Saturday, January 6, 2007

THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION

Over the last few years, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the House Minority Leader & Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), lined up in front of a podium and denounced the Republicans for their "Culture of Corruption"
In to-day’s Moultrie Observer there was a letter to the editor bemoaning dirty politics in political campaigns. This is not an attack on the author of that article. It is a noble thought that we could have a political race and it only be run of a positive basis of what that candidate would like to contribute.
Sadly though this is only half of the equation. The public needs know what that candidate has done in the past if he happens to be an incumbent. The news media is not likely to report malfeasance if that person is not of the same political persuasion nor is the media likely to report those good accomplishments if the incumbent is not their "BOY." Sad but true.
Back to Pelosi and Reid. They both are guilty of the same charges which they so capriciously hurled at the Republicans.
I hold the National Republican Party in disdain for not following the public display of hypocrisy of the Democrats with a counter charge pointing out that the "skillet should not call the kettle black."
Both Pelosi and Reid are linked to Jack Abramoff. Their charges of corruption when referenced to a Democrat are simply referred to as technicalities on reporting, when linked to themselves. According to figures released from the Federal Election Commission in October 2006 Reid (D-NV) accepted $30,500.00 and Pelosi (D-CA) accepted $3,000.00 from . Abramoff. Also, Pelosi was forced to pay back $21,000.00 in her own ethics case.
Pelosi vowed to drain the swamp if the Democrats claimed the majority. The water is down and we see that not only Republicans but also many Democrats have ethical problems.
Fact is she is having a hard time finding corrupt free Democrats to fill leadership positions.
Today a Democrat Representative has agreed to ensure that his staff does not engage in improper political activities working for the private needs of the representative and in campaigning for his reelecting. He "fessed up"and has acknowledged""a lack of clarity in communications with aides about their duties"
Last year a Democratic Representative was convicted of forcing his aides to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and on his houseboat in Washington.
One goes to prison the other confesses and is appointed to the Chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee. What is the difference similar charges, different treatment? Is it because the one allowed to keep his seat and be a committee chairman, is black and the other is white? Nope, Not in this case. The one who went to prison was a conservative Democrat and did not toe the party line. The other is a Liberal Democrat and was allowed to "plead Guilty" and rewarded with a Chairmanship.
In an analysis of corruption you will find that neither Republican, Democrat nor Independent has a monopoly on corruption nor a padlock on ethics. They are not all crooks. They just look that way. A guilt by association, so to speak.
What would be nice would be a slate of candidates who was pristine pure recrd untainted by corruption of office and innocent of transgressions. This is a day dream. It probably will never happen to any great extent.
Lacking a media who will be fair and balanced in reporting and unbiased in disclosure of the acts in the political realm, dirty politics is all that’s left to define a candidate.
Uncle Josh Tillman told me a story when I first run that a candidate informed his father that he was going to run for office. "I wouldn’t do that Son, Politics is a dangerous profession, all kinds of lies will be spread about you." The son disregarded the good advice of his father and runs anyway. Later he called his father and bewailed the fact that many defamatory things were being said about him. Didn’t I tell you that lies would be spread about you? Lies are not the problem Pa, they have started telling the truth about me and it’s killing my campaign.
Dirty Politics are bad but the alternative of a race where problems of ethics of judgment are ignored is worse.
(Politics is derived from two Latin Words. Poly meaning many and ticks referring to parasites.)