Endless investigations coming

Because Democrats control the Senate and the White House, Republicans can’t pass legislation. But they can mount investigations. Loud, angry, endless investigations, filled with desk-pounding outrage.

And they are ready. Every soon-to-be committee chair will get in on the action. C-SPAN may have to add a few extra channels to cover it all. Here’s what’s in the hopper:

■ The border. Expect hearings that solicit lurid testimony about crimes committed by immigrants, but not much actual policy discussion.

■ The FBI and Justice Department. In a bizarre turn, Republicans decided that the FBI is a hotbed of leftists and Democratic partisans. They’re planning to probe the alleged “politicization” of the Justice Department.

In addition, The New York Times reports that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and other right-wing lawmakers “extracted a promise” from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for an investigation into whether Jan. 6 defendants have been mistreated.

■ The IRS. Republicans were incensed that the Inflation Reduction Act included a significant funding increase for the IRS, which will allow it to shore up its aging systems and go after wealthy tax cheats. So they are planning to investigate the agency.

■ The covid-19 pandemic. Republicans are eager to scrutinize the origins of the coronavirus and the possibility that it escaped from a Chinese lab, an obsession on the right-wing fringe. Their goal seems to be to create the impression of a vast conspiracy responsible for the virus.

■ Afghanistan. Why did U.S. military and intelligence agencies overestimate the Afghan government’s ability to sustain itself without an American presence? How could the withdrawal have been carried out more smoothly? What lessons might we learn for the future? If Republicans explore these questions rather than simply beat up on the administration, it will be a surprise.

■ Hunter. President Biden’s son will be the sun around which the new Republican House revolves: its fixation, its passion, its beginning and its end.

Congressional oversight of the administration is part of the checks and balances built into the U.S. system. But it can be used for good or ill: discovering truths the public needs to know, or weaponizing the process for political gain.

The more any investigation touches Biden directly, the more exciting it will be for Republicans. They already know he is guilty of something (even if they’re not sure what); now they have to convince the public. If at first they don’t succeed, they’ll try, try again. And again, and again. The ultimate destination may be Biden’s impeachment, but it’s the journey that matters.