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Blaming money for corruption is like blaming temptation for sin. Edwin Edwards, ex-Governor of Louisiana, said in one of his early corruption trials, "You have the wrong man on trial here. It is illegal for him to give it to me but it is not illegal for me to take it." Ah, those Democrats. At least Edwards was more honest than these crooks who are saying, "The Devil made me do it. Kill the Devil!"

There's a story about Catholic priests who contracted to have a new church built for their congregation. When the church was completed, and just before the priests came for their final inspection, the contractor cemented a Buddhist statue in the center of the altar. Seeing the statue, the priests were incensed, demanding its removal before they would pay and take possession of the church. The contractor happily complied. The contractor anticipated the priests' response, but that was a part of his agenda. He built the statue to divert the priests' attention from other possible shortcomings of the construction job. That's precisely what Congress has done with the McCain-Feingold/Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill that passed the House by 240-189 and is now before the Senate.

And now is law. Perfect story, BTW. I love Dr. Williams to pieces.

If only we had a law which said that if members of congress knowingly violate the constitution, they are subject to the full penalties thereof. It would be more than interesting to know how many of the congress critters knew thay were in violation of the constitution.

Yes, blaming money for political corruption is exactly like blaming the gun for a homocide and tight dresses for rape. The United States wasn't created for Presidents, Congressmen, or the political priviledges of an elite ruling class. Bush has hurt himself tremendously by endorsing this filthy document whether or not it is struck down in whole or part by the US Supreme Court.

This is the important crux to remember about all of this: we are rightfully morally and ethically constrained by the laws of the land and the US Constitution as long as we work within the system for political change and redress. HOWEVER, when the lawful and Constitutionally guaranteed rights of redress and suffrage are incumbered, altered, or eliminated, then the social contract between citizens and their government is broken. When working within the system for political change is no longer a realistic or possible option, massive social upheaval and/or revolution becomes the only option other than a surrender to vassalage and servitude, the very conditions we rose from to create this nation now betrayed by our own leaders.