Tom Delay shut Democrats out of this scandal....

[kentuck]

Or perhaps, they would have been side by side with the Republicans reaching out their grubby and greedy paws for paybacks and bribes for their votes, especially for defense contracts. Duke Cunningham was the worst of the lot but he was not alone. Duncan Hunter was there with his hand out. So was Katherine Harris, the whore that was willing to sell our political process down the river so George Bush could win the election in Florida, by appealing to his friends on the Supreme Court. And there were several more, names yet to come.

But it all started when Delay and the Repubs took over the Congress in 1994. Delay unashamedly told all the lobbyists that if they did not give to the Republican Party, they may as well not even knock on the door. So, because of that decision, this is solely a Republican scandal. And we really have no idea how big it is.

[cyberpj]

1. Anyone believe we'll EVER know just how big it really is? nt.

[wryter2000]

2. Good point

I hadn't thought of that. By keeping all the spoils for his buddies, he saved greedy dems from themselves.

[WiseButAngrySara]

3. Why do I keep hearing on M$M that "this doesn't jsut involve Repugs,

but it involves Democrats too." Ad Nauseum. I've heard that Reid is involved. How, and who else?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

7. Because that's what they're being told to report.

[madokie]

4. Way back in the early '70's

We had most of the county commissioner in Oklahoma convicted of taking kickbacks. Some of the Commissioner were pretty powerful too. So I have faith that we will get to the bottom of this sooner, hopefully not later. Only one Commissioner was aquited, but It cost him everything he had. He had Gene Stipes law firm of McAlester defend him. It was so much fun watching them all go down.

[harlinchi]

6. Remember Abscam in Philly?

Where congressmen were known to have made and to have been recorded making such poetic statements as,"Money talks and BS (unabbreviated) walks"!

[madokie]

8. I say right after the new year we start making a lot of noise

rattling a lot of cages and not stop until we have this corrupt bunch in front of the courts. The whole lot of 'em.

[patdem]

5. When I read your post all I could do was chuckle and think..oh the irony!

I admit I never thought of it in those terms before, but as soon as I saw your post I immediately thought of the K Street project and thought as you did...it ended up saving Democrats from being swept up in this scandle! OH the IRONY!

[Toots]

9. Don't count on it

A few Democrats have been around long enough to know how to grease their own skids.I would be extremely surprised if no Democrats are involved. This "culture of corruption" is not a solely Republican thing. Granted because of Republicans being in Power and Delay's attempt to shut out Democrats completely it will be mostly Republicans but a few Democrats will have had their noses in the slop.

[donkeyotay]

10. It's true. The K Street Project. The GOP wanted it all for themselves.

The apples-oranges "everyone does it" defense is crap. If corruption is so common then we need an immediate and complete removal of the lobbyists. Their activity should be restricted to public advocation of their positions. No gifts. Not even a lunch. Then we could have a study into how much privatization is costing us and whether a privatized military raises questions of morality and poses a security risk.

Oh, I'm sorry. Democrats don't have any ideas.

[Kansas Wyatt]

11. Lobbyists should have the SAME access to Representatives

As the homeless and poorest among us get. Same goes for CEOs and the wealthy elite that have purchased our Government.

If this is not made the observed law of the land, then 'We The People' should throw a big tantrum.

[donkeyotay]

12. Lobbyists should have less. As citizens, they already have one vote

They claim a second helping of representation as a business or corporation. We, the people, could humor them with their own House so that they can publicly voice what they claim are legitimate concerns of business and industry. Just no money. (A friend imagines they should also be made to wear plaid leisure suits when they speak in public. Works for me.)

Our Senate and House should do the people's business only. And if they are beholden only to the people that elect them, they will have to listen to the homeless and poor, a growing constituency.

Cynics like to say that politics have always been corrupt, as if that excuses the current mess. Power corrupts, and privatizing government has super-sized corruption.

Make bribery illegal again!