« Quick update | Main | Well, I Guess Ron Jeremy *Is* A Bit Intimidating... »
October 01, 2005
Live By The Hammer, Die By The Hammer...
Tom DeLay was indicted this week by a Texas grand jury on charges of conspiring to violate political fundraising laws. The only question on any free-thinking American's mind was, "What took so long?"
Tom DeLay is one of the slimiest snakes ever to "serve" in American politics. Actually, I take that back... it's an insult to slimy snakes. DeLay's list of sins is substantial, even outside the courtroom. He went out to the Washington lobbying establishment with the word that not only were Republicans to own the Hill, but applying direct pressure to say that if a lobbying firm even hired a Democrat they could lose their access to Congress (in other words, he was trying to make sure that Democrats could not get jobs); he engineered the jerry-rigging of Texas Congressional districts to ensure that more Republicans would be elected; he publicly endorsed the intimidation of the judicial branch by conservative thuggery, threatening to "hold accountable" judges that did not vote the way conservatives want them to (so much for that whole adherence to the Constitution thing); he organized groups of rioters (including his own staff) and sent them to Florida in 2000 to intimidate those who were trying to count votes fairly instead of just handing the White House to George W. Bush; and he blatantly sold access to Bush (boldly fund-raising by promising meetings with Bush officials in exchange for $20,000 donations -- this after being among the loudest critics of President Clinton's Lincoln Bedroom hotel). And that's just his conduct; we haven't even begun discussing his politics yet (suffice it to say that Atilla the Hun was a Kennedy liberal compared to DeLay).
Of course, DeLay's predictable and pathetic "defense" is that he's the victim of a partisan smear (never mind the fact that it was a grand jury of his fellow Texans, not a proescutor, who voted to indict; I guess ignorance of the judicial process is a prerequisite in DeLay's world). And of course, any number of equally pathetic Republican apologists in the blogosphere have responded with the equally predictable "oh yeah? well look at what Democrats have done" line of "reasoning." Because apparently, in some conservative Republicans' worlds, you're allowed to do anything you want, including breaking the law, violating the very spirit of American democracy by rigging Congressional districts, engaging in a pattern of attempting to intimidate anyone who disagrees with you, and even, trying to keep people who don't agree with you from being employed, and it's perfectly okay -- because you've got moral values.
Few better examples, if any, exist than Tom DeLay of the sheer hypocrisy and phoniness of the values crowd. Tom DeLay has always been the best proof of the real intentions and lack of character of their ilk; the next time you're considering casting your lot their way, take a good hard look at what you're signing on to represent. This is the true face of conservative values.
As for DeLay, I'll believe him going to jail when I see it; this is Texas after all, and "justice" gets apportioned differently when conservatives judge their own. That said, nothing would make me happier than watching DeLay doing an orange-jumpsuited perp walk in front of the media he's spent a career vilifying. Well... on second thought, one thing that would make me happier would be for DeLay to conclude his walk by entering his cell, only to find his new cell-mate "Animal" inviting him to the weight room for a workout and a shower.
Comments
Gee... think he'll leave prison with a poncho too? ;-)
Posted by: Me at October 2, 2005 09:50 AM
Don't be surprised if your wish for certain "circumstances" to define DeLay's possible jail stay are just the things that would, in fact, cause DeLay to crave time at the big house.
Posted by: Brent at October 2, 2005 07:22 PM
