The Congressional Follies

[Miulang]

The Abramhoff scandal scorched and damaged many Congresspeople's careers to the point where a few (most notably Ken DeLay) were dethroned. But all of those financial shenanigans are nothing compared to the latest tempest in a teapot which occurred when Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) abruptly resigned from office on Friday due to some improprieties involving a former 16-year-old Congressional page from LA.

Foley's resignation and copies of the emails that were sent between the Congressman and the page were bad enough, but now comes the revelation that Rep. Dennis Hastert, the House Speaker, and other top Republican members in Congress where also aware of the illicit emails and IMs but chose not to disclose the matter publicly. Only when two other senior Republican Congressmen corroborated the same information did the House Speaker finally concede that he had could not remember being told about the impending scandal last year.

GOP leaders have said they referred the matter promptly to Rep. John M. Shimkus (R-Ill.), who heads a three-lawmaker panel that oversees the House page program.

Shimkus questioned Foley, but at that time, he had seen only suspiciously friendly e-mails, not the explicit instant messages revealed recently. In one e-mail to the former page, for example, Foley asked for a picture of him. The boy reportedly told an associate that he considered the request to be "sick," but Foley convinced Shimkus that the exchanges were innocent, Shimkus and Republican leaders said.

Republicans appeared to have kept the matter under wraps. Rep. Dale E. Kildee (Mich.), the only Democrat on the House Page Board, said yesterday: "I was never informed of the allegations about Mr. Foley's inappropriate communications with a House page, and I was never involved in any inquiry into this matter."

You want to know what the most horrible irony of the whole sad story is? Ex-Congressman Foley was co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children

Just goes to show that there are child predators lurking almost everywhere you turn...

Miulang

[Miulang]

Another one bites the dust...

Another member of Congress, Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio, has been taken down by greed and corruption. Today, Rep. Ney plead guilty to charges that he was paid off by lobbyist Jack Abramoff in return for his influence.

Rep. Ney is the first Congressman to admit to bribery, although it is believed that one of the major reasons why former Speaker of the House Tom DeLay, another Republican, decided to retire from office. This is causing additional grief for the White House and Republican strategists as another House seat will invariably fall to the Democrats.

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely

--Lord Acton

[Miulang]

Over-the-top political advertising

The Senate race in Tennessee is turning really ugly. Both sides have aired ads against their opponents that really insult the intelligence of the voters.

The most over-the-top ad is the one endorsing the Republican candidate, Bob Corker, former Mayor of Chattanooga, which just started airing yesterday. What makes it even more embarrassing is the Republican National Committee is the one that produced and paid for the spot. When asked about the ad this afternoon on MSNBC, Corker claims that he had asked the Republican National Committee to stop running the ad but that they wouldn't listen to him. Now the ad has made it to YouTube and even if it is removed from TV, it's still visible go anyone who goes to YouTube.

His Democratic opponent, Harold Ford, Jr. is also not so innocent. Here is his anti-Corker ad in which he smears Corker for being rich.

With this kind of campaigning, why would anyone want to run for office. Especially for Corker, this type of advertising appears as a sign of desperation more than inspiration. (BTW: the polls show both candidates running neck and neck with neither one in a clear lead over the other).

Miulang

[Miulang]

Conservatives against the GOP

Whoa. Talk about fracturing of the ranks. In the Nov. 30 issue of the American Conservative, there is an editorial that says voting against the GOP in tomorrow's elections is the best thing for America. I never thought I would live to see the day that would happen, but the AC's reasonings are pretty sound, if we want to believe that America, as a global leader, has any chance of remaining that way.

It should surprise few readers that we think a vote that is seen—in America and the world at large—as a decisive “No” vote on the Bush presidency is the best outcome. We need not dwell on George W. Bush’s failed effort to jam a poorly disguised amnesty for illegal aliens through Congress or the assaults on the Constitution carried out under the pretext of fighting terrorism or his administration’s endorsement of torture.
...
As a consequence, he rushed America into a war against Iraq, a war we are now losing and cannot win, one that has done far more to strengthen Islamist terrorists than anything they could possibly have done for themselves.
...

The war will continue as long as Bush is in office, for no other reason than the feckless president can’t face the embarrassment of admitting defeat. The chain of events is not complete: Bush, having learned little from his mistakes, may yet seek to embroil America in new wars against Iran and Syria.

