Another US Political Leader Steps Down

Why have so many politicians been accused of wrong-doing lately?

  • Politicians believe rules don't apply to them.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Politicians have to break rules to get ahead in politics.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Political opponents are trying harder than ever to bring 'em down.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Politicians corrupt? What??

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • It's something else. . .

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
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ironhorseredleg

ironhorseredleg

Active member
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/28/delay.indict/index.html

Is it just me, or does it seem like stepping down in disgrace is just another step in the political process anymore, at least in America? Is this more and more commonplace occurence because more politicians are doing bad things, because you have to break the rules to get ahead in politics, or because political opponents are digging harder than ever to find or create dirt? What are your thoughts on this?
 
Because they are finally answering to the people.

Politicians cannot go one thinking that they are above the people. It is us who vote them into power and it is us who can vote them out of power. Ah yes, there is a reason in voting. Anyways, politicians must be reminded why they were elected in the first place. If someone is going to serve him or her self, give em the boot. Give us someone who will serve the people...if anyone can describe someone using my last sentence, please let me know who that person is.

If one person goes down in a scandle so others will stay in line, so be it. For every end, there is a begining.
 
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. - Abraham Lincoln
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That's what it boils down to. Today's information age makes it just that much harder for those who would hoodwink us to do so.
 
I've read some of the American political pamplets from the 1800's and some of the stuff/rumours/slander thrown at the likes of Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, A. Johnson, Grant, Cleveland, were all far more worse than the politics of personal destruction today aimed against Clinton and now Bush jnr (which I believe is bad too). It hasn't got worse - it is just the same as it's ever been but maybe broadcasted quicker and wider due to television, cell phones and internet.
 
Padre said:
I've read some of the American political pamplets from the 1800's and some of the stuff/rumours/slander thrown at the likes of Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, A. Johnson, Grant, Cleveland, were all far more worse than the politics of personal destruction today aimed against Clinton and now Bush jnr (which I believe is bad too). It hasn't got worse - it is just the same as it's ever been but maybe broadcasted quicker and wider due to television, cell phones and internet.
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In the early 1800's pamplets and news papers were not like they are today. There was no line between opinion and the news back then. Everyone had a political ajenda and used any means neccessary to bash "the other guy." Actually, if you read some of the stuff said back then, the content of those publications are way worse. However, the technology today allows one hothead to be heard by all.
 
It's a game of "gotcha" and all politicians play it. Most of them have stuck their finger in the pie and are vulnerable.
 
It is crucial in this type of situation that judges are ok guys. Judges must then really be fair, free, correct and impartial. We didn't have that luck overhere.
 
I think The GOP, Congress, and America as a whole would be better off without Mr. Delay. Its true lots of politicans on both sides have sticky or dirty fingers but Delay has a long habit of pushing the ethics line. For example using the FCC to spy on political opponents, bribing a senator by offering to pay for his sons campaign if he voted a certain way on a bill and the entire Texas redistrictring scheme are all signs of total disregard for the rules of Congress and our system of government as a whole. Two of these episodes earned him a sanction by congress. How many more 'incidents' are we going to let slide?

Put aside party loyality or ideology for a sec. Do we really want somebody with this kind of reputation in our government? The last guy like this was Gary Condit, and thankfully California was wise enough to dump him.
 
mmarsh said:
I think The GOP, Congress, and America as a whole would be better off without Mr. Delay. Its true lots of politicans on both sides have sticky or dirty fingers but Delay has a long habit of pushing the ethics line. For example using the FCC to spy on political opponents, bribing a senator by offering to pay for his sons campaign if he voted a certain way on a bill and the entire Texas redistrictring scheme are all signs of total disregard for the rules of Congress and our system of government as a whole. Two of these episodes earned him a sanction by congress. How many more 'incidents' are we going to let slide?

Put aside party loyality or ideology for a sec. Do we really want somebody with this kind of reputation in our government? The last guy like this was Gary Condit, and thankfully California was wise enough to dump him.
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I guess I missed out on most of these bribes and redistricting schemes. Were any of them against House Rules or the law?

If he's guilty of all that, he shouldn't even be in Congress at all. Where did you find all this?
 
Redistricting is expected of a Representative after a demographic poll shows that it is not being represented by the right party. That is not the same as gerrymandering which is drawing "unusually shaped" districts such as following a highway.

As for the bribes to Congressmen, if money is involved, I hope they hang him. If it's the normal vote for mine and I'll vote for yours, there is nothing that can be done. If money to a political candidate comes from a PAC instead of an individual, it is clean. Most "bribes" come from a Congressman's Political Action Committee which comes from Corporations and paid to his PAC fund through the National Party Fund.

They're slick, this will be interesting to see who all goes down if DeLay does.
 
I guess I missed out on most of these bribes and redistricting schemes. Were any of them against House Rules or the law?

