Wednesday, September 28, 2005

 

Delay and the spreading ooze effect

It's a little early to be dancing on Tom Delay's political grave. For all we know, he could walk away a free man from the conspiracy indictment leveled against him by a Texas grand jury. Hell, he might even be innocent, or let's just say not guilty, because no one could ever really call Delay innocent.

But it sure looks like justice for a man who has spent his career five miles beyond the line that any reasonable person would say divides the ethical from the shady. And if anybody still questions how shady Delay is, they should read my June 6 posting, "Delay tactics" by clicking here.

The indictment against Delay charges that he and his buddies at a PAC called Texans for a Republican Majority engaged in a money laundering scheme to funnel $190,000 from corporate donors to Republican candidates in the Lone Star state. Texas law forbids the use of corporate contributions to political campaigns, so Delay and the folks at TRMPAC allegedly concocted this scheme.

To read his response and for a few laughs, take a look at his personal website by clicking here. The site gives Delay's own legal analysis of the charges against him, as well as a page devoted to smears against Ronnie Earle, the Austin, Texas, district attorney who is prosecuting him. "Our team can't rely on the mainstream media," Delay's site reads, providing the best argument yet for supporting the mainstream media. He does liberally quote such bastions of responsible journalism as the Washington Times and National Review.

Now let's talk about Ronnie Earle. Delay and his right-wing cronies have called him all sorts of things like vindictive and partisan, to which Earle replied in a 60 Minutes interview, "Being called vindictive and partisan by Tom DeLay is like being called ugly by a frog. It sort of comes with the territory. But that’s my job. That’s what I’m supposed to do." Right-wingers would like to characterize this as a renegade politician out to persecute his opponents.

But the fact is, of all the politicans Earle has investigated and prosecuted, most have been Democrats. Their ranks include Bob Bullock, at the time state comptroller and later lieutenant governor; Gib Lewis, a former speaker of the house; and Warren G. Harding, a former state treaasurer. These aren't low-level Democratic hacks, but top office-holders.

"I have some very, very bitter feelings toward him," Lewis told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, adding that his true feelings about Earle are unprintable.

But I digress, which is exactly what Delay wants all of us to do. Even if he isn't convicted on the charges, Delay's political sun is quickly setting. He's another in a long list of scoundrels who lived by the political sword and die by the political sword. Think Newt Gingrich and Trent Lott. And then think of the growing list of conservatives caught up in charges of ethical malfeasance: Bill Frist, David Safavian, Jack Abramoff. For an entire list of GOP miscreants, check out this admittedly biased page from the Democratic National Committee here.

This spreading ethical ooze of the GOP threatens along with other developments to derail Republican supremacy and even the conservative movement. E.J. Dionne said it best today on NPR's All Things Considered when he pointed out that what had been a party of ideas seems to have devolved into a political machine.

Quote of the Day
"Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?"
- Delay, chatting up three young Katrina survivors sheltered at Houston's Reliant Park, comparing their predicament to a camping trip.

Seen on a bumper sticker
"Annoy a conservative: Share."

Comments:
As Thelma on Good Times would say - "RIGHT ON !!!"
 
Concerning the bumper sticker..Here's the difference: Liberals would like the government to take your money, and share it with other people. Conservatives would like to keep their money, and share it themselves.

You know, so many liberals are all talk and no action. Each and every reader of this blog should examine not just their heart, but their actions. Forget about what the government has done - what have YOU done?

The conservatives I know steped into action when the recent hurricanes hit the southern coast. Many of them took days off work to pitch in with the relief effort, sunday school classes adopted displaced louisiana families providing food, shelter, transportation, and love.

Meanwhile, liberals took this time as an opportunity to bash President Bush and argue for more taxes from their sugar daddy, the American people.
 
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