Bad Attitudes

Today’s meme in Left Blogostan is based on the news about Mike Bloomberg’s increasing enthusiasm for a Presidential bid.

Everyone seems to agree that the idea of bipartisanship is less than attractive, and to ask where these bipartisans were in the face of the x-treme partisanship of the Bush/Cheney administration. The point is well made that any group David Broder loves can’t be all good.

In one way bipartisanship makes sense: blaming both parties for the effects of their concerted actions, many of them in direct opposition to what polls say people want. As Steve Clemons puts it:

…Republicans and Democrats were complicit in the Iraq War. Both parties have been complicit in the appropriations corruption that came with obscene Homeland Security spending around the nation. Both parties have been complicit in refusing to solidly challenge the most aggressive expansion of Executive Branch authority in more than a century. Both parties have been complicit in failing to shore up investment in the American economy and its workforce. Both parties have been complicit in allowing Americans to be spied on. Both parties have been complicit in allowing low level soldiers to take the hit for Abu Ghraib ...   more »

Blog | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) is facing a federal criminal investigation.  His home was raided by the FBi.  He was named one of the most corrupt members of Congress by CREW in Beyond DeLay.  But, he has a plan.  He's using the "Jefferson defense":

Rep. William Jefferson was the Democratic congressman from Louisiana caught with $90,000 in the freezer of his Washington home. He goes to trial in February on bribery charges. Jefferson has tried to claim that an FBI search of his congressional office in 2006, done with a valid search warrant from a court, was an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers.

Leave Comment  |  Permanent Link  |  Cosmos

  What to expect in 2008: Top ethics scandals of 2007 that will continue next year

by Radio Left Review on Mon 31 Dec 2007 12:02 PM CST

Blog | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

As we say good-bye to 2007, there are a number of ethics scandals that started this year -- but will continue into next. We identified the top ten a couple weeks ago. Here are five to watch:

No new enforcement mechanisms for congressional ethics

 

Despite the Abramoff scandal and the Democrats’ vow to end the “culture of corruption,” no new ethics enforcement mechanisms have been put into place. A House bipartisan task force that was charged with returning recommendations by May 1st still finally issued its report, and, as expected, very little has changed. The rule permitting only members to file complaints will remain intact and if there is an independent ethics oversight panel, it won’t have subpoena power. Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee does not appear to have undertaken investigations into the myriad number of members with serious ethics issues.

Sen. Ted Stevens still sitting on Senate Appropriations

 

CREW called for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) to step down from the Appropriations Committee after the FBI and the IRS raided Sen. Stevens’ Alaska home. Sen. Stevens is under federal investigation for his dealings with Bill Allen, founder ...   more »

Leave Comment  |  Permanent Link  |  Cosmos

Sunday, December 30

  "Vermont Activitists Want Bush, Cheney Arrested"

by Radio Left Review on Sun 30 Dec 2007 10:02 PM CST

Political Cortex

That was the headline for an Associated Press article by Dave Gram that ran in...

URL: Political Cortex

   more »

Leave Comment  |  Permanent Link  |  Cosmos