WINNERS & SINNERS

by: JAMES K. SWEENEY

November 17, 2006

THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION - I

It is so refreshing to have a woman of Nancy Pelosi’s political acumen running the newly-elected House of Representatives. As Ms. Pelosi humourously reminded voters, it takes a woman to clean the House. And so, on the day following Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison in Maryland, nearby Washington’s yet zealous and unsatisfied prosecutors, we have some examples illustrating what kind of Housemaker Ms. Pelosi plans to be:

Pelosi’s Choice as her Deputy [and First Defeat]:

John Murtha is one of Congress’s most ethically challenged members; hardly anyone questions that statement. He was seriously involved in the Abscam scandal; failed to report a bribe attempt; is a pig on pork whose brother was a lobbyist and who has been characterized recently by the Washington Post as “unqualified” for the job. Republicans would have loved to have had Murtha being front and center in the new Congress to remind voters that, while having their own problems, at least Republican scandal-makers get kicked out, e.g., Mark Foley. Alas, that was not to be. The House democrats today voted against their new Speaker 149 to 86, electing moderate democrat Steny Hoyer to the number 2 post. This despite Pelosi’s full-bore support of Murtha and the known animosity between her and Hoyer. Sounds very much like the Speaker doesn’t know what she’s doing up there. We’ll keep track of her meanderings for you.

Pelosi’s Choice for Chair of the House Intelligence Committee:

Jane Harman, slated to become chair by seniority and capability, and a fellow California member (Palos Verde) has been summarily bounced by Pelosi’s choice of Alcyee Hastings, a black democrat. Hastings, in case you don’t know, has other unique characteristics. He is only the 6^th judge in American history to have been impeached [by fellow judges] and kicked off the Florida bench for arranging and accepting bribes. Hastings was acquitted by an OJ jury but 3 separate judicial panels disagreed. Based on his history, he can’t be too smart so why is he on the intelligence committee in the first place?

THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION - II

Not to be outdone in shamelessness, the retiring Republican governor of Arkansas, one Michael Huckabee et ux, have taken a

thoroughly disgusting step: after 34 years of married life, they have logged onto various bridal registries in Arkansas so that “friends” can “help” them return to private life. Now, the Huckabees just purchased a 7,000 square foot house in North Little Rock, having lived rent-free as governor for some years. But the culture of corruption is so strong s to overcome any sense of shame about the self-evident, personal pornography of this pair. Oh yes; wedding gifts are excluded from the constraints of giving to elected officials in office or upon leaving office. Neat.

SOLUTION

There isn’t one really. The closest answer I can think of is term limits, strictly enforced, which also require some time - say 2-years - between running for an elected office after having been termed out of office.

IMMIGRATION QUERY TO El PRESIDENTE WHOEVER HE IS IN MEXICO CITY

[This May Be the Solution to the Problem]

Let’s see. You, Sir, as I understand it, want Open Borders so that Mexicans may simply walk into the United States, get whatever job they’re qualified for, without fear of deportation, get mortgages, buy homes, raise kids, get free education and medical care, unemployment and similar benefits and, finally, social security, while remaining Mexican citizens yet vote in American elections. I think that’s your pitch; I know it’s a compilation of the MALDEF/MECHA crowd. Okay. Here’s my query.

Is this open border a two-way street? May Americans simply stroll into Mexico and work? Buy homes wherever they want, like on the beach, get free education for their kids, welfare, free medical care and on and on? If not, why not? I thought the borders were to be “open”, not a one-way street.

BUSH AND IRAQ

All the generals testifying in front of Congress are echoing Bush and Rumsfeld: don’t need more troops; this war is slowly being won; it is a five-year time frame; pulling out would be a disaster and more. Thus, it is less likely Congress will cut-and-run. Few, if any members have a plan detailing how to do that other than saying it in sound-bites for local consumption at 11. The sole serious plan is Sen. Biden’s federalization which, while serious and seemingly reasonable, is not at all new. It has been shelved regularly as nobody has figured out how to share the oil revenues: Kurds don’t trust the Sunni who don’t trust the Shia in every permutation and all with good reason. In Iraq, nobody trusts anybody. James Baker’s Iraq Study Group will have a clean canvas on which to paint a long time frame withdrawal, say, 3 to 5 years, and no democrat is going to disagree other than say it should be shorter. Democrats don’t want to assume the responsibility for resolving the exit strategy. McCain’s idea of another 150,000 troops appears to be toast. He, like the other Viet Nam warrior, Murtha, really have no pertinent military experience. McCain got shot down and spent 5 years as a POW; Murtha was a low level Marine enlisted man. Neither has any strategic military experience in the sense that a Colin Powell possesses. So, where are we post-election? Back at square one.

WHY THE IRAQ PROBLEM

Several readers have asked why, if I’m so smart, haven’t I offered a solution to Iraq. The answer is because it’s too late for the obvious solution: we failed strategically in our basic war plan. Without assessing whether we should have invaded or not - a separate serious issue - when we did, we should have gone in with the intention to occupy, not liberate, Iraq; we should have aggressively hunted and killed everything that moved against us and we should have set all the time-tables for the government. None of that PC pussyfooting around a la the Compassionate Conservative. [Who says GWB hasn’t a way with words? He’s not compassionate and surely not conservative.] That’s what was done in Japan and Germany; it worked. We did the opposite in Iraq and you see the results. Sadly, we can’t go back so we’re stuck with the no good options we’re discussing now. I do think we could move it along with very aggressive search, destroy and kill mission but I read that’s what’s going on without publicity.

IRAN

The choices are: the Israelis do it or we do it, “it” being endless bombing missions to simply destroy their technical capabilities, military infrastructure and government buildings. Absolute, utter destruction without mercy. “Back to the Stone Age” as a famous American once said of the Viet Cong. Less than that is looking for an Islamic Deus ex machina. There are none.