DeLay bids farewell to his House colleagues
WASHINGTON — In his trademark combative style, Rep. Tom DeLay bid farewell today to his colleagues in a speech in the House chamber where he applauded the virtues of partisanship and criticized compromise that betrays principles.
Never having been one to admit that there may be more than one “correct” point of view, Tom DeLay’s corrupt, mean-spirited career in Congress came to and end yesterday. It ended in much the same way that he conducted his day to day business: brooking no dissent, and preaching the virtues of partisanship.
In his absence, Congress may possibly become a more civil place…and, of course, pigs will overly Saudi Arabia. Congress could hardly become any sleazier than it was when DeLay was ruling the roost.
Many on the Right will spend today waxing philosophical about the Great Man that Tom DeLay is, and the Indelible Mark he left on the House of Representatives. Interesting, isn’t it, that a party who rode into power professing its collective determination to “clean up Washington” seems so willing to ignore the egregious moral, ethical, and perhaps even legal lapses that in the end forced DeLay’s hand. Clearly, DeLay must have slept through the “Avoiding even the hint of impropriety” class…if he didn’t skip it altogether.
It’s not as if DeLay is retiring of his own volition so he can play golf and spend more time with his family. No, DeLay finally recognized the handwriting on the wall, and he know that if he didn’t step down gracefully and attempt to maintain some degree of dignity, Ronnie Earle would peel his cold, dead fingers from his CD22 throne.
Karma can be a real bitch, don’tcha know??? I find it amusing that Tom DeLay, a man known for living by the sword, has in the end been hoisted on his own petard. (Can I get a “Hallelujah!” from the congregation??) I don’t begrudge DeLay his faith, he is free to believe as he chooses and live his life in a manner that fits with his belief system. What he is NOT free to do is to judge others by his narrow, hate- and fear-based belief system. Despite his protestations to the contrary, this is NOT a Christian nation. It IS a nation in which the majority call themselves “Christians”, though few actually live their beliefs. It is a convenient way to marginalize and demonize those who don’t have to accept Christianity as their dominant belief system (like me, f’rinstance).
With any luck, there’s an orange “Travis County Jail” jumpsuit waiting for Tom DeLay, and plenty of nice young men just waiting to make his acquaintance….
I fervently hope that this will be the LAST piece I ever write about this arrogant, corrupt, self-righteous, miserable excuse for a human being. (Can I get a “GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!” from the congregation??)
Partisanship, said the Sugar Land Republican, “is not a symptom of a democracy’s weakness, but of its health and strength.”
“You show me a nation without partisanship, and I’ll show you a tyranny,” said the former majority leader who has been in the House for more than two decades.
Uh, speaking of tyranny, Tom, have you looked at what Republicans have done to this country during their time as the majority power? I guess it’s not tyranny when you’re the one doing the oppressing and cleaning out the cookie jar, eh?
During his 20-minute speech he avoided those ethics issues, and instead spoke about the need to remain true to one’s political convictions.
An unabashed conservative, DeLay said that while liberalism has a proud tradition in this country, it is an ideology that calls for “more government, more taxation, more control over people’s lives and decisions and wallets.”
“If conservatives don’t stand up to liberalism, no one will,” he said. His comments were greeted by hisses by Democratic lawmakers, a number of whom walked out of the chamber.
DeLay also warned about the pitfalls of compromise when it entails sacrificing principle.
“It is not the principled partisan, however, obnoxious he may seem to his opponents, who degrades our public debate, but the preening, self-styled statesman who elevates compromise to a first principle,” he said.
I’m not the gloating type, but for those of us who lobbied, bitched, whined, and moaned about the fact that voters in CD22 seemed not only to tolerate but condone DeLay’s venality and corruption, this is a huge victory. One of the GOP’s most vivid symbols of their culture of corruption has left the scene before he could embarrass himself and his party any more. It’s about damn time. And yes, it’s my party, and I’ll gloat if I want to….
Here’s a question for all you self-righteous, intolerant, kill-‘em-all-let-God-sort-‘em-out Social Conservatives: still glad you voted Republican?? Especially now that y’all just look like the self-absorbed hypocrites you truly are??
WE DESERVE BETTER….
