Rod Blagojevich (D)

Originally Posted by TGRR

Why not just read the RNC talking points and be done with it?

And never let facts get in the way of those talking points.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by TGRR

Why not just read the RNC talking points and be done with it?

Because National Review is first of all conservative, not first of all Republican. Expect a strong note of American Catholicism too; other mags like American Spectator have more a Protestant flavor, plus whatever degree of Jewishness Ben Stein's column adds.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Because National Review is first of all conservative, not first of all Republican.

Can't see much difference, these days.

UG...I suggest you start here:

A report on corruption investigations of members of the 109th Congress..the last Republican majority Congress:

Below is a rundown of all 21 lawmakers, current and former. Ten of them are no longer in office. Investigations of seven are part of the Abramoff investigation. Seventeen are Republicans, four are Democrats.

http://www.propublica.org/article/po...gation-wrap-up

You might also want to read about the K Street project.

The Grover Norquist/Tom DeLay/Karl Rove plan of influence peddling with the hope of creating a permanent Republican majority.

Kinda backfired on them after Abramoff's arrest and Tom DeLay's resignation from Congress under an ethical cloud.

The Washington Post had an article in 2005 on the growth of lobbyists during the years 2001-2004 when the Republicans controlled both the White House and Congress.

The Road to Riches is Called K Street

We can disagree on policy issues....but integrity? I think not!

Power corrupts...not party affiliation.

Please, show a little more objectivity.

[classicman]

Through all that hate - I'm amazed you can see at all.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by classicman

Through all that hate - I'm amazed you can see at all.

There's a sort of a red haze, yeah, but it's not opaque.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

They make so good a case for the conservative cause that it's quite persuaded me. The brains all seem to be on the right-hand side of the aisle. So I hang with the smart guys.

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

...The brains all seem to be on the right-hand side of the aisle. So I hang with the smart guys.

So why do you think so many smart guys on the right-hand side of the aisle were investigated for corruption?

Below is a rundown of all 21 lawmakers, current and former. Ten of them are no longer in office. Investigations of seven are part of the Abramoff investigation. Seventeen are Republicans, four are Democrats.

http://www.propublica.org/article/po...gation-wrap-up

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

So why do you think so many smart guys on the right-hand side of the aisle were investigated for corruption?

Those numbers will change over the next 4 years. There is no doubt about it.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Those numbers will change over the next 4 years. There is no doubt about it.

I think there might be doubt...I wont presume.

The Democratic Congress did at least adopt the first ethics and lobbying reform bill in 20 years...as weak as I think it is, its better than what was in place when the Republicans were in charge.

The question is if they live up to the new standards.

But as I said, power corrupts, not party affiliation as UG suggests.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

They make so good a case for the conservative cause that it's quite persuaded me. The brains all seem to be on the right-hand side of the aisle. So I hang with the smart guys.

You hang with them?



Yes, they will avoid smashing you flat, because you're on their side.

HAR HAR!

None of these Janus-faced assholes are on "your side", UG, and anyone who thinks they are should probably just stop pretending to have a spine.

[classicman]

In his January 8 testimony before an Illinois House impeachment panel, Burris, the former Illinois attorney general, said he had no conversations with Blagojevich before the then-governor's arrest about his desire to be appointed to the seat.

But in a statement released Friday to the Sun-Times along with the affidavit filed February 5, Burris said, "There were several facts that I was not given the opportunity to make during my testimony to the impeachment committee, so, upon receiving the transcripts, I voluntarily submitted an affidavit so everything was transparent."

In the affidavit, Burris said he recalled that Rob Blagojevich called him three times -- in October and then twice shortly after the November elections -- to "seek my assistance in fundraising for Gov. Blagojevich."

Hmm.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

TGRR, you will never know the joys of ratiocination with an attitude like that. Your complete ignorance of National Review, American Spectator, Commentary, The New York Review of Books, The Christian Science Monitor, the World Jewish Review, and The Weekly Standard can only leave you in the condition of a dead fish washed up on the beach, high, dry, and part skeletonized. Not a condition to envy.

I am more vertebrate than you are, for I have the spine to reject the complex of poor ideas that seem to satisfy your mind and tastes, TGRR. You haven't the quality of thinking that could shake me -- indeed, none of the disputants reading this have that, and believe me they've tried. They've all found me extraordinarily tough, articulate, and able to say why I don't think they should hew to the ideas they brought with them any further.

Redux, do give sufficient mention to the corrupt culture of the Clinton Administration, with especial notice to its utter suborning of the Department of Justice under Janet Reno, whose time in office was largely spent running interference for the Clintonistas and the Clintons.

UG...the difference between us.

I say that power corrupts...you say its more of a party thing.

I've never said, nor would I defend, some of the questionable policies and practices of the Clinton admin.. But the abuses by the Bush administration certainly stand up to (and surpass, in the minds of many on the left and center) anything Clinton/Reno did.

Please cite examples of "the utter suborning of the Department of Justice under Janet Reno" and how they match these five by the Bush DoJ

Your defense of those practices does not show "adult thinking"....but rather blind ideology.

Not to mention (again) the corruption and ethics of those Republicans in the 109th Congress, including the K Street influence peddling was the worst in recent years....since the Abscam days.

Just calling our your bullshit for what it is....but feel to ignore the facts in my cites. You can hide from the facts...it won't make them go away.

[TheMercenary]

4 years. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. History repeats itself. Happened under 8 years of Clinton.