In a an interview with me on intelligence reform on Saturday, Speaker Pelosi suggested that the White House should either accept real reform of the oversight function–including some version of House amendments on GAO review of intelligence programs and expanded intelligence briefing beyond the Gang of Four–or accept full responsibility if anything goes wrong with [...]

The lessons of the last week — notably, a reconsideration of the degree to which much of the intelligence community has been privatized and hidden in opaque contracts, as well as the WikiLeaks demonstration that the White House isn’t completely forthcoming about the problems in its war in Afghanistan — all demonstrate the need to give Congress the real oversight ability they lack now.

Following the passage of the House health care bill, the outcry against Bart Stupak’s amendment from pro-choice members of Congress was stentorious. Rep. Diana DeGette and Rep. Louise Slaughter co-authored a letter signed by 41 members of Congress, which says quite clearly:

We will not vote for a conference report that contains language that restricts women’s right to choose any further than current law.

Circumventing conference can’t happen without the help of progressive members of the House. There are 83 members of the Progressive Caucus I believe.

It will present a whole host of interesting organizing opportunities that we haven’t seen before when rage in these communities allows us to put up reform challengers who will siphon off the strongest activist support over a health. Since those districts have no chance of ever going Republican, it would shake up the entire dynamic and pose the first real threat that many of these members have ever had.