Wednesday, April 20, 2005
As the Tables Turn
For the last several weeks, the Democrats have been pushing for an investigation into Rep Tom DeLay's alleged ethics violations. Alright, who the hell am I kidding? There's nothing "alleged" about them. He's a slimy bastard whose so drunk with power he can hardly stand up. So basically the Democrats are trying to get his sorry ass busted.
The problem is, there's a little hang-up. In order to get the investigation started, the House ethics committee would have to agree to undertake it. However, the committee is dead-locked right now over proposed changes to the rules. Earlier this year, in an attempt to save DeLay's pathetic ass, the Republicans proposed a rules change that would allow a case to be dismissed if there was a tie vote. Seeing as how the committee is made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, that means a strictly party-line vote would eliminate the possibility of a full investigation. Ironically, the rule they are trying to change was instituted by the Republicans themselves during the nineties. The Democrats, recognizing this for the partisan bullshit that it is, have refused to play ball ever since. Thus the deadlock.
Knowing that their party is being dragged down by Tom DeLay, the Republicans attempted to turn the tables on the Democrats today.
Basically, the Republicans are dangling the DeLay investigation in front of the Democrats like a carrot on a stick. Saying, "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who has the most to gain from this. If the Democrats agree to the rules change, the Republicans on the committee can all vote in favor of DeLay and the case will be dismissed. So the Democrats are doing the right thing by refusing to chase the carrot.
Unfortunately, the Republican noise machine will waste no time cranking up the rhetoric on this one. Expect to hear things like, "We offered to investigate Tom DeLay but the Democrats refused because they don't have the proof." Or, "Democrats know that Tom DeLay has done nothing rong, so they're blocking the investigation to avoid the embarrassment." That's why the House Dems have to keep spinning the table right on back around. Before the Republicans can spin this into a Democratic problem, House leader Nancy Pelosi needs to hit the airwaves. Hit every morning news show and expose the Republican's sleazy behavior. Explain that they are trying to hide the corruption of one of their own by changing the rules to the game. If she waits too long, the tables will have been turned and the Democrats will look like the fools.
Although I believe Nancy Pelosi to be a capable person, she could use some help. This is where you come in, dear reader. Lend a hand. Write a letter, call your local radio station, hand out flyers. Whatever it is you feel comfortable doing. For too long, the Republicans have been able to turn the tables in order to hide their corruption. I say "No More!" Turn the tables back. They're the party that has the most to lose.
The problem is, there's a little hang-up. In order to get the investigation started, the House ethics committee would have to agree to undertake it. However, the committee is dead-locked right now over proposed changes to the rules. Earlier this year, in an attempt to save DeLay's pathetic ass, the Republicans proposed a rules change that would allow a case to be dismissed if there was a tie vote. Seeing as how the committee is made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, that means a strictly party-line vote would eliminate the possibility of a full investigation. Ironically, the rule they are trying to change was instituted by the Republicans themselves during the nineties. The Democrats, recognizing this for the partisan bullshit that it is, have refused to play ball ever since. Thus the deadlock.
Knowing that their party is being dragged down by Tom DeLay, the Republicans attempted to turn the tables on the Democrats today.
- The Republican chairman of the House ethics committee offered on Wednesday to begin an investigation of Majority Leader Tom DeLay to end a stalemate that has kept the panel from functioning this year.
Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., made the proposal at a news conference flanked by three of the four other Republicans on the ethics panel. The evenly divided committee also has five Democrats.
Senior committee Democrat Alan Mollohan of West Virginia quickly rejected the offer, saying his party would continue blocking the panel from operating unless investigative rules imposed by Republicans were changed.
This is the second time in two weeks that Republicans tried to break the deadlock, while Democrats have held their ground and criticized the GOP-written rules for investigating lawmakers, passed in January without Democratic support. Democrats have accused the majority party of writing the rules to protect DeLay.
"The first principle in doing it right is that it be bipartisan," said Mollohan. "That's a beginning point for me."
Basically, the Republicans are dangling the DeLay investigation in front of the Democrats like a carrot on a stick. Saying, "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who has the most to gain from this. If the Democrats agree to the rules change, the Republicans on the committee can all vote in favor of DeLay and the case will be dismissed. So the Democrats are doing the right thing by refusing to chase the carrot.
Unfortunately, the Republican noise machine will waste no time cranking up the rhetoric on this one. Expect to hear things like, "We offered to investigate Tom DeLay but the Democrats refused because they don't have the proof." Or, "Democrats know that Tom DeLay has done nothing rong, so they're blocking the investigation to avoid the embarrassment." That's why the House Dems have to keep spinning the table right on back around. Before the Republicans can spin this into a Democratic problem, House leader Nancy Pelosi needs to hit the airwaves. Hit every morning news show and expose the Republican's sleazy behavior. Explain that they are trying to hide the corruption of one of their own by changing the rules to the game. If she waits too long, the tables will have been turned and the Democrats will look like the fools.
Although I believe Nancy Pelosi to be a capable person, she could use some help. This is where you come in, dear reader. Lend a hand. Write a letter, call your local radio station, hand out flyers. Whatever it is you feel comfortable doing. For too long, the Republicans have been able to turn the tables in order to hide their corruption. I say "No More!" Turn the tables back. They're the party that has the most to lose.
