• Politics and scandal

    As I’ve said before, I spent the formative years of my political leanings in a hot-bed of liberalism; a university campus. As a junior, I went to my first campaign rally – for Clinton/Gore in the fall of ’92. My first presidential election as an “adult” was that ’92 election. I watched the man I voted for become embroiled in a couple political scandals, most notably the Jones/Tripp/Lewinski flap.

    Now I get to see what it’s like from the other side of the political spectrum… and the cup runeth over.

    The scandal du jour… today I read that my least favorite Florida politician, Tom Feeney, has been tied to the infamous Jack Abramoff. You remember Tom Feeney… he was the guy that created a new seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in his own back yard (while he was the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives) – effectively giving himself a promotion.

    It seems that Mr Feeney underestimated the value of a trip he took, and denies he knew Abramoff paid for it. It turns out he was only off by about three or four hundred percent on the value of the trip – but hey, what’s fifteen grand between friends?

    Oh, that’s right… he doesn’t know Jack.

    All of this could be perfectly innocent. Hell, people are trying to give me twenty grand with no strings attached all the time.

  • If you believe it, you can make it true

    The saddest legacy of the Bush Administration’s six-year trail of cronyism and corruption is that it contributes to the public’s already cynical view of government. This makes it even more difficult for those of us who believe that the purpose of government is to secure a better future for our country and all of its people. Repairing this sorry legacy is the first challenge our next President will face.

    Rahm Emanuel: GOP’s Motto Is “Ask What Your Government Can Do For Our Party” | TPMCafe


    So a conservative runs for office on a platform based in part on distrust of government. They win, and proceed to screw up time and again… in a fashion which seemingly proves their point, paving the way for the next peddler of government disdain.

    It’s enough to make a modest civil servant cry.

  • Ray of hope

    Apparently there is some good in the world. The Rays win and sweep a short series at home against the dreaded Yankees.