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Uncommonly Sensible

Keeping the "anal" in analytical... (While trying to remain civilized)

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Sunday, April 17, 2005

"DeLay tactics"...tempest in a teapot?


Democrats have attacked House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, with allegations questioning his ethics; Republicans have come to his defense.

Well. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's political committees have paid his wife and daughter more than $500,000 since 2001.

Nepotism? Absolutely. Unethical? You tell me; it happens all the time, and not just in politics, to be sure. The practice is fairly widespread, in point of fact.

While members of Congress are barred from putting relatives on the government payroll, some hire family members to work on their political campaigns and fund-raising committees. It's not the same thing, certainly.

People have a natural tendency to "take care of their own", and family members are generally considered more trustworthy, less likely to be "plants" aligned with the competition...a "win-win" scenario, as it were.

All of this seems to be a detour down a side street, a relative (no pun intended) non-issue. The real issue right now is the whether the President's recommendations for appointments to the judiciary will get a simple "up or down" vote; the Democrats want to use the filibuster to prevent the simple majority that the Republicans currently have from getting their way.

The Republicans are talking about using:
The "Nuclear Option"

I say, go for it...

25 Comments:

Blogger Just call me Shelly said...

Alright, you forced me here. Tempest in a teapot??, I once had a Chevy in my garage and that is where it belonged but I won't detour down that road either.

Now aren't you sorry you invited me over here.

April 17, 2005 9:21 PM  
Blogger Hawkeye® said...

I never had a Tempest either... but I had Nova once. Does that count?

Number ELEVENTY-TWO.

April 17, 2005 10:02 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

A Pontiac Tempest? That'd never fit in a teapot. My first car was from that same period, though...a '64 Ford Galaxie 500.

April 18, 2005 12:38 AM  
Blogger Beerme said...

Delay's actions are probably unethical. The real pity is that they are also common in that legislative body. It is laughable that Democrats who defended Daschole and his Boeing lobbyist wife last year, would make such a fuss over Tom Delay.

The entire congress needs an overhaul. I'd love to see it become real news when a congresscritter does something unethical...

April 18, 2005 6:28 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

The ethics may be questionable, which is why I phrased it as I did. My wife thinks so, but I'm not so sure...just because it's pretty much "business as usual" doesn't make it right, but then, it doesn't make it wrong either. As you say, the Democrats are laughable with their short term memories; much like all their documented quotes regarding Saddam Hussein, and what should be done about him and his WMDs, while Clinton was in office...

April 18, 2005 7:00 AM  
Blogger MargeinMI said...

I had a Pontiac Tempest once, '73 or so. Don't know what was under the hood, but that baby moved! It was so ugly, baby poop brown but we put lots o' miles on her. That is until the ex's best friend totalled it when we were on vacation!

Thanks for the memories....

Is there any rules about having to post 'on topic'? ;o)

April 18, 2005 7:54 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

mig:
Yeah, I did that math too. It's less than I make per year in the Military-Industrial Complex, but as you say, it really isn't that much...what with the area's cost of living.

margeinmi:
You said Tempest! (Beavis & Butthead chortle in background) So you're actually on topic, sort of.

Anyway, since you ask, the only rule I'll enforce is that comments using foul language will be deleted...

April 18, 2005 8:24 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Ben Stein is actually a brilliant guy, and that is a good article.

It's available by clicking here.

April 18, 2005 5:13 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

jeanne:
Thanks. Obviously your Pinto never got rear ended with you in it. BOOM!!! My second car was a '65 Plymouth Valiant.

Oh, and BTW, you got the much-sought-after "ELEVENTEENTH!" post...

April 18, 2005 10:23 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

kajun news:
British lingo?

Bloody well right, you ruddy blighter!
(Bloody writer?)

Yeah. Try saying that mess 3 times, fast...
(Without DeLay, that is...get it?)

April 19, 2005 1:47 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Sí, señor...es la verdad! Muy bueno.
(Y bonito, también...)

April 19, 2005 3:53 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Excellent article about Bolton's qualifications

April 19, 2005 10:11 AM  
Blogger Hawkeye® said...

Hey camo,

I too had a '64 Ford Galaxy 500... but is was an "XL". How about you? Mine was bright red with a black vinyl top. What a beauty!! 390 cu in engine with a 4 barrel carb... used up gas so fast, if punched the pedal you could watch the gas gauge go south. I had dreams about that car for years.

April 20, 2005 11:10 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

jeanne:
From an Associated Press article:
"Lawmakers cannot accept trips from lobbyists, but DeLay has said he believed a nonprofit organization financed the travel as permitted under House rules."
(Italics mine)

Hawkeye®:
My '64 Galaxie 500 was a blue hardtop; it idled so quiet you couldn't tell it was running...although nowadays, of course, that's the norm.

April 21, 2005 7:08 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

LebenFrie said...
How come I can't sign in as Leben Frei even after I try to sign in "as a different user".


