Comment by JohnFen
2 years ago
Then those who are victimized take it to court. If the agency committed an actual crime, then there's a path for that to be prosecuted as well.
It's certainly not a perfect system, but it's successfully done all the time.
>> The only teeth congress has with these bureaucracies is the power of the purse.
>Not true. Congress can make laws defining what those agencies are and are not allowed to do.
>And if the agencies go outside the bounds of those laws like some currently do?
>Then those who are victimized take it to court.
Right, the court isn't congress. My point was the only teeth congress has in regards to the bureaucracies is the power of the purse.
>successfully done all the time.
It depends on how you define successfully. I mean they employ people, is that good enough? Do you think they would be more or less effective with a 20% haircut? I don't really know, but members congress probably don't either. Plus, it's bad politics to cut jobs come election time, right? Seems like a perverse incentive for the people charged overseeing the bureaucracies.
Congress can impeach the appointed officers that allowed those violations to happen.
Congress can create new criminal/civil remedies and then create an office tasked just with enforcing them.