Posted on 10/08/2005 11:54:34 AM PDT by wagglebee
It is quite amusing to watch Nancy Pelosi grab every possible opportunity to stand in front of a TV camera to bemoan what she calls the Republicans' "culture of corruption." Pelosi and the rest of the Democrat leadership are trying desperately to smear President Bush and the Republican party with charges of corruption in relation to the spurious allegations that Tom DeLay and Senator Bill Frist may have done something wrong.
It's strange that during the Clinton years, Pelosi didn't say a thing about the "culture of corruption" that permeated the entire Clinton administration. In fact, the Democrat leadership made a point of standing for a photo op with the president who had defiled the White House with his sexcapades and lied under oath to a grand jury and to the American people.
Where was the outcry about the "culture of corruption" surrounding Hillary's campaign financing in 2000?
Where was the outcry about the "culture of corruption" surrounding Enron's influence over the Commerce Department's support for the horrendous fraud that ultimately toppled the company? Where was the outcry about the last-minute pardons or any of the events in one of the nation's most scandal-ridden, corrupt administration?
The same Democrat leaders who now bay like Georgia hounds about allegations of corruption were then silent in the face of genuine corruption. What hypocrisy!
The Democrat leadership has no agenda other than bashing President Bush and all Republicans. Their strategy seems to be that if they can sling enough mud at the Republicans, they will regain control of the government by default.
Fortunately, not all Democrats are cast in the same mold as their current leadership. The nation benefits when different philosophies and conflicting ideas meet in honest debate, where resolution is the result of compromise and a final public vote.
The recent passage of the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act provides a great example of how Democrats and Republicans can disagree, respectfully, and still produce a policy result that is acceptable to proponents on both sides of the argument. The bill was co-sponsored by Republican Rep. Richard Pombo, and Democrat Rep. Dennis Cardoza, both from California. On final passage (229-193), 36 Democrats voted for the bill, and 34 Republicans voted against it. Throughout the floor debate, members of Congress on both sides expressed appreciation to their opponents for the civility of the debate and the spirit of compromise that prevailed as the bill made its way through committee and to ultimate passage.
When good ideas are ignored simply because they come from a member of the opposite party, America is the loser. When the quest for power supersedes the quest for good public policy, the power seekers betray the trust of their electors – and should be replaced.
With elections barely a year away, the Democrat leadership appears to have little thought about good public policy. Instead, their only focus appears to be bashing everything Republican.
Major policy questions must be addressed during the remaining months of this congressional session. Congress must increase access to energy resources and remove the unnecessary regulatory obstacles to building new refineries and new power plants. Congress must decide the nation's appropriate role in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Congress must deal with the crucial constitutional question of when it may be appropriate for the federal government to take control from state and local government in response to crises, whether natural or man-made. And there is a war under way – that must be won.
If the Democrat leadership is, in fact, the "loyal" opposition, they have a duty to participate in civil debate on all these issues. Nancy Pelosi's boycott of the Katrina inquiry and the rush by the Democrat leadership to blame Bush for all that went wrong in Katrina's aftermath illustrate the difference between "loyal" opposition and opportunistic obstructionists whose quest is regaining power.
The people who elected the Democrat leadership -- and all Americans -- deserve better representation. There are many responsible Democrats who really want to participate in the process, not obstruct it. These are the people voters should find, between now and the next election. After all, it is the voters who determine the quality of leadership in Congress.
Of course it's not like they could actually just tell the truth:
they want to raise taxes as high as possible,
ban private enterprise,
impose socialism and
surrender American sovereignty to the United Nations
Reasonable Democrat?
That's like saying anti-sodomy homosexual.
Reasonable Democrat = oxymoron.
Ms Pelosie. How many conviction of Clinton cronies are there on record vrs the number of convictions of Bush buddies?
ZERO Bush buddy convictions. That is RIGHT. Funny how this "Culture of Corrupt" has produced LOTS of accusations and NO Court convictions. Pity that cannot be said about the Clinton admin Ms Nancy and Compay spent the 1990 making EXCUSES for.
Puce Pelosi must be running for re-election or she & the RATS smell blood in the Bush Admin. Ole Hitlery is smokin' behind the scenes pushin' the RAT leadership to attack, attack, attack. Remember: the RATS philosophy is "best defense is a good offense" with their pet dog MSM attacking on the frontlines.
This is the only reason the republican part will still be in power in 06 and 08. The spineless GOP congress spends like a liberal congress and ignores the biggest issue facing this country; borders. Bush has lately been a disapointment to many Americans. But so long as the democrats are the party of Kerry, Dean, Moore, and Clinton we needn't worry much. If they ever get a clue and we remain a party of spinless, big spending RINO's we could have a problem.
Ahh, the Abby Normal family....
I'm not holding my breath...
That's her married name. She's the daughter of Alex Blaine.
there are reasonable Democrats.
Zell Miller, for one.
Our own RKBA Democrat, for another.
there are, of course, far more.
the pity is: they are rare enough that named individual examplars of the breed are a bit of a surprise to those of us "on the Right".
Zell Miller = Reasonable Democrat. If I ever hear of another one I'll let you know!
King Prout: Thanks for the kind words.
There are still some reasonable members of my party out there, but you're sure not likely to find them posting on FR! "Democrat poster" generally equals zot-bait here. And few Democrats are as conservative as I happen to be.
The thing to remember is that the Democrats who meet at your local library are not the same people as those who lead the national party. And therein lies some hope for dialogue.
Are the same ones by the masses (tens of millions) that thought Effin should have been President? Sorry, but they can't be trusted to run the nation.
"Are the same ones by the masses (tens of millions) that thought Effin should have been President? Sorry, but they can't be trusted to run the nation."
Substitute "W" for "Effin" and you've pretty much summarized the sentiments of most Democrats.
FWIW, I think it's a moot point. Our political system is at stalemate. Which is much of the reason why I don't bother to post political threads much anymore.
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