The Republican party likes its culture of corruption just fine, thank you very much.
Just two weeks after House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) pledged to pass far-reaching changes to the rules of lobbying on Capitol Hill, House Republican members pushed back hard against those proposals yesterday, charging that their leaders are overreacting to a growing corruption scandal.
In a tense, 3 1/2 -hour closed-door session, many Republicans challenged virtually every element of the leadership’s proposal, from a blanket ban on privately funded travel to stricter limits on gifts to an end to gym privileges for lawmakers-turned-lobbyists. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), a veteran conservative who is seeking a top leadership post, scoffed that Congress knows how to do just two things well — nothing and overreact, according to witnesses.
As stupid as the Democrats are, the Republicans are evil and corrupt. That’s why the leadership election they’re having won’t matter one bit. You exchange one enabler of Republican corruption – Tom DeLay – and exchange him for another – Blunt, Boehner or Shadegg. Like CrackTM? You’ll love new Crack with LimeTM!
A twelve-step program has the necessary requisite of admitting to the substance abuse before any progress can be made toward recovery.
Denial sometimes makes an intervention necessary where the addict is confronted by his peers and forced into detox.
The cheap money addicts are no different. If they don t voluntarily submit to detox, the voters will intervene in 06.
Dude, I tried Crack with Lime, but Vanilla Crack is still my favorite. Way more flavor.
It’s about time, this should have been done years ago…and people wonder why Congressmen have no credibility? And finally, Congress can exercise in peace and quiet without having 10 ex-Congressman lobbyists jockeying to try to get them to vote on this or that…as if this shouldn’t have already been the case. But does that mean they have to give up the free vacations too? That’s just going too far, Oliver?!?! How is Congress going to get anything done without those lobbyist-paid, free 2-week retreats to ski resorts and Bora Bora??? And secret campaign contributions?? I guess I’d fight it to if I were in office, especially with an upcoming trip to the Cayman Islands on the verge of being cancelled.
I’d have to say, “Hey! Hey! Hey! why don’t you wait until I’m out of office before you start making these changes?!?” What’s the point of running for Congress if you can’t take advantage of the perks???…such as being picked by a lobbying firm for 10 times your Congressman salary just for promising to vote a certain way on crap like the Environment, Health Care, Social Security, and a little war here and there. If this isn’t how it’s supposed to work, please someone tell me know so I can consider a new line of work!!
Top House Republican becomes chief US drug company lobbyist:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/dec2004/tauz-d18.shtml
He did it, why can’t I?? It’s not fair dammit, it’s just not fair!!!
Yours truly,
Tom DeLay–don’t delay, vote for ME for President 2008!!!
Oliver, did you note the final vote? Of course not, because a higher percentage of Rep voted for the bill in the end than Democrats did.
A Boner, Blunt or Shagging? I’d prefer shagging just about anytime, but I think I’ll just settle with a Boner!!!
Final vote? Voted for the bill?
Ian, they do teach reading at your school, don’t they?
Wow! That’s some re-freakin’-form, ain’t it?
Quaker in his parents’ basement,
I try my best to not read most of Oliver’s posts … I just assumed this was about the close vote on the floor about a similar bill that barely passed yesterday.
They do teach about getting a job, don’t they?
Did you or did you not support the war in Afghanistan? You chickenhawk.
I hear these guys have lots of openings- 5 more today, a matter of fact
http://www.goarmy.com
What do you say ian, how about you becoming an army of one?
Say, peewee. What vote was that you were thinking of?
Quaker in his parents’ basement,
Anyone who takes Oliver seriously, shouldn’t be taken seriously.
…and then blessed us with your wit. Thank you ever so much, junior.
ian takes Oliver seriously enough to post on Oliver’s blog non-stop. ian posts on this blog more than all the commenters on his blog combined.
There was no “similar bill.” There was no “close vote.”
It’s OK, ian. You can admit that you misread OW’s post and then made some stuff up in your comment. You can admit that banning lobbyists from the House gym is the your party’s idea of “reform.” You don’t have to be embarrassed.
However, most people would be.