One thing to pull out of Adam's post below: the quick response of Congress to the Obama administration's invocation of the state secrets privilege. While I'm not too angry about Obama's decision -- the new administration wants to have a systematic approach to releasing national security information and they're not going to act until they've reviewed everything and have clear standards that apply across the board -- it's good to see Congress pressing the administration on this.
Recall, please, the myriad predictions about how the Democratic Congress would not put any pressure on a Democratic president and proceed with lackluster oversight, just as the Republican Congress did for the Bush administration. But now that Obama has not been as immediately transparent as we'd hoped, Senators Leahy, Specter, Feingold, and Kennedy are working around the administration to put in place more impartial standards (the basics of the bill are after the jump) that were initially designed in response to the previous administration. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, and an independent Congress committed to keeping the executive in check is excellent for our country, and for progressives: Given Obama's commitment to a pragmatic liberalism, having liberals in Congress push him on his principles will be necessary to move the center left.
-- Tim Fernholz
