Corruption is My Co-Pilot

Corruption is everywhere in US politics. But while it took 30 years for the Democratic Party to give in to corruption, it took the Republicans less than 10. We are now mired in scandals of Government that rival, and exceed, any other period of our government.

"The media is falling all over itself to portray former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) as a saint for publicly saying he is "outraged" over the GOP's corruption scandals. Incredibly, almost no one has noted that it was Gingrich who was the architect of the "K Street Project" and the systems of corruption that have taken over politics. Perhaps even worse, it was Gingrich who was the key figure in helping a guy named Jack Abramoff ascend to prominence as a lobbyist and vote-buying artist in the first place. So how come the media is allowing Gingrich - who is gearing up for a run for president - to get away with playing Mr. Clean?" [Sirota]

Here is Gingrich's quote about the Abramoff scandal: "I think as this thing unfolds, it'll be so disgusting, and the Republicans will be under such pressure from their base, that they will have to undertake substantial reform," said Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker (who himself had to pay $300,000 to settle a 1997 ethics case). "This is like Watergate." [NYT]

The keys to the Republican party have been handed over to a partisan minorty composed of the rapture-right christians and those with severe ethics issues. Those are the spokespersons for this party, people like James Dobson, Tom DeLay, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Dick Cheney, and those of that ilk. You've got someone like Pat Robertson that believes that "Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza." Maybe it was the fact that he weighs 300 pounds, is 77 years old, and has a LOT of job related stress. Strange. [CNN] [MediaMatters with VIDEO]

Looking on the bright side, at least DeLay won't be the House Majority Leader anymore! He states: "Mr. DeLay said he had "always acted in an ethical manner within the rules of our body and the laws of our land." [Yahoo] Ummm...sure you did. I think he also has a bridge for sale.

The Democrats state that they want a sweeping House ethics investigation. Ok, but let's be honest here: what are you going to do with the results. My biggest complaint about the Democratic Party of recent days is that they have been more like the cowardly lion, and less like well, someone who points out the other sides failings, and DOES something about it.