William “Cold Cash” Jefferson to Run for Re-Election
June 18th, 2008 at 02:56am Mark Noonan
So says Roll Call - and while he is the target of a bribery investigation and the Feds found a $90,000.00 bribe stashed in his ‘fridge, I’ll bet dollars to donuts he wins in a walkover…because his district is safely Democratic and the only thing which will make Democrats get rid of a corrupt person is if that person risks the loss of a seat.
The real “culture of corruption” in DC - it always had a “D” after it’s name.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Congress, Corruption, Democrats
11 Comments
1. Bill Eischeidt | June 18th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Okay we know you guys wrote a book about how corrupt the Democrats are. Whatever. The facts are there’s no need to call water wet or the Sun bright because there’s always a measure of corruption in government because it is a big open trough and everyone gets a free golden ladle. Is that right? heck no. Is it so? You’re damned right it is. So the real corruption that bothers the American people is the kind that makes them feel like they are getting screwed. The average American was really confused about Abramoff and doesn’t care about some black congressman from Louisiana taking money from a Nigerian telecom. Those things are either too boring or too complicated for anyone other than the most wonky of politics fans.
What does get the attention of the American people is hypocrisy. Rostenkowski comes to mind so does Traficant in this vein. Those were both very esoteric scandals involving corruption but they were arrogant about it and acted like they didn’t care so they were busted in the press.
The GOP members implicated in Abramoff had the good sense to shut up and that’s why several of them are still in Congress. It’s a gaming scandal for the most part and the Bob and Betsy American could care less because gas is 4 bucks a gallon. I guarantee you if something came out that natural gas contracts or drilling rights in Louisiana were influenced you’d have the Democrats starting a media firestorm that would burn down the GOP house.
It’s all about the set up. I’m a sports writer by training which is why politics fascinates me so. Politics is a game where the only people who know the rules are the players. it’s up to the fans to figure out if someone scored or not with the help of the MEDIA. At least before the mega corporatization of the media that’s how it worked.
I understand that at the time of the conception of the book you guys where all puffed chest about a possible “permanent majority” and all the money that could come with a breakthrough book that every RushBot might buy. That could get you and Margolis out of the Middle Class finally. But we all know what really happened because the coalition of Religious People, Country Club Monopolists, WarHawks and New Age Executive Authoritarians [neo-Nixonites] is at best held together by a very thin and wet papier-mâché of patriotism, strong economy and a constant public Presidential pronouncement of belief in government ordained “family values” [see appointing conservative judicial activists]. The American people now view the war in Iraq based on lies, the economy working only for the top 10% and even evangelicals are angry at loss after loss in the “Culture Wars.”
That wet weak bridge is now tattered beyond repair with the ascendancy of John McCain who is neither enough by the Religious Right nor well versed enough to protect the Monopolists interests in Iraq, at Home or abroad. For every Chris Dodd VIP loan scandal which I’ve written about in my spaces that Progressives will cover honestly as I did citing sources there are three scandals of equal or even greater weight that GOP bloggers will run from like the bubonic plague. Many, you guys included, even praise the offenders for resigning so that you don’t have to be questioned for your silence. Fortunately for Citizens in America you can excise the cancer with a sharp ballot.
It’s been fun playing.
2. HarkeysBar | June 18th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
‘I’m not a crook’
3. Dollardays | June 18th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
He has been stripped of just about every Congressional title he held. It is time for the Justice Department to put up or shut up.
4. neocon | June 18th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
“Present” - Barack Obama
5. Sunny | June 18th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
What is taking the feds so long in getting this case to court? It would seem if they have such strong evidence this man would be in jail by now.
6. FmrMarine | June 18th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
sunny;
he is a minority- democrat…….there is no hurry,
evidence or not.
7. Mark Noonan | June 18th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Bill,
You might want to read the book.
8. kjstrouble | June 19th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Bill,
Republicans will force out our corrupt party politicians. Democrats will re-elect theirs. That is the problem, and until the Dem’s confront that, and start demanding that their members meet the same high standards that the Republican’s do for their members, the problem will only get worse.
Mark,
Great book.
9. Gaijin | June 19th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Yes, FmrMarine, we can see by stats of who is in prison that those minorities always catch a break.
Peace, gaijin
10. OhioOrrin | June 19th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
2 words -
marion barry
11. Danish Artist | June 19th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
“Yes, FmrMarine, we can see by stats of who is in prison that those minorities always catch a break.
Peace, gaijin”
Oh, yeah, they are in prison because they are black and not because they committed a crime.
You know, you can actually smell the liberal stupidity in the air.