Two Profiles: One in Courage; the Other in Cowardice

First the portrait of courage:  Like many of my friends and a significant number of political observers,  I expected at least a partial Supreme Court smackdown of the Affordable Care Act  ---  especially the mandate to purchase health insurance.   So I was majorly gobsmacked when the news broke  that the entire law would remain  intact.  (A provision giving states the right to refuse an expansion of Medicaid coverage was passed,   which could pose problems).

Much to the surprise of many,  Chief Justice John Roberts not only voted with his liberal colleagues,  but also penned the majority opinion.   I never expected to find myself toasting The Good Justice,   especially in light of his past support for Citizens United.  But I have to admit,  what he did required a lot of courage.   He's since been taking plenty of flak from the Tea Party and other sundry creatures from the uber-right.   Was it an act of conscience?   I guess only Justice Roberts knows for sure.   Nonetheless,   here's to you,  Judge.

Meanwhile,  Congressman Darrell Issa  (R-CA),  on the very same day of the Supreme Court's monumental decision,  committed ---  at least from where I sit ---  an abject act of cowardice.   As chairman of the House Government Oversight & Reform Committee,   he orchestrated a true smackdown:   A contempt-of-court citation for Attorney General  Eric Holder.   Was the scheduling a mere coincidence?   Or was it a calculated effort to keep this action from being headlined,  knowing that the media would be focused on the Court?

If Mr. Issa (pronounced ICE-uh) was so certain that his case against the Attorney General was  airtight,  then why not schedule the hearings  when they would gain full attention of the media?  (The Congressman readily admitted that he had no evidence that Mr. Holder had any involvement with Operation Fast & Furious,   a tragically flawed attempt to trace guns to Mexican  drug cartels).

A number of Republican governors,  along with their statehouse colleagues have been going to great lengths to prevent likely Democratic voters from exercising their right to the ballot.    Mr.  Holder is currently co-ordinating efforts to challenge the actions of these state officials,  and hopefully stifle them.   So then,  why is Mr.  Issa giving the Attorney General so much grief at this time ---  especially with the knowledge that this action is being overshadowed by another event?

Hmm!   Not exactly a profile in courage!

(For additional info regarding the activities of Congressman Issa,   check out the earliest post on this blog,  Postal Service Deficit:  A Fabricated Crisis  [2/28/12].    Again,  in his capacity as a committee chairman,  he was largely responsible  for killing a measure to restore the USPS's historically successful pension plan,    despite the fact that there were enough likely votes for passage of this bill, according to the Congressional Record.  I'm amazed that    --- at least as far as I know --- no one in the media has ever mentioned this!).   

(Additional note:   Scheduled service cuts have since been postponed,  but they're not by any means off the table).