Most Ethical Congress in History, and other charming lies.
*...in his FREEZER.
By Moe Lane Posted in Congress — Comments (14) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
To our lurkers: remember how, back before the election, we kept getting told about that Culture of Corruption thing? And how everything was going to be different once the Democrats retook Congress? All those important legislative jobs would be replaced with good people, trustworthy people, people without a hint of scandal to them. Things would be different.
It is my fond hope that everyone reading this knows that the above was merely Democratic agitprop. I'd rather not have any of our traffic come from people stupid enough to believe in it, particularly now that Speaker Pelosi's thrown enough raw meat to the progressives to let her get away with salving Rep. Jefferson's* pride. And it's not a bad salve. Not so much money, but it's got gravitas:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who stripped embattled Rep. William Jefferson of his seat on a powerful tax committee last year, has decided to put him on the Homeland Security panel, infuriating some Republicans who charge he may be a security risk.
Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, was kicked off the Ways and Means Committee amid a federal bribery probe, yet still won re-election to a ninth term.
Pelosi is giving him a seat on the panel after Jefferson was outspoken in his criticism of the homeland security agencies that responded to Hurricane Katrina. His appointment must still be formally approved by the rest of the House Democrats.
(Via Fark)
Before we go any further, do remember that this is the fellow who 'borrowed' National Guard equipment at the height of the Katrina disaster to get stuff out of his house. Just in case any of you felt obligated to actually defend the choice of committee.
Read on.
Now, let's be clear. I can't do anything about this, and neither can anybody else likely to be reading me right now. This was the price that the Democratic Party had to pay for disconcerting a powerful Representative last year. Jefferson* had to be given something - at least in the Speaker's mind - and Pelosi chose Homeland Security. I don't know whether she picked this one because it was important or unimportant to her, and honestly? I don't know which would be worse.
Either way, this tells you something about the new boss. For one thing, it tells you just how seriously she took that effort by the progressive base to unseat Jefferson* in the runoff. This is another one of the which-would-be-worses: she either thinks that said base didn't really mind the man's presence in Congress (despite their loud protestations to the contrary)... or she just doesn't care whether the base minds or not. Me, I embrace the healing power of 'and'. Some did care, some didn't, either way Pelosi's just given them all an anti-surge resolution and has sent her personal unofficial hatchetman over to the antiwar movement to coordinate the campaign to suggest the initiation of the review of the plan of the strategy to logroll the war - so no better time than now to do a little business, yes? The base will understand.
Not that it matters to her.
Moe
PS: Am I distraught? You wish. Neighbor, I get to write things like this for the next two years. And the best part? It's all true.
[Since lightly edited.]
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Most Ethical Congress in History, and other charming lies. 14 Comments (0 topical, 14 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
He's under an FBI investigation and chairs the committee that approves funding for... you guessed it.
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Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged. — J. Michael Waller
We had them. We absolutely had them. The "culture of corruption" meme was obviated, gone, lost for any campaign value. Then, lo and behold, Hastert loaded up both barrels missed his own foot, saying Congress had the right to take bribes if they kept the evidence in among their other important work.
Who knows, the Dems might even have held off on the Mark Foley crap ... or maybe not.
And Moe, is it because you are snarky or jaded that you're glad that William Jefferson (D-LA) is still walking the halls of Congress instead of sharing a minimum security hospitality suite?
The Academy: researching the Illiberal Arts
Although I'm also holding out for a nice, big scandal where Rep. Jefferson* throws everybody he can at the cops in order to get an easier sentencing deal. I want Congressional perp walks appearing on local news programs all over America. I want the Feds to have to bring an extra bus to the Hill in order to haul away their catch. I want to see this situation be turned into Something-gate.
In short, I want to be Vir Cotto. :)
Moe
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.
*...in his freezer.
Vir Cotto to Morden:
I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike – as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I want to look up into your lifeless eyes and wave . . . like this.
Me, I just want to be able to do that same wave to the Democratic majority currently in Congress on January 3, 2009.
---
Internet member since 1987
Member of the Surreality-Based Community
We aren't responsible for putting them in power. So when they pull boneheaded moves its not our fault.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
Socrates wrote:
Who knows, the Dems might even have held off on the Mark Foley crap ...
Born yesterday, and already posting on Redstate. :-)
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Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words...-Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes
be ethical was an absolute idiot.
The democrats wrote the playbook on corruption, and they didn't lose it over the last 12 years.
..such a quaint,dated practice.How on earth can we become free with such chains..):
"To you who call yourselves men of peace, I say: You are not safe unless you have men of action on your side."
-Thucydides-
This Congress commits one outrage after another. I can't see one thing that they are doing, or that they say they intend to do, that is good for the country. Their actions give comfort to the enemy.
Like many, I am feeling rather glum about all this right now, especially when the likes of Sen. Snowe and Sen. Collins go to the other side. Can Sen. Lieberman be convinced to become a Republican?
At a moment of great danger, what can we do, with these awful people in charge of Capitol Hill?
since she couldn't get the highly ethical Alcee Hastings to head up Intelligence and had to settle for that moron from El Paso who doesn't know Hamas from Hezbollah from Hamburgers.
and the asterisk said it all. Nice work, Moe.
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After the 2006 elections, al Qaeda released a statement saying they were happy Democrats won. That should tell you all you need to know.
After all a fair amount of them covet positions where they won't be called to account. She is showing them she will deliver. Did I say base ? I meant the people that tell the base what to think .
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777