If he's guilty of all that, he shouldn't even be in Congress at all. Where did you find all this?[/quote]



From CNN, the link is below. It gives all charges against Delay in detail.

Last week, DeLay was also admonished by the committee on another complaint, related to a promise DeLay made to a fellow GOP House member to endorse his son's bid for Congress in return for the lawmaker's vote for the Medicare prescription drug bill.

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/07/delay.ethics/

I made a mistake. Delay wasnt admonished twice in 2004 by the House but 3 times in 1 week! Once for having the FCC spy on Dems, another for the bribe attempt and lastly for the redistricting fiasco.

I must clarify something. The redisctricting fiasco wasnt illegal, but it was dishonest. Rewriting decade old rules in order to give your side an advantage is a dirty trick. (I call it cheating) but worse, now the Dems are going to retaliate for it in the state legislatures that THEY control. In essence it sent a terrible message that its ok for the majority party to bully the minority.

There is also another matter under investigation that he paid his wife salary using his PAC money. This matter is yet unconcluded, so I will refrain from final judgement.
 
This sounds like mostly partisan bickering.


"With the admonishments, which carry no penalty, the ethics committee said it would take no further action on those two counts in Bell's complaint. In his statement, DeLay said the committee's decision amounted to "dismissing Mr. Bell's embellished allegations with bipartisan unanimity."

"The committee also said it found no evidence to support the allegation in Bell's complaint that Westar Energy Inc. gave $25,000 to DeLay's PAC to influence energy legislation, finding that he took no action with regard to Westar "that would constitute an impermissible special favor."

I remember this, the Texas Rangers were looking for these people who fled the State to Oklahoma so there would be no vote on redistricting. They were AWOL and should have been put in the slammer. Redistricting is for the people in the district to have proper representation by their party.

"The committee also unanimously found that DeLay's office improperly contacted the Federal Aviation Administration in May 2003 to track a plane carrying Texas Democratic legislators, who had fled the state two thwart the Republican plan to redraw the state's congressional district map."
 
Missileer

The problem was not redistricting, the problem was when to redistrict. The old law in Texas allowed for redistricting every 8-10 years (I forget which exactly). It was this way for decades without problem. What Delay did was to use his majority in the state legislature to change the rule so the redistricting would happen every 3rd year. And he made sure the law went into effect immediatly not gradually. Basically what happened in those districts that fairly elected a Democrat would up with a republican they didnt elect instead. Again, a bipartisan commitee admonished Delay for this. So clearly some House Republicans didnt like it either...

What are you going to say when Illinois, New Hampshire, or some other state which is controlled by Democrats pulls the same stunt (probably next year)? Thats the whole problem with the vindictiveness we have seen on the part of the GOP. Sooner or later the Dems are going to get back in power, you know the old saying 'payback is a b****'. This petty sniping is not healthy for our country.

It should be 1 rule written in stone.
 
Doesn't it say something when the best defenses we can find for a congressional leader "he wasn't convicted" or "it wasn't illegal?"

Why can't we demand our politicians don't just adhere to the letter of the law but actually honor the law? I'm not talking republicans or democrats here. I'm talking the leaders of the free world!!

It's no wonder when young folks these days roll their eyes and chuckle when someone suggests they go into politics. The only kids I had in school who really seemed interested in politics were the ones who would do anything to win. While they'll probably do great in our political arena, they are exactly the type I don't want representing me.
 
Vindictiveness and pettiness is certainly not a description that belongs to republicans alone. When there is a groundless indictment against a republican, it will go on his record because of the republican party rule that anyone under indictment, regardless of the merit, has to step "aside" not down, until the matter is resolved. If nothing else, the dems can say "look at all these indictments" while knowing they are frivolous.

The democrats have no such rule so you can see who is at least the most self policing of the two parties. None of the "indictments" have proven true so there have been no reprimands or censuring. Since there is no way to punish the person who brings frivolous indictments, you will see the dems use this tactic relentlessly.
 
Vindictiveness and pettiness is certainly not a description that belongs to republicans alone.

No arguement there. The only reason I mention Republicans is that they are the party in power. Should them Dems retake control in 2006 the spotlight will be on them. I just hope that should the Dems retake Congress they don't go overboard on retailation, although some is to be expected.

I think we can all agree that corrupt politicans be he/she Republican or Democrat should be drummed out of Congress, they have no business there.

I found an interesting Link. Its a Washington Watchdog that list the 13 most corrupt congressmen (on both sides). Tell me what you all think...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...010.story?coll=la-story-footer&track=morenews
 
I think it stinks to high Heaven. Anything filtered through the toilet paper called the LA Times will be crap. I didn't see anything in it worthy of note and certainly one sided since for the most part, the GOP was singled out for scrutiny so naturally they will be the flogged party. I could pick through Congressional records and come up with a similar report titled"The 13 most corrupt democrats in Congress." I think the Washington Watchdog should have titled that "the 13 most corrupt republicans I can dig up for now."
 
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