"culture of corruption" theme -----meets with shurgs

[rodeodance]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/03/AR2006060300538.html

Ethics Issue May Not Rouse 11th District
Challenger of House Republican From California Perceives Indifference Among Voters

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 4, 2006; Page A06

Enraged by what he saw as corruption in his own party, a 78-year-old legend of Republican politics emerged from retirement this year to challenge House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo for California's 11th Congressional District seat.

But as former congressman Pete McCloskey traverses Pombo's district hammering the incumbent for ties to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and indicted former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), one response has been dominant, he conceded: shrugs of indifference.

.........
photo:
Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-Calif.), shown at his ranch near Tracy, Calif., publicly declared last month:
Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-Calif.), shown at his ranch near Tracy, Calif., publicly declared last month: "I never broke any rules in the House. I never broke any laws. All I've done is fight for the things that I believe in." (By Rich Pedroncelli -- Associated Press)
Politics Trivia
Who is the longest-serving Republican leader of the U.S. Senate?

........

With California's Tuesday primary approaching, McCloskey's experience may have broader significance for the larger contests in November. The "culture of corruption" theme featured so prominently in Democratic campaign literature may not be so potent, after all.

"When I talk about ethics, the response quite often is, 'Yeah, he's a crook, but he's our crook, and isn't everybody a crook out there?' " McCloskey said in an interview last week. "I'm not sure it makes much of a dent on anyone in San Joaquin Valley who's worried about water, the traffic and air that has become some of the worst in California."

[blm]

1. That's because he's talking to other Republicans - they buy the swill that

BOTH parties do it and they're ALL a bit dirty, because that's what the gOP controlled media TELLS THEM on a daily basis.

[murielm99]

2. Why was this article written?

They want to plant the idea that it is okay to shrug and the culture of corruption.

Stupid fucking newspaper.

[Joe Bacon]

3. and WHAT "Newspaper" has created the "culture of corruption" more?

Why, none but the Pravda on the Potomac, the Washington Post.

No paper has done more to cover up the crimes committed by Chucklenuts.

No reporter has done more to create the culture of corruption than Bob Woodward, who repeatedly lies any lie Karl Rove tells him to write.

I'm waiting for Bob to write that Freedom is Slavery, War is Peace and Ignorance is Knowledge, oops, he's done that repeatedly...

[mandomom]

8. The Devil Reads Pravda

[cantstandbush]

4. But look at what he says they ARE worried about :water, traffic, air

I am telling you, the Dems can get a platform to catch the imagination and unify the nation. A world class rail system linked to a world class mass transit network: creates good paying jobs, cleanse the air, and reduces traffic. I have been preaching this since Carter was President. When he was President there was a little hope that Americans might be convinced to sacrifice a bit of their love for gas-guzzling one-driver autos but that was quicly phoo-phooed by candidate Reagan when he made of Carter and suggested that Americans should not be asked to sacrifice. It's been down hill with the environment and improved gasoline mileage and mass transit systems ever since.
They say Dems have no idea but I am telling you that a candidate who can press for these things while pushing to end our occupation of Iraq can produce a winning ticket. But the ideas have to be explained, publicized, believed in, and focused on. Think about it: If our now dying auto companies would re-tool to making energy efficient buses, autos, trains think of the jobs it would create. Venture capitalist, bonds, etc. could fund the enterprise. We could export our model of clean air, water, and mass transit instead of weapons and wars. If nations in Africa were given the hope of wealth by building instead of tearing down. If building roads, house, and mass transit systems could become the new gold and diamond mines of Africa and Asia....what might the world be like in twenty years? If we can rid ourselves of the culture of corruption and greed that seeks to garner wealth, power, and privilege for a few whites of the world and turn instead to a culture that shared wealth, power for universal good, and only the privilege of peace...what a world this could be.

OK flame away!

[acmejack]

5. How could anyone possibly flame words of truth & wisdom such as your's?

You make me weep for what might have been, those indeed the saddest words. All I can do is for the thousandth time is damn Reagan, the affable charlatan who set this Nation on the course to ruination. Now here we find ourselves right where he and his gang of thugs wanted us to be, I hope they are pleased, soon the oblivious Citizenry will rouse themselves from their slumber and wonder where their Country went.

[LiberalPartisan]

6. What's that old adage, "people get the government they deserve"?

Heaven forbid we ask someone to miss an episode of American Idol to become even marginally informed on the issues.

Also - if people's sense of ethics are not outraged by Pombo they are lacking in ethics to begin with.

p.s. I'm with you cantstandbush. Great points all of them.

[mandomom]

7. Has the GOP/Bush become the Scott Peterson of American government?

What turn of phrase will rouse Americans agaisnt the
republican machine's torture of truth and our Constitution?
Perhaps a comparison to the process of understanding the
allegations against a single man can drive the message into
our kitchens, worhip houses and coffee shops. Compare the
public presentations: charming and persuasive; appears
successful and devoted to those who depend on him; makes a
public show of trying to get to the bottom of a problem while
keeping his line open for a relationship that is diametrically
opposed to his public statements; tears of pseudo-compassion;
like dandelion fluff in a storm his manipulations and lies
fall apart under the weight of facts compiled by outside
forces. What is arguably still missing in the Bush-era is an
outside force with the power to present the truth. Peterson
has rights of appeals and so will the GOP/Bush machine. First,
let's start the storm of fact-based reality.