Ethics Under Attack

Jay: Details please. What exactly is being changed?

“So, it occurs to me:

Cleaning up the muck on the Gulf Coast = very, very important.
Cleaning up the muck on the Hill = what muck?”
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So, it occurs to me there is muck on the Hill and politicians being politicians are all like hey, we are going to protect ourselves. What?

“What exactly is being changed?”
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At long last we are going to provide some protection to our rulers. That way breaking the law will be cool again.

For all the checks and balances, isn’t it funny how there is next to none of the greed of Congressmen and Senators?

Thanks, Jay. I’m presuming you’re po’ed enough about this to be working now on a full dead-tree piece. Post a rough draft first please to feed us (and we can spell check it for you). If only the Senate had any effective ethics panels; how’s that Ensign investigation going already? Were there any other cover-ups involving Vitter besides his ass (literally)?

This absolutely boggles the mind. The party that promised “change you can believe in”, only worsens an already disreputable congress. 71% of Americans disapprove of congress and how they conduct themselves and 62% are unhappy with the direction of the country! Who are these knaves who so willingly mock the public with their high handed tactics? Good stewards to their office and public trust? I hardly think so and hopefully, America will repudiate this chicanery by voting a goodly number of them OUT of office, come November. Good bye and good riddance! Change you can believe in?….what a joke! More like a fraud perpetrated on the American people.

…and your party is cleaner and more ethical, “Doctor” Earl? Oh please oh please oh please do prove it, in detail and with names …if you can. I’m sure lovely Jay will appreciate your help here. Or would trying to proving your point take away precious time from your patients and supermodel wife?

I am an independent voter, decon, who made the grievous mistake of voting for Obama. I learned my lesson the hard way. ANYTHING would be better than these clowns currently in office and if polls reflect accurately….MANY independents share this same sentiment. Thank you for complimenting my wife…she IS quite beautiful and I will tell her you said so. Have a nice evening.

Let me just say this. Each party promises change and lets face it there really are only 2 parties in this country, despite the efforts of the independents, net roots and the tea party.
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These 2 parties represent the status quo and despite Americans’ frustration with the way things are going at any given time in history, Americans are really, really comfortable and acceptable of and with the status quo.
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Because of this we find ourselves for ever here in this vicious cycle of war and other internal controversy that we refuse to recognize will eventually doom us.
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We are constantly seeking an enemy that we can destroy and thereby solve all of our problems and a leader who will comfirm that enemy is real.
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Voting based on the fact the person has an D or and R will not change things. It will only ensure nothing changes.

Hard to recommend an ethics system that tolerates people like Barton and Nelson and Lieberman and Landrieu and Murkowski and Lincoln and…

Earl,
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Either you were far too busy in medical school to notice or need to be checked for early onset of Alzheimer’s since I, at least a couple of years younger than you can vividly recall that the promise and rallying cry of the 1994 Mid-term elections was to root out corruption due to a number of scandals over the previous 40 years of Democratic control of the House of Representatives.
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As you may – but probably do not – recall the corruption issues got worse and worse during the twelve years of Republican control of the House.
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In the past four years Democrats have done a fairly good job of throwing out their own as well as a couple of Republicans for corruption, which, obviously, is nowhere near as good as having 218 to 435 saints in office, but, an improvement.
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Clearly continuing if not trying even harder to put ethics ahead of partisanship and politics itself is the goal, but, it too no time at all for the Republicans to become the congressional party of corruption after the 1994 elections.
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Ethics are an individual thing, so I can not call one party inherently more ethical, but, if I had to pick which party is far less reluctant to throw one of their own under the bus, it would be Democrats who turn on each other and are divided into sub-factions on every single issue and will not sacrifice their own campaign for somebody with ethical issues who shares the letter D after their name.
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Republicans march in lockstep, so, like Marines, they leave nobody behind, but, unlike Marines, hold onto their most corrupt ones to fight off Democrats at all cost.
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Just because you have not signed your name to be an official Republican does not make you a true independent and, with the views you have expressed, I could not imagine why you would ever vote for Democrats since you disagree with everything the Democratic Party stands for.

Great thoughts, deconstructiva.

You know, liberal folks, Earl is pretty smart for calling himself an “Independent” voter.
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The Democratic Leadership will work a hundred times as hard, spend literally hundreds of thousands of dollars more, and vote with infinitely greater political calculation to get his vote than ours.
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Yep, when it comes to New Democrats, Earl’s in the drivers’ seat, not us. And New Democrats are in charge of the Democratic Party.
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So it seems to me that Earl’s the bright one here.
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Maybe that’s why Rahm calls us f*cking retards –because we haven’t figured out how to get Democrats like him to jump up and down for us, the way that Earl has.

