How has Tom Delay not been castrated yet?

Tom Delay (R - TEXAS), the second-ranking representative in the House of Representatives, is being accused of various unethical political practices.

Such as...creating an organization dubbed TRMPAC (Texans for a Repulican Majority Political Action Committee). The "fundraising" organization raised $190,000 in 2001 and the transactions from corporations to TRMPAC seemed legal. But upon further analysis TRMPAC was used to illegally fund campaign financing.

Such as...taking lavish
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28319-2005Apr5.html) trips to the Russia, Britain and the Bahamas paid for, in part, by lobbyists -- which is illegal in the House of Representatives.

Such as...http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0D17FC3D5A0C758CDDAD0894DD404482

Why Delay hasn\'t been skewered yet is beyond me. The man continually dismisses any and all questions regarding his ethics and blames the "liberal" media for his problems.

Originally posted by Ghettomath
Tom Delay (R - TEXAS), the second-ranking representative in the House of Representatives, is being accused of various unethical political practices.

Such as...creating an organization dubbed TRMPAC (Texans for a Repulican Majority Political Action Committee). The "fundraising" organization raised $190,000 in 2001 and the transactions from corporations to TRMPAC seemed legal. But upon further analysis TRMPAC was used to illegally fund campaign financing.

Such as...taking lavish
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28319-2005Apr5.html) trips to the Russia, Britain and the Bahamas paid for, in part, by lobbyists -- which is illegal in the House of Representatives.

Such as...http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0D17FC3D5A0C758CDDAD0894DD404482

Why Delay hasn\'t been skewered yet is beyond me. The man continually dismisses any and all questions regarding his ethics and blames the "liberal" media for his problems.

The Democratic Underground is calling and they want their moonbat back...  By the title of this post I suppose you have already ordered a "DeLay Suicide" shirt or perhaps a "Kill Bush" shirt to wear at your school...

Funny you don\'t mention the Dems who traveled to Europe and other locations with lobbyist money as well or is it because you have your liberal blinders on to that fact as well?  Is it only post worthy when a Republican or Conservative does it, yet pushed under the rug when a Democrat does the same exact thing?

Seems Nancy Pelosi might have some skeletons in her closet as well...

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100007425&docId=l:270596122&start=5

As for paying relatives:

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/Stories/0,1413,104~8676~2813819,0.html#

and

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/04/13/national/w124553D99.DTL

This is nothing more than political hardball and a concerted effort by liberal politicians, lobbyists and media outlets to draw fire to DeLay and if you think members of only one party are guilty of questionable activity you are a fool.  Most members do it.  Does it really matter?  No.

Should DeLay limit his questionable activity given his position in Congress - you bet.

Perhaps DeLay is being targeted more-so than other representatives, but it seems as if he is the most critical offender.

DeLay paid his wife and daughter $500,000. According to the links you gave, DeLay is the greatest offender by several hundred thousand dollars. The closest Rep. cited is

"Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif.: Wife Arlene Willis serves as congressional chief of staff at a salary of nearly $111,000."

"Weldon said he had first-hand knowledge of the effectiveness of DeLay\'s daughter, Danielle DeLay Ferro. He said that Ferro had done yeoman\'s work in helping to bring her father to a Weldon fundraising event in Orlando last year."

Ohhhh wow! She brought her daddy to a fundraising event in Orlando!

I realize this is going on elsewhere, but if the government cracks down on DeLay, it will at least show other representatives, especially high-ranking representatives, that our government sees this sort of behavior as unacceptable.

And this hurts you how?  Rather it hurts us taxpayers how?  Lobbyists influence every politician and every politician\'s vote.  Believe me when I say there is a lobby for practically every issue that comes before Congress.   No matter what you do, a Congressman is going to listen to a powerful and vocal lobbyist that they see on a regular basis over Joe constituant on the telephone.  This has been going on for decades if not longer with both parties.  Who cares.  You get rid of DeLay do you really think the problem will be solved?  Hardly.    

Once again if this was a Democrat being targeted - I wouldn\'t care.  What irritates me is that dimwits like you don\'t acknowledge that it is not that uncommon regardless of party affiliation.  I seriously doubt you would have posted this if say Barbara Boxer was the subject of the scrutiny.  No, this is another one sided story that only exposes half of the problem and of course the liberal media has picked their scapegoat.  Don\'t think so?  Why was the NY Times trying to coerce a Republican Congressman to write an editorial slamming DeLay?  And they wonder why their subscriber base remains flat...

Ethics and politicans... isn\'t that an oxymoron?  If you think the national level is bad - it gets worse on the State and local level.

Originally posted by GigaShadow


Why was the NY Times trying to coerce a Republican Congressman to write an editorial slamming DeLay?  

Link?

Use Google lazy ass.  This is the last time I provide a link to a news story that you could easily find on your own.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak11.html

I would just like to add the New York Times no longer reports the news, but tries to create it.

What are you whining about, Giga?  If it\'s so easy to find the link, why didn\'t you provide it in your original post?  He who cites a story should provide the link.  I think that\'s very reasonable.

BTW, the story you linked to is an editorial by Robert Novak.  That paragon on journalism who leaked a CIA agent\'s identity.  Is this your alternative to the NY Times you have villified?

