Posted on 05/24/2005 7:17:54 PM PDT by churchillbuff
It's worth asking if Senator McCain and his band of self-glorifying depolarizers are really just brave statesmen who, unlike their critics, "managed to put principle above self-protection," in a Washington Post editorial's adoring words.
Why, after all, are so many people in Washington attached to the Senate's "right to unlimited debate"? ..Is it because the filibuster, and the exaggerated power it gives to both minorities and individuals, is the basis for much of the Senate's--indeed Washington's--corrupt cash economy? Without the filibuster, after all, senators in the minority party wouldn't be nearly as big a deal. They couldn't block legislation--so lobbyists wouldn't need to bribe them with campaign contributions. And honest, self-protective corporations wouldn't have to pay so many of these lobbyists to bribe them with campaign contributions.
Even most majority party senators would see some of their power drain away if the Senate became more like the House,...
The filibuster's infrastructural role has powerful multiplier effect: It means not only that obscure minority Senators attract millions in campaign contributions. while the aides of obscure minority Senators aides find pleasant $250,000 jobs as influencers with vital "access." It means that those Senators can afford to hire well-paid fundraisers to funnel those contributions, while interest groups need direct mail experts to raise the money to make their own "access" producing contributions, and all these people need restaurants like The Palm to feed them and brokers to swap their houses and mechanics to service their Acuras and Audis. Thanks to the Senate's precious right of unlimited debate, a wave of prosperity sweeps over the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area! Funded by the rest of the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.msn.com ...
Principle? McCain? Someone is making a VERY bad joke.
let's see,, were not Warner, Graham and Hagel all McLame backers only until Bush won the nomination?
The Palm is overrated.
McCain has no values. He betrayed the American people and it was done for spite. He has been mad ever since the 2000 primaries and now he expects to be nominated for President. I would expect him to get one vote - his.
Glad you brought that up. I agree. No atmosphere, mediocre food.
were not Warner, Graham and Hagel all McLame backers only until Bush won the nomination?
----
I believe so -- and that is why they were easy touches.
McCain not only wants the nomination, but he is still carrying major wood for Bush. And this is a real get-even stunt to not only embarrass Bush but also neuter Frist.
McCain makes old dog droppings smell good.
Face it, they just like to hear themselves talk in front of the cameras and be fawned upon by the media.
Cross their Palm with silver.
35 or so years I built a Palm restaurant in West L.A. with a crappy 1800s motiff. As builders we were invited to the opening and it was run of the mill food at extremely high prices.
Just wondering if it's possibly owned by the same people, it seems to me that it was an east coast restaurant.
I'm getting pretty damn tired of waiting for old age and/or cancer to fix this country. It's not working!
All that the "Gang of 7" accomplished is (1) to give black eyes to their President, their Party leaders, and their constituents; (2) they've allowed the Demagogic Party to preen and boast about stopping a "power grab" by the "radical right" (when in fact the power grab has been by a MINORITY of depraved leftists); and, (3) as Kaus notes, they have reinforced the CORRUPT and DECADENT system of lobbyist money sloshing around all those Senators. Yeah, McCain is such a noble reformer.... retch!
See www.thepalm.com There are two in Los Angeles. The DC restaurant is at http://www.thepalm.com/sitemain.cfm?site_id=4
Pretentious chop house with caricatures of famous people on the walls. Cold atmosphere. Indifferent staff. Unimaginative menu. Expensive prices. DC dinner menu is at http://www.thepalm.com/menu.cfm?menu_id=130
The one on Ssnta Monica Blvd. is the one I did, from the picture on their web site they haven't changed it one bit from the decrepid joint we did origionally.
This article is a great slam on the disgusting Rat McVain, and a great slam on the equally disgusting "greatest deliberative body in the world."
The Senate and McVain deserve each other.
I had one of my worst dinners in D.C. at The Palm. They stuck me at a table where I had to look at a caricature of Alan Cranston all night, while indulging in an overpriced meal of average quality. I never went back. There's plenty of better places to eat.
Strawberries? Has anyone seen McQueeg's strawberries?
yea GDamnit,, they are on the end of the tow line we just ran over, LMAO!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.