After reading the article, the title is clearly incorrect. It's not a "decline" of intelligence oversight, it's the absolute destruction of the intelligence community by GOP Senators. Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard are ILT (Incompetent Loyalty to Trump) hires. There is no way either Hegseth or Gabbard could even receive a security clearance. Hegseth wouldn't even be qualified to join the FBI, let alone be its Director. These appointments are simply disgraceful.
Democrats started out questioning Gabbard's (lack of) qualifications. They shifted to hammering her repeatedly on Snowden because that was the only thing that was raising Republicans' ire. They were being strategic. At the time (with Hegseth squeaking through on a Vance tie-breaker with 3 Republican defections), it seemed plausible that four Republicans could be peeled off to sink Gabbard. If Democrats are not questioning on substance (although, having watched some of the hearings, I beg to differ) it is because the spectacle seems to be the only thing that has even a hope of moving any votes on the evil side.
I also question the idea that Gabbard's embrace of Snowden is simply a spectacle. It is absolutely disqualifying for a head of any Intelligence agency, and yet another indicator that with Gabbard, Republicans are shamefully putting a blatant mole in a position to endanger intelligence assets and more.
I have also noticed the questioning NOT being about qualifications for the post. "Oversight" seems an appropriate name for a committee that overlooks the important aspects of candidate selection. This Cabinet is shaping up as a collection of very unqualified people. It is unfortunate that Republican Senators have become rubber stamps, but at least Democrats could be asking/making the really serious points.
I’d like to know how the republicans think allowing Russia and China and all other bad actors to just thumb through our intelligence, our nuke locations, our military technology is going to be safe for them.
This is an excellent article calling attention to the lack of pointed and relevant questions that would have exposed Gabbard s shallow understanding of the job she has been nominated for. What a crime that our own Senators (including mine, Susan Collins), came to the committee so ill-prepared and uninterested in getting to the point: does this nominee have the competence and experience to run the DNI? Obviously the answer would have been NO.
I think the Dems really let down the side in their questioning of Gabbard. In the world we're in, you know the Republicans will lay down the red carpet to any nominee of Trump's. So intelligence and wide ranging questioning has to fall to the Dems. Snowden is a practically a diversion relative to Russia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Mexico, Venezuela, and NATO.
There is a lot of criticism of the Democrats in the Senate, justifiably so to a certain extent, but I must admit I do not have great ideas about what they might do. And I am sure they are flummoxed to say the least, because this political blitz is pretty much unprecedented.
That said, we need see more intensity from Senator Schumer, and something more than the coy, evasive and oblique attitude from Hakeem Jeffries.
And, I have never seen more messages and texts from the Left asking for money. Stop2End, PLEASE!
Finally, the saddest thing in all of this is the total absence of values and courage by the Republicans. We have arrived at the Perfect Storm: sheer terror of the repercussions from the MAGA rabble, mediocre people in important places (Senator Collins is “concerned”), and corruption deliberately and strategically located in the positions that matter.
One last discouragement to remind us of how bad this is: Marco Rubio was confirmed 99-0.
Someday, the Democrats will wake up and understand that theatre is not what we need. Exposing her incompetence rather than her past deeds would be best. Someday, the Democrats will stop trying to steal the ratings and do their work as the counterbalance with integrity, the ones that see the objective rather than making it subjective. "When will they ever learn?" are lyrics from "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" written by Pete Seeger in 1955 and later popularized by The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. Democrates, stop fertilizing the weeds and start taking care of the flowers.
Thanks Brian. She would’ve probably taken the 5th on those questions. And, adding Hansen and Aimes to that one would’ve been perfect. Missed opportunity.
Well, the exercise seems pointless, except that it still 1) informs the public (at least to some extent), and 2) requires people to vote and stake their reputations on these choices.
When these idiots mess things up, break things, violate the law, etc, the compliant GOP is going to have to own it. You sign a contract with the Devil and the Devil will have his due.
Does it really do any good to list the questions that should have been asked? It would be better to tell us how to oversee (as best we can from the outside) and be prepared to jump when the inevitable shortfalls, if not outright treason occur.
