Delay editorial: Requiem for a Congressman

[SteppingRazor]

Alas, my editor decided to go with something else for the editorial page this week, so I'll just pass this one off on y'all. Hope you like it --


Requiem for a Congressman

The news will be a week old by the time this paper hits the stands, but the celebrations will still be going on in some circles. Tom DeLay — The Hammer, The BugMan, the fellow who once said, “I am the federal government” — has been indicted for criminal conspiracy. Following that, this personification of government corruption resigned from his position as House Majority Leader.

Republicans spent the ensuing days installing Roy Blunt of Missouri as the new House Majority Leader, a man who recently made the list of the 13 most corrupt members of Congress. The GOP also tried to spin the prosecutor, Democrat Ronnie Earle, as a partisan political hack, but that won’t fly — Earle has prosecuted more Democrats than Republicans, and that’s in Republican-heavy Texas.

“The criminal indictment of Majority Leader Tom Delay is the latest example that Republicans in Congress are plagued by a culture of corruption at the expense of the American people,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

We can’t help but agree. DeLay, an ex-exterminator, had more in common with the rats and roaches he once killed than he did with his fellow human beings. He is a bottom-feeding scavenger who lives off the scraps fed to him by lobbyists.

But looking past the schadenfreude, one can’t help but feel a little empty. Is this the best we can do? Is this the sort of person that we willingly allow to “serve the American people?” We elect the slickest, cruelest, dumbest greedheads on the planet, and then we’re shocked when they turn out to be dirty.

It’s like the tale of the old lady who finds a wounded rattlesnake, takes it home and nurses it back to health. Then one day, after the snake is better, it strikes out and bites her on the ankle. And as she lies there, her life seeping away, she begs, “Why? Why did you bite me? I took you in, and saved your life!”

And the serpent answers, “Lady, you knew I was a snake when you first picked me up.”

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. good letter!

sorry your local fish wrap didn't publish it.

[SteppingRazor]

3. Hmmm? I work for the "local fish wrap" --

Like I said in my post, my editor canned it. So, it's an actual editorial, not a letter -- albeit, an editorial that will never see the light of day. Pity. :evilfrown:

[rasputin1952]

4. But it did see the light of day, right here on DU!!!!

Good editorial, but no matter how one looks at the DeLay fiasco, there will always be a few boneheads who think that this is all a conspiracy against him.

I am glad he was shown to be the corrupt bastard that he is...it bodes well for us in '06....:)

[PDittie]

2. solid

Great punch line.

[flying_wahini]

5. on the front page of the Houston Chronicle this morning it says

in big type "DeLay SAYS HE'LL KEEP CLOUT" "contradicting some colleagues, he says agenda's still in his hands".......
"I will virtually be in charge of the agenda and driving the agenda, I am still a member of Congress. I can still work on legislation."
goes on to say that his works will comply with the "spirit" of the House Legislation that removed him from office. UGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
here's to hoping the Democrats come up with someone who can whip
his cockroach ass out of town....(not holding my breath on this one)