| What evolved was a standoff that had more to do with immigration politics than intelligence reform. Tom Tancredo, a hard-line anti-immigration Republican from Colorado, says Sensenbrenner was picking a fight that has been simmering in Congress for months now. "What we see happening is a metamorphosis. The majority of the conference is moving from being rather shy about getting involved with this [immigration] issue to now becoming very vocal," Tancredo says. The GOP position had been that "you cannot talk about immigration, you can't even talk about anything that looks like reform, because we will lose votes among Hispanics, and even the president is opposed." But, since the election, he says, "There are plenty of members now willing to take on the president and the leadership." Sensenbrenner, he explains, wasn't just speaking for himself--he was speaking for that group (even if, Tancredo can't help grousing, "he's a little reluctant to share the spotlight"). That might be one reason why House leaders like Speaker Dennis Hastert at first appeared awfully reluctant to lock horns with Sensenbrenner over the issue.
Now, Sensenbrenner may be the face of immigration reform on the Hill. Speaking on the House floor before the intelligence reform vote this week, he vowed to rejoin the fight again next year: "I can assure you that this issue is not going to go away." Hastert has said immigration reform will now be a top priority next year. And, if Sensenbrenner doesn't get his way, he might take out his anger by blocking other Bush administration priorities. For instance, the Judiciary Committee will hold hearings next year on renewing the Patriot Act, which expires at the end of 2005. Sensenbrenner has already vowed to place "the burden of proof" on the administration to defend each of the act's provisions--including the wiretap and surveillance powers he was skeptical of back in 2001. Given recent signs of friction between the White House and Congress on a series of issues--not just the intelligence bill, but also impending tax and Social Security reform--there's no telling which other powerful chairmen might start asserting themselves next year. "Something's going on with Republicans right now, where they're sniffing around each other, trying to figure out where the balance of power is going to lie in a lame-duck presidency," says the Democratic Judiciary Committee member. Jim Sensenbrenner may be only the first of many thorns in the White House's side. |
Ah... the beauty of separation of powers. Thank you, James Madison, thank you.
In the coming years, the opportunities for an organized party of opposition should be immense. Are the Dems up to it? We shall see. We shall see...
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