So it isn\'t true because of the author?  You liberals amaze me.  The NYT is nothing more than a mouthpiece for radical liberals.  Try denying that DeLay is being individually targeted by the liberal press for something everyone in Congress does...

Yes the link is easy to find if you use Google, which is what I had to do since story isn\'t exactly current - next time I won\'t when someone who questions me could in the same amount of time find the link itself - or better yet read the news.

Originally posted by GigaShadow
So it isn\'t true because of the author?  You liberals amaze me.  The NYT is nothing more than a mouthpiece for radical liberals.  Try denying that DeLay is being individually targeted by the liberal press for something everyone in Congress does...

Yes the link is easy to find if you use Google, which is what I had to do since story isn\'t exactly current - next time I won\'t when someone who questions me could in the same amount of time find the link itself - or better yet read the news.

The corollary:  Do you believe everything you read, just because it says something you want to hear?  I didn\'t say it wasn\'t true.  I don\'t really know, since all we have to go on is Robert Novak\'s second hand description of a verbal telephone conversation.  

You are the one who constantly discounts stories and reports based solely on the author.  Therefore you have no leg to stand on when someone else points out the questionable motivation or verifiability of one of your sources.

I suppose because "everyone else in Congress" does this, it\'s OK for DeLay to do it too?  Once again your standards are too low.  I don\'t know why you accept the situation so blithely.  I think EVERY congressman who engages in this behavior should be NAILED TO THE WALL.  I don\'t give a damn if it\'s a republican or a democrat.  I hate corporate lobbying and I think federal elections should be 100% publically funded.  That is the only way to make sure our government is accountable to the people, rather than the corporations.

Originally posted by Coredweller
The corollary:  Do you believe everything you read, just because it says something you want to hear?  I didn\'t say it wasn\'t true.  I don\'t really know, since all we have to go on is Robert Novak\'s second hand description of a verbal telephone conversation.  

You are the one who constantly discounts stories and reports based solely on the author.  Therefore you have no leg to stand on when someone else points out the questionable motivation or verifiability of one of your sources.

I suppose because "everyone else in Congress" does this, it\'s OK for DeLay to do it too?  Once again your standards are too low.  I don\'t know why you accept the situation so blithely.  I think EVERY congressman who engages in this behavior should be NAILED TO THE WALL.  I don\'t give a damn if it\'s a republican or a democrat.  I hate corporate lobbying and I think federal elections should be 100% publically funded.  That is the only way to make sure our government is accountable to the people, rather than the corporations.

First, did I even bring this topic up?  If it was a Democrat it would never have been brought up here because most of us conservatives live in reality and know this will go on regardless of what happens.  It is not a big deal.   Your standards are unrealistic as with power comes corruption - yes even here in the USA - no matter if you are liberal or conservative.  This type of thing really doesn\'t effect us in the long run.  Wow, some trips paid for by lobbyists and paying your relatives for work... really I don\'t care.  Wake me up when some real ethics violations appear.

Look at the title of the post that Ghettorat put up.  He was trolling for a response and he got it.  Most of those reports that people like Ghetto and a few other radicals post in here are all op/eds.  Remember Michael Moore\'s op/ed called F911?  Some took it as the truth period and that is infinitely more far fetched than a NYT reporter trying to create journalism rather than report it.  Discount it all you like - The NYT has zero credibility with me and is the ACLU of printed news media.  They have their own agenda.

Originally posted by GigaShadow
This type of thing really doesn\'t effect us in the long run.

This one statement speaks volumes about your perspective on this issue.  Corporate control over our government through lobbying doesn\'t affect us in the long run???  You really need to research this a little more.

Please, please take my advice and read or watch one of the following sources to learn more about what\'s going on.  There are obviously thousands of books and programs on this subject, but these are two of the most easily digestable works:

When Corporations Rule the World by David Korten.  Berrett-Koehler, 2001.

The Corporation Zeitgeist Video , 2003

I appeal to you as a man of reason:  Please do not just say to yourself "more liberal bullshit... I\'m not going near that stuff."  You will benefit greatly these.

Our society is corporate driven - I see nothing wrong with it.   And yes those two works are socialist anti capitalism crap.  With readers comparing it to F911 and praising it I will pass.

That\'s nice; calling it crap before you\'ve read it.  Did you learn that in college?

I think it would be a good exchange if you suggested things for me to read, and I suggested things for you to read, so we can each broaden our perspectives.  Wearing blinders and limiting your exposure only to information you think you\'ll agree with is not beneficial in my opinion.

I\'m sure glad there are people like Coredweller in America. GigaShadow will probably think differently when he dies of CANCER caused by an irresponsible utility that\'s trying to limit financial liability. He\'ll probably even take their side in a law suit.

Originally posted by Coredweller
That\'s nice; calling it crap before you\'ve read it.  Did you learn that in college?

I think it would be a good exchange if you suggested things for me to read, and I suggested things for you to read, so we can each broaden our perspectives.  Wearing blinders and limiting your exposure only to information you think you\'ll agree with is not beneficial in my opinion.

I was liberal and then I grew up.  Good reading material... sounds like a new topic to me...