White House working hard to derail NSA investigation

The WaPo reports on the latest White House arm twisting to prevent a meaningful investigation into the NSA scandal. I don't know how our system of government is going to survive the next three years when our Congresscreatures use procedural ploys to ensure they get the votes they want, rather than allowing the process to check an administration that's drunk with power and careening off a cliff.

Case in point, the waffling of Pat Roberts. First he calls for an investigation, then after being paid a visit by the White House goons, says we don't need one. Then he says we need to take a vote (because he thinks he has it locked up.) Then he finds out he doesn't have the votes, so he pulls a procedural coup and cancels the vote in order to gain more time for the goons to strongarm their straying party members. Hell of a bad way to run a government if you ask me.

One thing seems clear. If the White House was so bloody certain they were acting within the law and that this investigation would backfire against the Democratic party, it seems rather unlikely they would be working so hard to derail it.