Well, no — not really.

Dubya’s proposal is a weakened version of the commission’s idea. It’s a figurehead, with no authority, power, and especially no budget.

Of the $40 Billion in “intelligence” funding, $32 Billion is controlled by Rumsfeld. He’s not about to let it go under Any circumstances.

What you have here is more Apparent than Real.

Posted by: Don at August 3, 2004 10:57 AM

if only congress had the authority to revise w’s proposal…

Posted by: wafflestomper at August 3, 2004 11:58 AM

The current intelligence budget proportion was essentially established by the prior Administration and increased via bi-partisan approval after 9-11. The ratio has not sigificantly changed in ten years. The overall national intelligence structure is still pretty much as defined in 1947 and long overdue for modernization… least someone get the idea that the 80% share by the DOD is somehow another Bush conspiracy.

The President is differiing from the commission from what I can tell by advocating placing the proposed Director outside the Executive Branch This would mean DOD and the President would not have so much control. This change has been recommended by others in his admisitration (as reported by the media I believe.) as both sensical and politically astute.

Considering the track record in fighting terrorism by the past two administrations, I think this would be greeted as a good thing and not derided or dismissed out of hand.

The final form will be heavily influenced by Congress who as part of the current separation of powers process must approve the requested funds and form of execution of that funding. They will have the final word after due diligence on the new intelligence operation. Compromise will result naturally.

Don, I would have preferred seeing a response that admitted that on this issue both the President and Sen. Kerry have more in common than not and credit should rightly be given to the Senator to having played a role in forcing the President to embrace the commission sooner than later and in a more bi-partisan fashion. Likewise, credit should be given to the President to seeing that by taking a more pro-active stance and not a “business-as-usual-we-will-study-this” approach our national intelligence operations will be improved via implementing bi-partisan recommendations and the overall position in the GWOT enhanced sooner.

The bottom line is the country is better served by this form of discussion than first assuming that either Kerry or Bush are not honest about their real intentions and blasting any positive action with personal attacks.

I support the President now but I also acknowledge that Sen. Kerry is quite capable of executing the job of President and is no wishy-washy liberal or neo-socialist or any other such childish branding to deminish his capability or potential. Similarly, I’m not convinced that the President is rightfully guilty of all the charges being leveled at him either by the Anybody But Bush crowd. While the Democrats have come a long way to substaniate Sen. Kerry’s potential to be President, for many of us (somewhere around 45% tto 50%), it has not been enough to switch sides.

Reasoned discourse and clear presentation of the facts carry more weight on the final outcome and any significant change that may occur in the current polling nubmers, not to mention impacts from any uncontrolled change in world events and the economy.

Posted by: steve at August 3, 2004 02:06 PM