Knaves? I hate these guys.

A while back I did a Q&A with the then-newly appointed OCE heads:

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=congress_new_watchmen

how easily the mind of earl becomes “boggled”. is there anything even the slightest bit unintuitive about not giving subpoena power to a committee that could be coming after you or your friends? i give major points to those who set up the committee and although it is disappointing to see these reconsiderations, its anything but mind boggling

I just vomited on my bento:
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“Take the last game of last week’s NBA Finals, when any American voter could wander into Tunnicliff’s Tavern on Capitol Hill and witness one of the most powerful men in the nation egging on the Boston Celtics — screaming at the flat-screen TV, actually — joined by a merry band that included Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.); Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.); and a pair of favorite reporters from The New York Times and The Washington Post.”
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How I wound up at Poltico is beyond me. The horror! The horror!

Stuart, it was the independent vote that produced a victory for Obama and he has all but lost this crucial element. Too bad, because it started with such great hope. We really DID think he would change things.Swissarmy, disappointing it is, as well as disquieting, disingenuous and quite simply, outrageous.

And wasn’t Einstein describing American voters when he said, “insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

It is worth noting, with the news that Jack Abramoff is now working at a Pizza shop in Baltimore, that Congress NEVER investigated any links between ANY member of Congress or staffer and Team Abramoff. It never happened.

I think an enterprising reporter could look back at the scandal that was never investigated.

The fact that the Abramoff scandal has NEVER been investigated by Congress in any serious way tells you all you need to know about the importance of Congressional ethics.

Cheers

American Voters?
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Or the New Democrats?
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http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/5171.html

Centrist Democrats take on left over Iraq
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By DAVID PAUL KUHN | 7/31/07 10:07 AM EST
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At a moment when many Democratic activists are urging their leaders to be bolder and more confrontational with Republicans, the party’s most influential centrists met Monday to call for more pragmatism and bridge-building.
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Presidential candidates were nowhere to be seen at the annual gathering of the Democratic Leadership Council, a moderate group that was closely linked to Bill Clinton but has long been viewed suspiciously by liberal activists.
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The DLC’s popularity among many Democrats — especially the Netroots — has plunged in recent years in large measure because most of the group’s leaders backed President Bush on the Iraq war in 2002 and 2003 and continue to warn about a too-rapid withdrawal.
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Yet even as the DLC is radioactive in presidential politics, the Nashville conclave highlighted how many of the party’s most impressive gains in recent elections — including winning numerous governorships in states that typically vote Republican in presidential contests — have come from politicians in the classic DLC mold. They played down partisanship, played up traditional values and offered agendas that emphasized problem-solving over ideology.
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Many of these politicians warned Monday that Democrats risk blowing their chance to regain the presidency in 2008, and failing to win a long-term majority, if they present a face to the public that is too angry in tone. They also warned that, despite the broad unpopularity of the Iraq war, there is a risk that candidates will position the party as insufficiently committed to protecting national security if they push for too precipitous an end to the war.
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“We have an abundance of talent [among Democratic candidates],” said Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. “Issue by issue, we are in step with the American people. But never underestimate our ability to screw it up.”
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Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, in a keynote speech, invoked the metaphor of rural “barn-raisings” — in which neighbors join together to build a barn — to describe his brand of bipartisan pragmatism.
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He said that has allowed him to be successful as a Democrat in a state that Republicans have won in the past two presidential elections, as well as to make progress on progressive-minded health care and education reforms.
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“Americans have always loved contact sports, and elections are certainly that,” Bredesen said, adding that voters “also expect us to tone that down when elections are over, get together and build some barns.”
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He said he knows some Democrats believe that is “naive” and that they “have to crush the enemy.” But he argued that the problem with some combat-minded partisans is that “if your only tool is a hammer, you see every problem as a nail.”
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The rhetoric at the conference — even as the DLC’s leaders responded defensively to the absence of presidential candidates — highlights a broader dilemma the party will have to navigate in 2008. Believing that too much accommodation by Democrats is responsible for the Iraq war and other Bush policies, activists and many candidates are in the mood to draw sharp lines.
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At the same time, many candidates — including Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama — have also argued that one way to end the Bush era is by turning away from the highly partisan, highly confrontational politics that they believe are Bush’s signature.
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Many other elected officials joined Schweitzer and Bredesen in urging pragmatism over ideological conflict, including Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
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Some politicians were blunt in acknowledging that they do not fully trust their own party’s political instincts — particularly when it comes to national security.
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“Democrats are capable of grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory. We’ve done that a few times,” said Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.).