After reading the article, the title is clearly incorrect. It's not a "decline" of intelligence oversight, it's the absolute destruction of the intelligence community by GOP Senators. Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard are ILT (Incompetent Loyalty to Trump) hires. There is no way either Hegseth or Gabbard could even receive a security clearance. Hegseth wouldn't even be qualified to join the FBI, let alone be its Director. These appointments are simply disgraceful.
Drop “Oversight” from the headline
Democrats started out questioning Gabbard's (lack of) qualifications. They shifted to hammering her repeatedly on Snowden because that was the only thing that was raising Republicans' ire. They were being strategic. At the time (with Hegseth squeaking through on a Vance tie-breaker with 3 Republican defections), it seemed plausible that four Republicans could be peeled off to sink Gabbard. If Democrats are not questioning on substance (although, having watched some of the hearings, I beg to differ) it is because the spectacle seems to be the only thing that has even a hope of moving any votes on the evil side.
I also question the idea that Gabbard's embrace of Snowden is simply a spectacle. It is absolutely disqualifying for a head of any Intelligence agency, and yet another indicator that with Gabbard, Republicans are shamefully putting a blatant mole in a position to endanger intelligence assets and more.
I have also noticed the questioning NOT being about qualifications for the post. "Oversight" seems an appropriate name for a committee that overlooks the important aspects of candidate selection. This Cabinet is shaping up as a collection of very unqualified people. It is unfortunate that Republican Senators have become rubber stamps, but at least Democrats could be asking/making the really serious points.
I’d like to know how the republicans think allowing Russia and China and all other bad actors to just thumb through our intelligence, our nuke locations, our military technology is going to be safe for them.
This is an excellent article calling attention to the lack of pointed and relevant questions that would have exposed Gabbard s shallow understanding of the job she has been nominated for. What a crime that our own Senators (including mine, Susan Collins), came to the committee so ill-prepared and uninterested in getting to the point: does this nominee have the competence and experience to run the DNI? Obviously the answer would have been NO.
The correct headline for this article should probably be "Tulsi Gabbard’s expected confirmation signals decline in Senate’s intelligence."
I think the Dems really let down the side in their questioning of Gabbard. In the world we're in, you know the Republicans will lay down the red carpet to any nominee of Trump's. So intelligence and wide ranging questioning has to fall to the Dems. Snowden is a practically a diversion relative to Russia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Mexico, Venezuela, and NATO.
It signals the decline of intelligence in the Republican Senate. And House. Added to amorality, racism, greed and cowardice.
There is a lot of criticism of the Democrats in the Senate, justifiably so to a certain extent, but I must admit I do not have great ideas about what they might do. And I am sure they are flummoxed to say the least, because this political blitz is pretty much unprecedented.
That said, we need see more intensity from Senator Schumer, and something more than the coy, evasive and oblique attitude from Hakeem Jeffries.
And, I have never seen more messages and texts from the Left asking for money. Stop2End, PLEASE!
Finally, the saddest thing in all of this is the total absence of values and courage by the Republicans. We have arrived at the Perfect Storm: sheer terror of the repercussions from the MAGA rabble, mediocre people in important places (Senator Collins is “concerned”), and corruption deliberately and strategically located in the positions that matter.
One last discouragement to remind us of how bad this is: Marco Rubio was confirmed 99-0.
Someday, the Democrats will wake up and understand that theatre is not what we need. Exposing her incompetence rather than her past deeds would be best. Someday, the Democrats will stop trying to steal the ratings and do their work as the counterbalance with integrity, the ones that see the objective rather than making it subjective. "When will they ever learn?" are lyrics from "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" written by Pete Seeger in 1955 and later popularized by The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. Democrates, stop fertilizing the weeds and start taking care of the flowers.
Thanks Brian. She would’ve probably taken the 5th on those questions. And, adding Hansen and Aimes to that one would’ve been perfect. Missed opportunity.
Well, the exercise seems pointless, except that it still 1) informs the public (at least to some extent), and 2) requires people to vote and stake their reputations on these choices.
When these idiots mess things up, break things, violate the law, etc, the compliant GOP is going to have to own it. You sign a contract with the Devil and the Devil will have his due.
Does it really do any good to list the questions that should have been asked? It would be better to tell us how to oversee (as best we can from the outside) and be prepared to jump when the inevitable shortfalls, if not outright treason occur.
I just want to know why Republicans are willing to sell out the country for the fELON. Why?
The last word in the headline could have been omitted.