Corruption Junkies in the U.S. House...

Blogs for Bush ^ | August 14, 2007 | Leo Pusateri

[Kaslin]

Seeing as how Congress, led by the corruption kingpin himself, Jack Murtha, is jones'n on earmarks and other freewheeling spending with other people's money (ours); perhaps it is time for a bit of exploration as to the root causes of our congresscritters' poor behavior.

After all, it is feasible that the poor congresscritters, once elected, and once presented with the aphrodisiac that is big time power and money, simply cannot help themselves. Perhaps it is a disease that has taken over, and they simply are powerless in acting in any other manner than as profligate buffoons who couldn't run a lemonade stand without taking a bribe of some sort or another.

Since I feel so sorry for these congresscritters, In the interest of compassion I offer the following program so that our elected congresscritters may climb out of the agony that is corruptoholism:

The 12 Steps for combating corruptoholism

1. We admitted we were powerless over spending other people's money like a drunken wino who just found a five-spot—that our lust for power and money had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves (*gulp--ahh fahgetabout it. They're ain't no power greater than Congress!)

I guess they wouldn't get past Step 2, would they?

On second thought, perhaps the only real solution for our poor, downtrodden genetically-corrupt congresscritters is what I will term the "cold turkey" solution.

Throw the bums out!

But that will mean that in the interest of helping their congresscritter, the enablers will have to cease their co-dependency on the largesse that their corruptoholic congresscritter brings home.

For that I propose, Corruptohol-anon; for those voters who rather than confront profligate corruption in their congresscritters, actually reward it by creating monuments in their congresscritters' name, not after they've died, but while they're still in office!

This presents an even bigger hurdle in aiding the congresscritter in battling his or her corruptoholism.

It appears safe to say that when it comes down to it, "throw the bums out" is a great idea-- but only if their enabling constituents are willing to climb out of their comfortable hammocks to do it.

In the end, I guess the problem of corruptoholism is a multi-faceted malady that needs to be treated on a number of fronts.

Maybe we need a government program to address it.

Perhaps a John P. Murtha Center for Corruptoholic Congresscritters in PA-12 would do the trick.

Whaddya say, Jack?

[detch]

The problem is that these congress folks come home and brag to the locals all that they have done for the community.

The locals love it — and these folks get re-elected over and over.

There’s no way to stop it. Look at all the federal money Kennedy got for the “big dig” project in Boston, finally financed by all Americans. Talk about pork barrel success!!!

He’s here to stay until he drives off another bridge, but drowns because he’s too much of a tuba-lard to get out of the car.

[upchuck]

Pardon me for taking the simplistic approach.

Term limits.

[bikerMD]

Pardon me for taking an even more simplistic approach.

We the voters can impose term limits every 2 years (House), 4 years (Pres.), and 6 years (Senate).

Enough is Enough! Turn them all out in '08!

[Shermy]

The saddest thing is the authors lack of shame he’s writing on “Blogs for Bush.”

[Kaslin]

Did you even read the article? The author is taking Murtha down

[TChris]

I suspect that a large part of the problem isn't in the politicians themselves, but in the unchanging, embedded staff members. The staff are the ones who have to teach the new politician the ropes, the "way things work here", etc.. If they never/rarely change, then the "way things work here" doesn't change either.

I propose term limits for government staff supporting elected officials. It should stop being a career.

[upchuck]

Imposing term limits via the voting booth has been an idea for years and years that has never and will never work.

We need term limits enforced by law.

[bikerMD]

Imposing term limits via the voting booth has been an idea for years and years that has never and will never work.

It's the only tactic that will work. What will never work is expecting the incumbents to write any kind of term limits legislation.

How pissed off must the people be, who bankroll the spendaholics on Capital Hill, before they go in the booth and select "None of the Above"?

Apparently we're not there yet.