House GOP Leaders Unveil New Ethics Plan
WASHINGTON - House Speaker Dennis Hastert urged new restrictions on gifts from lobbyists Tuesday, responding to a scandal that already has claimed two Republican leaders and raised GOP fears about this year’s elections.
Interesting, isn’t it? After 12 years of controlling Congress, Republicans are just now getting religion- the religion of ethics. I don’t know about you, but I’m finding it difficult to take Dennis Hastert seriously when the GOP’s “come to Jesus” moment comes after 12 years of corruption and venality. Why now? Well, silly, ‘cuz they got caught, that’s why.
Oh, but it’s an election year, isn’t it? Ah, yes…so it is. Well, that would certainly explain the GOP’s newfound urgency when it comes to showing people that they’ve (finally) cleaned up their act. Whatever….
I don’t know how any reasonable person with half a functional intellect can’t see Hastert’s sudden interest in political ethics for what it is: an opportunity for Republicans to act as if they are addressing a problem they themselves have created. Craven? Damn straight? Arrogant? Uh huh. Too little, too late, too silly? Udamnbetcha….
Hastert, confronting a political crisis spawned by the Jack Abramoff scandal, promoted legislation that would end the practices of lobbyists footing the bill for lunches or arranging lavish “fact-finding” trips for members of Congress to warm-weather resorts.
Lawmakers-turned-lobbyists would be banned from the House gym and from access to the House floor, where they have been known to make deals in hopes of changing votes.
Yep, thanks to 12 years of a Republican-controlled Congress, we now have the best government money can buy. Most Republicans have never met a lobbyist whose largesse they would turn away. After all, campaigns cost money, and you can’t buy votes without a sizable campaign war chest. No wonder Republicans are so much better at raising money than Democrats- since they’re in power, they have more to sell.
Democrats, who are unveiling their own lobbying ethics package on Wednesday, chided Republicans for addressing the issue only after the Abramoff controversy helped bring down two senior Republicans and cast a shadow on next fall’s elections.
Hey, come on now…let’s not be hating on Republicans. Sure, they’ve waited 12 years to see the light. And they’ve realized that this is an election year. And their House Majority Leader may be going to Da Big House to fend off frequent, violent homosexual rape (we can only hope). But their hearts are in the right place…aren’t they??
Of course, when your “religion” is synonymous with hypocrisy, any time is a good time to find God, right?
