An Interesting Dichonomy...
The 9/11 Commission, we're told, is supposed to investigate all relevant evidence regarding government (in-)action vis-a-vis the Spetember 11, 2001 attacks upon the World Trade Center. Once the commission has reviewed all the evidence (such as it is) relating to how the government failed us on that day, it is supposed to recommend a bunch of changes that will "streamline" the process so that such mistakes become either a rarity or impossible to repeat.

That's the public explanation, anyway.

What will happen, of course, is that the poilitical points will be scored, the taxpayer's money will have been spent, and the Beltway Folks can point to their (ultimatly failed) efforts to make "government more responsible to the needs of the people". The purpose, we're told, is to make sure our intelligence agencies "work" the "way they were intended to".

In the end, this commission will fix nothing, or at least, fix something way too late to be of any use, and government will find a way to fail us again that had nothing to do whatsoever with what has been investigated. The nature of bureacracy is that it will ultimately collapse for one reason, and when that is corrected, it will find another excuse to collapse, and the new reason will be just as pregnant with political intrigue. You can bet on it.

"Your government" no longer exists to ensure that the citizen "has hhis/her needs" met. It no longer exists to be responsive to the people who pay for it and it not longer exists yo even pretend that it speaks and acts on behalf of the people who foot the bill. If you ever doubt this, just ask yourself when was the last time government ever did anything that had more than a momentary, transitory effect on your everyday life?

Government is NEVER held accountable for it's breakdowns by the public at large because for all intents and purposes, no one knows just WHO the government is. You have senators and Congresspersons, but they are just the face on the TV screen. The real government is stashed away in various federal bureacracies and toils away anonymously. The sentaors, congress-critters, and Presidents all come and go. The heads of various federal agencies do likewise. However, the vast bulk of the government consists of unknown bureaucrats that are never identified (unless they show up on your doorstep with a warrant) and without accountability (ever get the "I don't make the policies, I just enforce/follow/abide by them" spiel from a bureaucrat?).

If you don't think so, try asking the Social Security Administration just how it is that when they possess four tons of paper pointing out that you are disabled, numerous, repetitive requests for further information (duly answered), and a mountain of consent forms for further investigation, just how it is they can go about denying the benefits you were taxed for? The response I got was: "it is policy to reject at least 90% of all claims the first time around". The reason? "That's just the way it is --- listen, I don't make the rules, I just have to follow them, okay?"

Submit all the evidence you wish. Review every policy your little heart desires. In the end, it is not the faces on the commission, nor the ones in Congress, nor even the ones that sit in the White House that will run anything. It will be an anonymous voice on the other end of the telephone telling you "this is how it works, now shut up and eat it".

We expect the government to work when it comes to things like terrorism, but somehow, no one gets bent out of shape when the government doesn't bring forth a promised benefit even when all the bureaucratic sumersaults have been duly done. The FBI and CIA will never work as long as the Social Security (Mis-) Administration doesn't.