUPS
Lost amid all the hubbub about satellites and turf-warfare in the
Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 was the fact that the White House
and Justice Department were able to get most of the terrorism
prevention statutes formerly known as "Patriot Act II" or "Son of
Patriot Act" attached to the bill with no notice whatsoever.
It appears that at least some of the act's provisions will make
it to the President's desk for signing, including statutes that
strengthen and improve bans and penalties for material support to
terrorists; prohibit possession of the most dangerous weapons of
mass destruction such as atomic weapons, so-called "dirty bombs,"
and the small pox virus; criminalize terrorist or military hoaxes;
permit pre-trial detention of indicted suspects, and strengthen
provisions that allow for authorized surveillance of non-U.S.
individuals who engage in international terrorism.
The Patriot Act-like amendments sailed through without
attracting attention from the usual watchdog groups, which were
probably too busy focusing on their bogus campaigns for electoral
recounts in Ohio and elsewhere. Either way, the Bush Administration
pulled off a major political and national security success, by
ramming through important counter-terrorism statutes and removing
complicated amendments for what is expected to be a bruising battle
to re-authorize some sun-setting statutes in the USA Patriot Act
that expire in 2005.
PONY SHOW
In a sign perhaps of how unhappy senior DNC officials are with the
current spate of prospective DNC chairman candidates, the
Democratic Party's elder statesmen have been reaching out to
potential new candidates for the party job.
In just the past week, both former Mississippi Gov. Ray
Mabus and former Michigan Gov. James
Blanchard have seemingly jumped into the race. Blanchard
is now scheduled to speak to party officials at the state party
leadership conference in Orlando, Florida, on Friday. Mabus isn't
on the schedule yet, but he was spotted earlier in the week meeting
with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. According
to a Senate leadership source, the meeting was about the DNC
job.
topics:
Harry Reid, Social Security, Military