Meanwhile, America’s image in the world, its capacity to persuade others that its interests are common interests, is lower than it has been in memory. All over the world people look at Bush and yearn for this country—which once symbolized hope and justice—to be humbled. The professionals in the Bush administration (and there are some) realize the damage his presidency has done to American prestige and diplomacy. But there is not much they can do.

Kudos to the American Conservative for being more concerned about our standing in the court of world opinion than about saving face.
Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: The Congressional Follies

The Congress of the US is rapidly moving away from being an "old boys club" to one that more represents the demographics of the voters.

Yesterday in Minnesota, another couple of firsts were achieved in the Congressional elections: Keith Ellison became the first Muslim Congressman in the history of the US and also the first African American elected from Minnesota to serve in the House of Representatives.

Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee, an African American Democrat, almost won election to the Senate in a red state. He will be a rising star, just as Barack Obama is now.

There are now 16 women in the Senate, the highest number ever. Nancy Pelosi becomes the first woman Speaker of the House.

I think all the Independent voters, who basically helped the Democrats achieve their victory, are going to be watching the next 2 years very carefully. Because if the Democrats don't deliver as they have promised (which shouldn't be too hard to do because they haven't promised all that much), they will be out on their keisters, just as the Republicans were thrown out this time.

Miulang

[glossyp]

Re: The Congressional Follies

I admit to being hopeful that we will see some progress in Congress on important issues like immigration and social security. I do agree with Miulang that the Dems need to make good on their promise for a new direction or they'll be gone too.

[Miulang]

Re: The Congressional Follies

It's now official: The US Senate is now controlled by the Democrats, after incumbent Sen. George Allen of Virginia conceded the election to Jim Webb. earlier today. Again, all the independent voters of this country have given the Democrats a chance now to reverse the travesties that have been foisted upon the middle class.

The Democrats, come the first week of January, have exactly 2 years to move the country away from the direction that so many voters rebuked by their ballots the other day. I guess the electorate isn't as naive or stupid as the Administration wanted to believe it was.

Miulang

[glossyp]

Re: The Congressional Follies

I'm amused by the sudden lack of concern about voter fraud (which I always thought was bogus). Election day I listened to Dem partisans warn of the impending disaster of people not being able to vote, machines being hijacked and general chaos at polling places. Amazing what victory can do to quell fears of voter fraud.

My philosophy has always been that once they are elected they are 'my government' regardless of whether I voted for them or not. My hope is that both parties will pay attention to those moderate and independent voices who spoke at the ballot box. Mort Kondracke has a thoughtful piece today well worth reading. Read the column.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: The Congressional Follies

I'm amused by the sudden lack of concern about voter fraud (which I always thought was bogus). Election day I listened to Dem partisans warn of the impending disaster of people not being able to vote, machines being hijacked and general chaos at polling places. Amazing what victory can do to quell fears of voter fraud.

Or maybe it's because people are more likely to suspect Republicans of dirty tricks?

Not to mention, after the messes of 2000 and 2004, I imagine that on Tuesday night both parties had their people in place watching like hawks. And they probably had teams of lawyers ready to fly anywhere in the country at a moment's notice.

[Miulang]

Thomas Jefferson's Quran used in oath taking

There is this Congressman by the name of Virgil Goode from VA, who has been raising a stink about freshman Congressman Keith Ellison's decision to use a copy of the Quran during the ceremonial swearing in ceremonies in Washington, DC that were held this morning. Ellison is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress.

Too bad for the Rep. from VA that the Rep. from MI chose to use a copy of the Quran that belonged to none other than Pres. Thomas Jefferson in his ceremony.

Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies - the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.

Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers' belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.

THUD.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: The Congressional Follies

During its first 100 hours, the Democratically-led House of Representatives voted to follow the guidelines and recommendations proposed by the 9/11 Commission without specifically identifying the cost to implement the recommendations. The Senate has not yet voted on the bill, but the Congressional Budget Office now estimates that it will cost approximately $21 billion over 5 years to beef up security in this country.

In the meantime, the DoD is going to request something like $142 billion additional dollars to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in the coming fiscal year.

So for the pricetag of about 3 weeks' worth of money spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, we could make our own country's perimeters more secure from terrorists over 5 years? I'd vote for that because I think our borders need protecting more than we need to be in Iraq!

Miulang