Election Ends One-Party State: How Will Democrats Use Their New Power to Investigate?

Interview with James Ridgeway, investigative journalist, conducted by Scott Harris

Since George W. Bush was appointed president by the U.S. Supreme Court after the tumultuous 2000 presidential election, America has been a virtual one-party state with the Republican Party in control of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. But even after grave questions have emerged about the administration's conduct surrounding the 9/11 terrorist attack, the war in Iraq and the dismal federal response to Hurricane Katrina, Congress has held few hearings and exercised little or no oversight.

Branding the GOP-House and Senate a "rubber stamp" Congress, Democrats running to win back control of the legislature promised to bring back accountability and checks and balances that are an essential part of the U.S. constitution and American democracy. With Democrats in the driver's seat, many observers are asking what the party will do with their newfound power.

In an article titled, "Sweet Subpoena: Nine Tough Questions for Congress" published in the September - October issue of Mother Jones' magazine, investigative journalist James Ridgeway examines what he believes to be the top issues Democrats should investigate. These issues include looking into the causes, conduct, and effects of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars; White House authorization of torture, secret prisons and warrantless surveillance; and U.S. energy policy and oil company profits Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Ridgeway about what we can hope for and what we can expect from the new Congress.

Read Ridgeway's article titled, "Sweet Subpoena: Nine Tough Questions for Congress" in the pages of the September-October issue of Mother Jones' magazine, or online at www.motherjones.org

Related links:

"2006 Election Results"

The End of the Neocons," by David Olive, Toronto Star, Nov. 5, 2006

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