The Moose detects that the specter of Tricky Dick haunts the House.
Due to the diligent efforts of Senator Kent Conrad and the intrepid blogging by Josh Marshall, we all know of the attempt to insert language in the omnibus spending bill to give the Appropriations Committee staffers the authority to search your tax records with no safeguards. Although it appears that this provision will not become law, it is a cautionary tale of the elephant running amok.
A few days ago, the Moose suggested that Tom DeLay was Richard Nixon without the charm or intellect. Now, the Moose is not suggesting that DeLay was directly responsible for this provision. What he is asserting, however, is that DeLay is creating a climate in the House where such attempts are possible, if not encouraged.
Just recently, DeLay was rebuked for using federal assets for partisan political advantage in the Texas redistricting fight. Through the K Street Project, he is attempting to impose a Stalinist political discipline upon the lobbying community. Given this example, should we surprised that some enterprising staffers attempted to slip this IRS Big Brother Provision in a bill in the dead of night?
Tom Milhous DeLay is the One!
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