What Ever Happened to the 9/11 Commission? Addressing America’s Dependence on Independent Commissions.

Six years ago the United States government charged a ten member independent, bipartisan commission to study the 9/11 attacks. In August 2004, the 9/11 Commission released its report to much media buzz and fanfare. However, when all ten commissioners reconvened in late 2005 to issue a “report card” on progress made on the recommendations of the commission, they issued five F’s, twelve D’s, nine C’s, and one A-minus. This paper therefore looks at independent commissions in the United States and the role they play as “flak-catchers” â€" stopgaps for uncertain or unfavorable judgments cast onto the political system. Because they work as effective mechanisms of evasion, giving the appearance of government action while at the same time dodging responsibility, government bodies have frequently and readily turned to independent commissions. This paper looks at the ways in which the 9/11 Commission acted as a flak-catcher. It uses historical and comparative case-study analysis to portray how the 9/11 Commission operated, organizationally and symbolically, in a manner similar to other American independent commissions, and thus argues that we should expect similar outcomes whenever an independent commission is appointed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]