Nothing To See Here
Undoubtedly, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Fantasyland), is wishing he hadn't said what he said. Perhaps he's even wishing he hadn't been such a hypocritical schmuck when it came to criticizing other people for taking perks and gifts when he's lousy with them, but that could be wishing for a little too much.
If you'll recall, back in the beginning of the Jack Abramoff scandal, when politicos left and right (literally) were scrambling to return money from his fellow lobbyists, Reid not only refused to give back money that was openly from Abramoff's associates and denied he'd done anything improper (a dubious denial), he insisted it had nothing to do with Abramoff and that it was a REPUBLICAN problem! Well, it certainly was a Republican problem. It was also a horrendous Democrat problem, but sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. I digress.
Recently, good ole' "Give 'em Hell" Harry has been caught with his hand firmly planted in the proverbial cookie jar and his head lodged up some other orifice. It would seem the good senator took front row tickets to boxing matches courtesy of the Nevada Athletic Commission; tickets in some cases worth several thousand dollars, while his committee was reviewing law regarding federalizing boxing commissions. Now, obviously this couldn't have influenced any decision he might've made, especially since he was not only a boxer but a boxing judge before becoming a Senator. No conflict of interest there. Even John McCain, a slippery soul if there ever was one, paid for tickets he received as gifts, understanding there might be some impropriety to such a transaction.
Was Senator Reid humbled, repentant or contrite when this was thrust in his face? Not really. Instead, he implied he DESERVED such gifts because he was doing the people's business. Politics does a lot of things, but surely one of them is to grow wheelbarrow-sized brass pairs on the likes of Senator Reid.
Apparently, they shrunk back a little, though, as most people seemed not willing to swallow his arrogant excuses. He's begun damage control with the standard non-apology apology by saying although he didn't do anything wrong, he won't do it again. Well, I certainly believe him. I don't know about you.
I believe he'll be a lot more subtle the next time he takes a gift meant to influence or "bribe" him. I know a lot of his fellow Senators and Representatives are thinking the same thing, specifically, the bulk of the ones who do just as he does, just in different amounts. They're perhaps slowly coming to realize that the public has turned its miasmic eye, at least for the time being, on the ill-gotten gains of the Congressional patronage system. At least for a time, they might start paying more attention to the ethical considerations and questions such bribes raise. They won't do this out of any true ethical concern so much as a concern for not providing any ammunition to their opponents come November.
After the election, possibly even before, this will likely go away again. It's nice to get a small glimpse into the mentality of these particular Congressmen and women and perhaps because it's reached mainstream, maybe more of the public will remember this a little as well. I can dream can't I?
Undoubtedly, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Fantasyland), is wishing he hadn't said what he said. Perhaps he's even wishing he hadn't been such a hypocritical schmuck when it came to criticizing other people for taking perks and gifts when he's lousy with them, but that could be wishing for a little too much.
If you'll recall, back in the beginning of the Jack Abramoff scandal, when politicos left and right (literally) were scrambling to return money from his fellow lobbyists, Reid not only refused to give back money that was openly from Abramoff's associates and denied he'd done anything improper (a dubious denial), he insisted it had nothing to do with Abramoff and that it was a REPUBLICAN problem! Well, it certainly was a Republican problem. It was also a horrendous Democrat problem, but sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. I digress.
Recently, good ole' "Give 'em Hell" Harry has been caught with his hand firmly planted in the proverbial cookie jar and his head lodged up some other orifice. It would seem the good senator took front row tickets to boxing matches courtesy of the Nevada Athletic Commission; tickets in some cases worth several thousand dollars, while his committee was reviewing law regarding federalizing boxing commissions. Now, obviously this couldn't have influenced any decision he might've made, especially since he was not only a boxer but a boxing judge before becoming a Senator. No conflict of interest there. Even John McCain, a slippery soul if there ever was one, paid for tickets he received as gifts, understanding there might be some impropriety to such a transaction.
Was Senator Reid humbled, repentant or contrite when this was thrust in his face? Not really. Instead, he implied he DESERVED such gifts because he was doing the people's business. Politics does a lot of things, but surely one of them is to grow wheelbarrow-sized brass pairs on the likes of Senator Reid.
Apparently, they shrunk back a little, though, as most people seemed not willing to swallow his arrogant excuses. He's begun damage control with the standard non-apology apology by saying although he didn't do anything wrong, he won't do it again. Well, I certainly believe him. I don't know about you.
I believe he'll be a lot more subtle the next time he takes a gift meant to influence or "bribe" him. I know a lot of his fellow Senators and Representatives are thinking the same thing, specifically, the bulk of the ones who do just as he does, just in different amounts. They're perhaps slowly coming to realize that the public has turned its miasmic eye, at least for the time being, on the ill-gotten gains of the Congressional patronage system. At least for a time, they might start paying more attention to the ethical considerations and questions such bribes raise. They won't do this out of any true ethical concern so much as a concern for not providing any ammunition to their opponents come November.
After the election, possibly even before, this will likely go away again. It's nice to get a small glimpse into the mentality of these particular Congressmen and women and perhaps because it's reached mainstream, maybe more of the public will remember this a little as well. I can dream can't I?
posted by Rob Beck | 9:25 PM
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