Corruption, Congressional-Style
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The left-leaning (according to the article) watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), recently put out a list of the most corrupt members of Congress. While I think that lists like this one make for interesting conversation, I usually take them with a grain of salt. They are often pretty partisan and subjective. This one seems pretty good, though. There may be more corrupt members of Congress, but there is no denying that the people listed here haven't done some rotten stuff or at east have behaved in a way that isn't ethical.
"With the economy in a free-fall, unemployment rates at record highs and health care solutions still nowhere in sight, members should be spending their time looking for answers to the nation’s problems, not finding new ways to enrich themselves," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW.
I can't agree more. Go ahead and peruse the list and tell me what you think. It seems to be well referenced.
3 comments:
Burn 'em all. Pox on both their houses...etc.
More evidence that we need a thorough housecleaning across the board. No, that's not a cry for term limits, which I think are stupid and counterproductive in terms of corruption. But some asskicking ethics rules that are actually enforced, and party leaders more worried about what's right than headcounts might be nice.
Timely post, considering what happened to Blue Dog Douche Mike Ross (D-Ark) today...
I read the list. Some of the stuff they are detailing as "corrupt" is a pretty looooong stretch. Improper use of office stationery?? Noooo!!! Boot him out of office!! Receiving a PAC contribution from a business for which you secured an appropriation to open a business "renaissance zone" that they ended up benefiting from? News flash: might as well list all 435 and 100 for that one. People act like pork is a bad thing. Actually, it's what the fuck we send people to washington for! If you can't bring home some job-creating, arts and entertainment or research bacon for the people of your district, then you've kinda failed.
That said, Murtha is dirty and there is a litany of really really bad shit in there. Receiving a PAC contribution from a business for which you secured an appropriation to open a business "renaissance zone" that they ended up benefiting from ON TOP OF having a financial interest in that same company? That shit is corrupt.
But parking a car with outdated plates in a House parking lot? C'mon... that's not corrupt. That's just lazy and lame.
People act like pork is a bad thing.
It depends on the pork. I find it somewhat frustrating that Alaska gets more in pork than it contributes to the federal coffers despite the fact that their oil makes them fairly well off.
Some of the stuff is pretty weak, but most of it seems pretty legit, IMO.
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