Akkam’s Razor

Nancy Pelosi takes impeachment off the table. We find that Democratic Leadership was aware of the waterboarding tapes. Most recently, Harry Reid appears to be dismissing Chris Dodd’s hold (a member of his own party, no less) on legislation which promises retroactive telecom immunity as related to domestic spying.

I had always assumed that BushCo distorted, lied, or just never disclosed to the opposition the shenanigans they were up to, which would be wholly consistent with their actions in the past.

I can understand being bought by lobbyist dollars. I can even rationalize (but not condone) allowing things to spillover into 2008. But why facillitate and condone their actions further?

But the question still remains - why not deliver on electoral promises of answers, accountability, and oversight? Perhaps they have been adequately briefed, and now fear being fighting a two-front political war with the right criticizing them of changing their positions to appease their base, where they had, at least passively, condoned Administration actions, and a liberal base that would call for their heads for abandoning their principles? Is there any other reasonable explanation?