No, given how incredibly successful les Nouveaux Démocrates have been, I’d say they’re perfectly sane.

earljr1: You constantly drop the news that you voted for Obama expecting this huge change. Are you 12? And after this crushing disappointment you are now going to abandon the democrats and return to what? What other Democrats have you voted for? I find your claiming independence suspect. Everything you post is reactionary Republican.

To name a couple of Democrats I respect: Whitehouse and Feingold. There are others but those 2 come to mind.
Please give me the names of some Republican senators who might be as impressive. earl, textee, freeper?

There has been enough grease palming to go around. My suggestion: cut the number of congressmen in half and extend areas they represent accordingly. Double their salaries. Eliminate ALL contributions from PACs. OVERALL BENEFITS: substantial cuts in the cost of running government — eliminating a vast number of staff (salaries, fringe benefits, travel, office space, etc. etc). Less real estate in D.C. and home states for taxpayers to support.Decisions would be made on the basis of what is best for the USA and not what is supported by PACs. For example, Middle East relations would improve if AIPAC were not dictating ME policy. Healthcare reductions –less greasing from Pharmaceutical and Insurance companies. Defense spending – stop building military equipment not practical or needed. The list goes on — oil, the environment, pork, pork and more pork,

“What other Democrats have you voted for? I find your claiming independence suspect. Everything you post is reactionary Republican.”

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Earljr, people like april2563, and others on the left believe as they do because as long as you tow the liberal meme you are an “ok person”. Deviate one iota from their MoveOn.Orgy or Netroots line of attack against all things conservative and BAM!! you are some crackpot right-wing birther.
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Unfortunately for the country, folks such as yourself did not know what the real Barack Obama would be like once in office. I did mountains of research on the nutball and found that he was one truckload of sewer crap away from a socialist liberal. Folks like april2563 only want you to raise your voice when you are doing so to shut down anything conservative. If not, she will call you bat-$hit crazy.
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But, the more perilous individuals are those like our dear friend stuartzechman. He lives in a la-la land of “New Democrat demons” and other various fictional names he uses to portray those on the left who are not as dysfunctional as he is with his far left liberal thought processes. His delusional thoughts have someone like Barack Obama firmly in the centrist camp, when in fact he is nothing of the sort. He only wishes that he is closer to the middle of main stream America, and that those same middle of the road folks are just one tic away from him. This is classic delusional thought disorder. With the new healthcare rules imposed by the government, people who once took high doses of anti-psychotic medication can now elect to forgo those drugs and remain totally NUTS.
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I for one would like to thank you for seeing the truth. Seeing that Barack Obama is nothing short of the great Satan of politics, and should hopefully be removed from office in the next couple of years. Hopefully the damage he has already done can be rectified and our lives returned to normal.

Why not simply take back the power the Federal Government has grabbed over the past 80 odd years and return those powers back to the individual States. Limit the Federal Government to simply the power to use the military against foreign enemies. That would answer all the problems of big Government and all the massive spending the Democrats have been working for over the past 60 years.
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No more EPA, Department of Education, Welfare, or now the montrosity which will become “Healthcare for all”. Cut all domestic budgets in half for the Federal Government. Only allow the military budget to remain, but freeze it at current spending levels. Close all foreign bases, and bring our troops home and put them on our borders to stop the illegal immigration.
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And for God’s sake, cut all the spending on Obama’s entertainment costs at the White House. Limit the number of “State Dinners” to just 2 a year, and no more weekly concerts inviting the likes of Paul McCartney to seranade dear Michelle. And if Obama wants to go someplace, make him use Amtrack. No more Air Force One. Put that plane in mothballs.
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If you limit the Federal Government, they will no longer have the power to tax the hell out of us, and we will see more money being spent on the local levels where it belongs, and less on the grand scheme of the wacko liberals across this nation in hopes of turning the US of A into China II.

Not such a bad idea Rusty, except for one thing……
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http://phd9.blogspot.com/2009/03/more-earmarks.html
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The problem with earmarks is that EVERYBODY does it. For weeks now I’ve been comparing the Federal trough to a lottery pool. Everyone pays into one big pot and then competes to see who can draw the most money back out. If anyone were serious about reducing earmarks, then they would simultanously be favoring doubling State Income or Sales taxes. By acting like a financial heat-sink, the Federal government gets to participate in the sleight of hand that allows people to think that they’re getting something for nothing.
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The only difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is that the Republicans howl about the process while the Democrats simply shrug their shoulders and proceed.
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Guess which approach is more dishonest?

