Say George Bush needs to raise half a billion dollars for his eventual presidential library and scholarly institute in Texas. In fact, he does, and that's the most a presidential library has ever cost -- Clinton's ran $165 million and George H.W. Bush's half that. The way the law stands now, anyone and everyone is welcome to anonymously chip into the kitty: Halliburton, the Saudi government, somebody looking for a pardon, whomever. Heck, a single donor could kick in every red cent needed for construction and his or her name need never appear anywhere in the public record. Think someone who's willing to help a sitting president erase what is in effect a huge debt is going to curry a little bit of favor? It's a giant backdoor into the president's good graces. Rep. Henry Waxman's been fed up with the way that presidential libraries are funded since when Clinton was passing the hat for his. Today, at about 11 or so, Waxman's Oversight Committee will be hearing a bill that would amend the Presidential Libraries Act. He'd make it so that the name of every donor over $200 is disclosed and posted online in a timely fashion.

Crossposted at Daily Kos