The underlying issue here is over the division of power within American government institutions. Dating back to the Atomic Energy Commission, we've tried to keep nuclear policy matters largely bipartisian, in so far as possible. Both the AEC and the NRC are by tradition if not statute composed of members from both political parties. Call it the spirit of technocracy.
After TMI, the Carter Administration was able to centralize more of the administrative power of the NRC in the chairman, so there was someone with executive power to implement policy, especially in crises. But the underlying principle of having a balance between the parties was maintained.
What Jascko has done is abuse those administrative powers to force a policy through the NRC that has far from bipartisian support and is a MAJOR departure from law as voted on by Congress. By "abuse" one can offer his travel restrictions on other commissioners who might apeak against his policy preferences, That's not fair game, it's thuggish. If the Democratic party REALLY wanted to kill Yucca Mountain, they could have done so by public vote in the last Congress but they lacked the will to do so publicly and to take direct responsibility for the decision.
The Republicans in Congress are doing their job of rooting out abuses by the Obama Administration and exposing them. No matter who is in the White House, Congress was specifically tasked with that role in the Constitution and it needs to be done by both parties if we are to precent autocracy.
The underlying issue here is over the division of power within American government institutions. Dating back to the Atomic Energy Commission, we've tried to keep nuclear policy matters largely bipartisian, in so far as possible. Both the AEC and the NRC are by tradition if not statute composed of members from both political parties. Call it the spirit of technocracy.
ReplyDeleteAfter TMI, the Carter Administration was able to centralize more of the administrative power of the NRC in the chairman, so there was someone with executive power to implement policy, especially in crises. But the underlying principle of having a balance between the parties was maintained.
What Jascko has done is abuse those administrative powers to force a policy through the NRC that has far from bipartisian support and is a MAJOR departure from law as voted on by Congress. By "abuse" one can offer his travel restrictions on other commissioners who might apeak against his policy preferences, That's not fair game, it's thuggish. If the Democratic party REALLY wanted to kill Yucca Mountain, they could have done so by public vote in the last Congress but they lacked the will to do so publicly and to take direct responsibility for the decision.
The Republicans in Congress are doing their job of rooting out abuses by the Obama Administration and exposing them. No matter who is in the White House, Congress was specifically tasked with that role in the Constitution and it needs to be done by both parties if we are to precent autocracy.
Joe Somsel