Doing The Right Thing, & Getting Nothing For It
First, the particulars:
Cap'n Ed is all smiles about Representative Doolittle's (belated) exercise of integrity:
Oh, it wouldn't, would it? I'm not so sure. To me this looks like yet another one-way street where Republicans take themselves out at the first suggestion of tangential suspicion, while Democrats can have sprawling ongoing organized criminal conspiracies running full tilt, whether from the White House or Capitol Hill, and not only do they not "do the right thing," they entrench themselves like a badger in his den and defy anybody to root them out. And, of course, nobody ever does.
Morrissey himself sketches the obvious counterpoint:
I would have no quarrel with any of this save for one inconvenient fact: Guess which party controls both houses of Congress? Hint: It ain't the one that "does the right thing".
Republicans lose, more than any other reason, because they go into partisan battle (when they actually DO go into partisan battle) hamstrung, blindfolded, and handcuffed. The Democrats do whatever they want, whatever it takes, ethics be damned, while we consume our own - and, like Congressman Doolittle, even ourselves.
Did he "do the right thing"? Personally, I suppose he did. And all he's done so far is take a temporary leave of absence from the Appropriations Committee. But if you think that'll be the end of it, guess again. Once a 'Pubbie starts retreating, the Donks will bulldoze him/her straight into oblivion. I'd be surprised if Doolittle was still in Congress a year from now, and probably less. Don't think so? What's House Majority Leader Tom DeLay doing these days? What do you mean, he's not House Majority Leader anymore? What do you mean, we're not in the majority in the House anymore? What do you mean, I've made my point, I can stop being so blasted pedantic?
In the big picture, which is what I cannot help but look at, even if Mr. Ed won't, what I see is that "doing the right thing" has cost the GOP a seat on House Appropriations, will probably cost us another House seat altogether, and has infused new life into the "Republican culture of corruption" meme, while Icebox Willie's "doing the wrong thing" kept him and his party a House seat, got him a seat on the Homeland Security Committee, and is doing absolutely nothing to taint the white knight, pure as the winddriven snow image of the Democrat Party that a majority of Americans swallowed hook, line, and sinker five months ago.
If we're ever going to regain the majority, we have to play the same game, and by the same absence of rules, that the Democrats do. It's that simple. THAT is the true "doing the right thing." Something with which the belated exercise of personal integrity may simply not be compatible.
Less than a week after the FBI raided the Northern Virginia home of his wife, Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA) gave up his coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee yesterday amid concerns that he had used that post to advance the interests of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and other allies.
"I understand how the most recent circumstances may lead some to question my tenure on the Appropriations Committee," the conservative nine-term congressman wrote in a letter to House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-OH). "Therefore, I feel it may be in the best interest of the House that I take a temporary leave with seniority from this Committee until this matter can be resolved."
Boehner accepted the decision, saying in a statement that it "is in the best interest of the House and the American people."
Cap'n Ed is all smiles about Representative Doolittle's (belated) exercise of integrity:
This is an appropriate step by both Doolittle and the Republican leadership in the House. Questions remain about Doolittle's actions in appropriating contracts and money after personally benefitting from campaign donations in a unique way. After the raid, it became apparent that the FBI is taking the allegations very seriously, and it would not serve the nation's interest to have a politician suspected of corruption with their hand on the largest till in Congress.
Oh, it wouldn't, would it? I'm not so sure. To me this looks like yet another one-way street where Republicans take themselves out at the first suggestion of tangential suspicion, while Democrats can have sprawling ongoing organized criminal conspiracies running full tilt, whether from the White House or Capitol Hill, and not only do they not "do the right thing," they entrench themselves like a badger in his den and defy anybody to root them out. And, of course, nobody ever does.
Morrissey himself sketches the obvious counterpoint:
Contrast this with the actions Democrats took with their own suspect, William "[Icebox Willie]" Jefferson. Faced with a corruption case that has produced two raids and a freezer fileld with $90,000, the Democrats placed Jefferson onto the critical Homeland Security committee. During a war on terror, one would presume that both parties would place only the most qualified and serious Representatives on the front lines of the war, but Nancy Pelosi insisted on having Jefferson on the committee - probably to quiet the complaints from the Congressional Black Caucus.
I would have no quarrel with any of this save for one inconvenient fact: Guess which party controls both houses of Congress? Hint: It ain't the one that "does the right thing".
Republicans lose, more than any other reason, because they go into partisan battle (when they actually DO go into partisan battle) hamstrung, blindfolded, and handcuffed. The Democrats do whatever they want, whatever it takes, ethics be damned, while we consume our own - and, like Congressman Doolittle, even ourselves.
Did he "do the right thing"? Personally, I suppose he did. And all he's done so far is take a temporary leave of absence from the Appropriations Committee. But if you think that'll be the end of it, guess again. Once a 'Pubbie starts retreating, the Donks will bulldoze him/her straight into oblivion. I'd be surprised if Doolittle was still in Congress a year from now, and probably less. Don't think so? What's House Majority Leader Tom DeLay doing these days? What do you mean, he's not House Majority Leader anymore? What do you mean, we're not in the majority in the House anymore? What do you mean, I've made my point, I can stop being so blasted pedantic?
In the big picture, which is what I cannot help but look at, even if Mr. Ed won't, what I see is that "doing the right thing" has cost the GOP a seat on House Appropriations, will probably cost us another House seat altogether, and has infused new life into the "Republican culture of corruption" meme, while Icebox Willie's "doing the wrong thing" kept him and his party a House seat, got him a seat on the Homeland Security Committee, and is doing absolutely nothing to taint the white knight, pure as the winddriven snow image of the Democrat Party that a majority of Americans swallowed hook, line, and sinker five months ago.
If we're ever going to regain the majority, we have to play the same game, and by the same absence of rules, that the Democrats do. It's that simple. THAT is the true "doing the right thing." Something with which the belated exercise of personal integrity may simply not be compatible.
posted by JASmius at 8:28 AM
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