When the incoming Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi put her weight behind John Murtha for Majority Leader, neither expected the firestorm that would erupt. It is true that John Murtha has been implicated, but not charged, in ethics scandals in the past. So what does John Murtha say in response to questions of his ethics, a subject that is well within the right of the public to question:
It's a right-wing swift boat style attack on me!
First off, the Republicans have no bone to pick with Murtha being elevated to a position of leadership. In fact, while the GOP took about 8 years to set up a "culture of corruption", it took the Democrats about 8 minutes. They aren't even inaugurated yet and they're putting corrupt cronies in office.
Second, it isn't the right, but a Soros-backed political group who also ranks Murtha as one of the 20 most unethical people in Congress. It's the far left that has a problem with Murtha. Republicans don't expect any say in who becomes the majority leader of a party not their own.
The fact is, a politician's integrity, particularly in the matters of bribery and nepotism, are quite clearly in the purview of the public interest. The difference between public servants and public masters is that the former is accountable to the people. When the people raise legitimate concerns, they deserve an answer not a rebuke for daring to raise the question to begin with.
Murtha's answer is a harbinger of things to come, a majority party in Congress who will not stoop so low as to actually engage the people. They're just too good to answer to the public.
The worst part about the escapade is that not only have the Democrats shown that the "culture of corruption" goes both ways, but they are in every way how they are described; out-of-touch elites who only deign to talk to voters in the months before an election. Even worse is that it will likely lead to a very short-lived Democratic majority in which the GOP doesn't learn the lesson it needs to: we expect conservatism and integrity in our government.
It'll be another two years where ideas are pushed aside and partisan bickering reigns.
Article comments
1 - zingzing
um, if you think it took the republicans 8 years to have corrupt leadership, then you don't know a POLITICIAN from a 2x4.
and, um, you keep falling over to the right. maybe you should stand on the other foot for a little bit. just a moment or two. it would help your balance.
your articles are so predictable. also, you had about one piece of actual information, which is more than the usual bambi opinion article. so, kudos to you for that.
can someone edit this guy? sheesh.
2 - Nancy
Of COURSE the culture of corruption cuts both ways - no one ever said it didn't. The only reason a slew of Dems aren't being indicted for playing footsie w/Abramoff is that the GOPs haven't been letting them near the feeding trough for the past 12 years, thereby setting up a situation in which it's mainly GOPs that got "thumped" for wallowing in the mud. Meanwhile, various Dems have been doing what pitifully little they could to pad the family finances, of course they have: look at Mr. Jefferson & his freezer, & Mr. Reid & his little shell games with erstwhile real estate partners.
You must believe in the tooth fairy to think that things would be different. A little, maybe: in the beginning the Dems will be a bit more subtle about their theft & greed than the Republicans had been of late. That's all. After all, John, you're talking about homo politicus horribilis.
3 - John Bambenek
Latest news is that Abramoff went canary on 7 or 8 Dem Congresspeople... including Reid.
4 - Nancy
Reeeeeally; now THAT will be most entertaining. I love watching pols scurry for cover, all the while trying to claim they're doing nothing wrong.
5 - John Bambenek
There is nothing that I would like to see more than see a Congress-wide non-partisan ethics witch hunt. Hopefully it'd run a few hundred Congresspeople out of Congress and ideally into prison.
6 - SHARK
Underground bomb shelter. Built in 1962. Never used.
Guaranteed to keep out Democrats, liberals, socialists, abortionists, gays, illegal aliens, Northeastern elitists, unpatriotic Viet Nam vets who criticize Bush, boogeymen, et al.
Will throw in barrels of crackers, water, teddy bear, and tear-towels.
Cheap, especially if you get Dave Nalle as roomate.
Email me.
7 - SHARK
BAMBI: "The difference between public servants and public masters is that the former is accountable to the people."
The difference between literate writers and amateur hacks is that the former ARE... well, literate.
8 - SHARK
John "Borat" Bambineck: "Republicans don't expect any say in who becomes the majority leader of a party not their own."
John "Borat" Bambineck: "The worst part about the escapade is that not only have the Democrats shown that the "culture of corruption" goes both ways, but they are in every way how they are described; out-of-touch elites who only deign to talk to voters in the months before an election."
JB: "When the people raise legitimate concerns, they deserve an answer not a rebuke for daring to raise the question to begin with."
~John, meet commas. Commas, meet John.
[This guy is an "editor" on Blogcritics. ahahahaha]
9 - Baronius
John, I disagree with one premise of your article, but I've got to applaud your ability to induce rage!
The Murtha hit came from right, left, and center. The Republicans want all of Pelosi's actions to look bad. The press loves a scandal. The Democrats don't want him, because he's an awful spokesman. He's great for criticizing Bush's Iraq policy in 10-second bursts, but he'd stink as Majority Leader. He's pro-gun and anti-abortion. He looks old. He was an ATM on the Appropriations Committee.