Well the keyword or phrase is “Limited Government”. If those in Washington do not have the power any longer, Washington would soon revert back into a swamp, litterally. No more lobbyist jockeying for position to get all those “earmarks”. No more Senators for hire. No more Congressional Representatives who fund major road projects in order to fill the pockets of their close friends and family members.
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I agree, it is not just a Democrat problem. It is a problem on both sides of the aisle. It IS a problem we can eliminate if we vote into office people who will abide by the will of the voters and no longer cow-tow to special interest groups.

Thanks for the link, Daniel. Jay would have done well to read it before providing her ‘analysis’.
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JNS: …it’s working a little too well as Pelosi in the last two weeks has signaled that she is open to tinkering with the OCE rules ahead of the next Congress…
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Odd analysis…why would Pelosi end up make things easier on the Republicans?
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…instead, they’re talking about scaling back OCE’s power.
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Considering there’s a good possibility that the Dems will lose control of the House after the next election, why the possible change? One possibility would be to keep Representatives from both parties from being investigated…another would be to keep them from being investigated unnecessarily.
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A power they never granted to OCE…
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From Daniel’s link:

The OCE is not planned to have subpoena power and will only serve to review complaints and forward them to the House Ethics Committee if it deems it necessary.

Given that, it’s hard to find something suspicious about not giving the OCE subpoena power, Jay.
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So, it occurs to me…
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It occurs to me that you’ve been spending too much time staring at Sarah Palin’s Facebook page.

I like how, for folks like earl and rusty, Obama and the Dem’s lack of results equals the GOP is right.
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Logic 101 fail.

Of course, Rusty, I’m sure that when rural subsidies are cut, you’ll be singing the same toon…

I think people might be missing the point.
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Rusty hates FDR.
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FDR made it possible for people like Rusty to pay for infrastructure that attracts jobs and maintains a standard of living that urban Americans enjoy.
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Rusty bites hand that feeds him.
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Hand slaps Rusty.
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Rusty finds roads crumbling, education reduced or eliminated, power delivery intermittent and undependable, doctors leaving because salary subsidies cut off.
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Rusty proudly proclaims win…

“Well the keyword or phrase is “Limited Government”.”

Rusty, where does that keyword or phrase appear in the Constitution?

“Earljr, people like april2563, and others on the left believe as they do because as long as you tow the liberal meme you are an “ok person”. Deviate one iota from their MoveOn.Orgy or Netroots line of attack against all things conservative and BAM!! you are some crackpot right-wing birther.”
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Rusty, you’re continuous inability to use logic and reason does not justify me or anybody else from giving you a reply, but, you will have to note many, many false things about your statement:
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1) I am pro-life, not in line with Democrats.
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2) Stuart is not a supporter of much of the new gun control laws.
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When you, earl and many of the others we so often call wingnuts are called such, it is because you come in using all of the right wing buzz words “communist, fascist, UnAmerican, government takeover, America-hating, Chicago thugs, wimps your Messiah ….etc, etc”.
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It’s like a bunch of college students sit down at the same cafeteria table to talk about their poli-sci class and along comes somebody tossing together a number, often, incoherent charges against what most of us primarily believe in like you are drunk or high on something.
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It’s like we’re all sitting at a cafeteria table together are discussing professor Netwon’s lecture when guys like you come in like drunken high school drop out townies in the cafeteria dying for a food fight.
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53_3 and nflfoghorn are more concerned about race than many of the rest of us due to their own background (just a different POV, rarely in disagreement) while Stuart is far more often irritated by the third way and I am usually looking at the Economics when – BAM – Communist Fascist Wimpy Messiah Chicago thug… blah, blah, blah sits down at the table. So, you get a proverbial taco thrown at you. (Some college caff’s tacos would be far better as projectiles than for lunch in my experience.)

“Why not simply take back the power the Federal Government has grabbed over the past 80 odd years and return those powers back to the individual States. Limit the Federal Government to simply the power to use the military against foreign enemies.”

Sounds pretty good to me. Unfortunately, the Articles of Confederation didn’t work out that well back when we actually had them.

dengre: They were investigating my ex-rep, John Doolittle. He had been a rep for a rare conservative district here in N. CA. He quit because of the implications of the investigation. I thought they had a good case against him due to his relations with Abramhoff and shady dealings involving Doolittle and his wife. Alas, I read yesterday that the case has been closed. No indications why.

By they, I mean the Justice Dept., certainly not the congress.

Freeper: You really believe there is no lobbying and corruption at the state level?
And by your state control standards, does that mean if I lived in Alabama and they had no water inspections and regulations, I could die of cholera but if I lived in ND who had regulations I would be safe? Where would I choose to live if I had the opportunity.?

Above is in response to NewRusty.

never a congretional investigation but any links that could be dug up were used in campaign ads everywhere.