You must have registered with that spelling; only registered users can post here...try re-registering.

April 22, 2005 9:52 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

jeanne:
I don't think that the (legal) things DeLay is being pilloried for equate with abortion or porno...by a long shot. That would go into the "moral relativism" category. I recommend the following reading:

Ben Stein article
Highlighted excerpt:
"The very fact that the Mainstream Media are so desperately struggling to smear Tom DeLay is proof positive of what a good job he is doing at leveling the electoral playing field."

Joe Scarborough article.
Highlighted excerpts:
"Democrats who are attacking DeLay for taking a foreign trip on a lobbyist's tab are themselves guilty of...you guessed it...taking foreign trips on lobbyists' tabs."
"Associated Press reported that many politicians on both sides of the aisle share the same arrangement with their family members."

David Limbaugh article

Highlighted excerpt:
"At this point — as others have cogently written — it doesn't appear that Mr. DeLay has done anything worthy of being ousted as House Leader. He can hardly be crucified for paying family members from campaign funds for legitimate work they performed when House rules expressly authorize the practice — because it is permitted by congressional regulations."

April 22, 2005 8:25 PM  
Blogger MargeinMI said...

Hello? Anybody out there?

My first car was a pea green Pinto, '71 I think. Paid $100 for it and drove it for about 6 months. I rolled it (avoiding hitting someone) on Southfield Fwy & I-96 (Jeffries) interchange. My seat was sitting on bricks, but I had my seatbelt on. I walked away with a bump on the top of my head and a scratch on my knee.

Paid the dump $25 to take it.

Praise the Lord, and put on your seatbelt!

April 22, 2005 8:46 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

MargeinMI:
Oh, I'm "out there", all right...so to speak.

But on a serious note, don't you have junkyards out your way that'll take cars like that away for free?
(So they can sell parts off 'em)

April 22, 2005 9:28 PM  
Blogger MargeinMI said...

My point exactly. The car was so pitiful, I had to PAY the junkyard to take it off my hands.

What part of '71 Pinto didn't you understand? :oP

April 23, 2005 12:22 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

MargeinMI:
There's another option; I once towed a car with a blown engine to a metal recycling place, and got some $$$ selling it as scrap metal...

April 23, 2005 1:09 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Ah, those were the days...when gasoline was cheap!

April 23, 2005 3:08 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Democrats accuse Tom DeLay of ethics violations, but what the liberal media isn't telling you is that the Democrats are HYPOCRITES. Here's why:

Democrats criticize Tom DeLay for taking overseas trips - but Democrats took over SIX HUNDRED more trips than Republicans... and the top five trip takers in order of most spent on trips from 2000-2004 were all Democrats!
(americanradioworks.publicradio.org)

Democrat leaders accuse Tom DeLay of doing legislative favors for donors - but Democrat House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi helped secure THREE MILLION DOLLARS last year for a group that donated to her campaign and sent her staff on trips to Europe!
("Pelosi helped donor to PAC," washingtontimes.com)

They criticize DeLay for hiring family members during his campaign, but Democrat Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has sponsored legislation that netted his family hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. In the last four years alone, firms with Reid family ties have collected more than $2 million in lobbying fees!
("Harry Reid Family Cashing In," newsmax.com)

Democrats claim they want Tom DeLay investigated by the House Ethics Committee - even though he's never even been accused of breaking the law - but these same Democrats won't let that committee meet because then THEIR Congressman, Democrat Jim McDermott, would have to be kicked out of Congress because he was actually CONVICTED of breaking the law!
("Ethics in the House of Representatives," freecongress.org)

April 24, 2005 12:00 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

mrsevilneocon:
Welcome aboard! A lot of folks posting here are also "Scrapplers", yes. Several of us put in occasional appearances elsewhere, too. I find "Liberal" Larry's Blame Bush! blog (I love alliteration) quite amusing, if a bit off color. I'm still not convinced that Howie (A.K.A. "Hooey") isn't putting us on, though...

April 26, 2005 12:02 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Bob in Spain:
¡Hola señor! Bienvenidos a mí blog.

DeLay has repeatedly said he has done nothing wrong, and has asked to appear before the committee to explain all the travel he has taken that has been called into question.

He has called Democrats' demands part of a smear campaign.

He is not accused of breaking any House rules.

Can you say "obfuscation"? I can...

Anyway, about the cost of living in the D.C. area...from what I've heard, it's pretty cheap to live in the city itself. :-)
(Not that I'd recommend it, of course...)

May 02, 2005 12:03 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Bob_inSpain asked:
Ever see a DC license plate?


But of course; just this weekend, in fact, during my travels. I have no doubt whatsoever that the people who live in the District of Columbia are afforded many employment opportunities, in support of the juggernaut which is our Federal Government. Rather than them playing host to the Federal Government, it's probably more accurate to say the Federal Government is playing host to them, however...

May 15, 2005 5:55 PM  

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