Culture of Corruption?

OK, let me see if I get this right: The Democrats ran under the rubric of the Republicans' "Culture of Corruption". Nancy Pelosi was even quoted saying, "Maybe we need a woman to clean up the House". Now, that's cute and all, but when the rubber meets the road, where are the Democrats?

Well, Nancy Pelosi rejects Jane Harmon as the majority leader of the House Intelligence Committee, favoring Alcee Hastings, who was impeached and convicted for corruption and bribery and removed from his judgeship before he got elected to Congress.

And then there's Nancy's choice for the House Armed Services Committee, Jack Murtha. Let's leave aside the fact that he wants to cut and run -- Sorry, I mean he wants to redeploy the troops from Iraq to Okinawa so that they'd be nearby "in the region" should trouble breakout again. But he was one of the unindicted coconspiritors from the Abscam days. There's even an audio tape with him saying, in effect, that he would take the bribes offered eventually, just not right now.

Harry Reid is quite the paragon of virtue. He's on Jack Abramhoff's speed dial, he's hosed over Indians for contributions, and used his position to enrich his sons and other family members in various shady real estate deals.

What I find most stunning was the sheer hypocrisy of the Democrats when it came to Tom Foley. Here was a man who, while vile, only wrote his intentions to his wouldbe paramours. That same week, those same Democrats were singing the praises of just departed Gerry Studds, who actually slept with underaged boys, turned his back on the Ethics Committee when they anounced their censure, and then was treated like a homecoming queen by the Democrats who gave him one powerful chairmanship after another. I suppose they needed him to hold the hand of Barney Frank, yet another avatar of what passes for ethics among the American Left.

I don't hold with any corruption from any Party. But you have to admit that when the Republicans found out about Foley, they got rid of him. They didn't give him standing ovations and powerful appointments.

Oh, I know that people failable and that having high expectations might be holding to unrealistic ideals. But if one loses his ideals, one becomes a Democrat. We have child predators appointed to powerful chairmanships and getting standing ovations.

Republicans, however, clean up their own messages.

Copyright November 15th, 2006