Jerry Nadler: “I am deeply troubled by the way this Administration appears to tackle difficult policy questions. I fear a pattern may…”

“I am deeply troubled by the way this Administration appears to tackle difficult policy questions. I fear a pattern may be developing. The GAO is already investigating Vice President's Cheney's secret meetings with energy executives on federal energy policy. There are questions about this Administration's faith-based office consulting with the Salvation Army about allowing discrimination with federal funds. There are further allegations that the President's Medicare Drug Plan was done in secret consultation only with representatives from the drug companies. Now, the Social Security Commission is looking at only one way to strengthen Social Security--they want to privatize it. This type of one-sided look at policy questions is hurting the Bush Administration. Poll after poll shows that there is a growing concern that the President is too concerned with powerful special interests. His Administration appears to care more about energy companies and drug companies, than about consumers and seniors who need to buy prescription drugs. Well, today, we are offering the President the opportunity to change that perception. Why not balance his one-sided, unbalanced, biased, pro-prviatization Social Security Commission with another Commission to study the other side of the issue? Both Commissions could make recommendations, and Congress and the President could hear from both sides of the debate before making any decisions.”