Monday, February 06, 2006

The New Republican Leader-- Sounding Like the Old Republican Leader.

Well, now we have seen John Boehner's first comments on privately funded travel for congressmen. And he said 'Keep it.'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The new Republican leader in the House of Representatives backed more stringent disclosure rules for lawmakers and lobbyists Sunday, but criticized measures such as a ban on privately paid travel proposed by other GOP leaders....

"Sunlight is the best disinfectant," the Ohio congressman told NBC's "Meet the Press."


Uh, we already know that leaders of Congress have gone on all these junkets, paid for by lobbyists, corporations and others who want to influence them. That is what is at the center of the current scandal swirling around several members of Congress.

This may be why Boehner is reluctant to change the travel plans:

Boehner has taken trips valued at more than $157,000 since 2000, paid for by nonprofit trade organizations and think tanks, according to Federal Election Commission records compiled by the online research group Political Moneyline.

He told "Fox News Sunday" that the trips -- which include visits to Scotland, Belgium and Spain -- are necessary to keep lawmakers informed on the issues before them.


Hmmm. Scotland. Wonder if he went golfing with Bob Ney and Jack Abramoff. What's it about Scotland, anyway? Maybe it's the whiskey? Or maybe they really have found something in Loch Ness, and it's so hush-hush that they have to bring all those Congressmen there to see it?

These guys just don't get it, do they?

7 comments:

EAPrez said...

Until the puplic at large figures out that what they do in the big house is affecting their daily lives & decides they've had enough and turn out to vote these bastards out - then things will never change - and we have more of the same to look forward to.

Anonymous said...

I was actually very surprised that he was it. The Blogs on the Right strongly supported John Shadegg, as did many of the prominent columnists. He was the cleanest of the three!

Perhaps I was just being naive...

dorsano said...

In government, it's not enough to adhere to the law - it's pretty much a requirement to not give the impression of impropriety.

Given those guidelines, there were no good candidates among the top three.

What's your take on Jeff Flake, Eli? He supported Shadegg and he was one of the early advocates for new leadership.

I know you don't agree with Flake's economics - nor do I.

The New England Republicans (those that are still left) have been marginalized - it looks like to me.

The Midwestern Republicans like MN Governor Tim Pawlenty are the dark horses of the GOP.

What are the Western GOPers like?

Eli Blake said...

Dorsano:

Flake is an honest individual, but he is the bleakest of right wingers. He was the first Congressman to come out against spending any more on Katrina relief.

Eli Blake said...

And, Dorsano,

Most Western GOPers are what can fairly be described as the 'loony tunes' right. Think Tom Tancredo. Some of them are a bit more quiet about it, and quietly go about the business of screwing the rest of us over, but they are just about as bad as he is. There is a bit of a divide on 'morality' issues between libertarian leaning ones (Tancredo) and religious ones (Flake) but on the big issues, they tend to agree one way or another.

I will say that Flake (probably because he is honest enough to be realistic) has some good ideas about immigration, but I'm not fooled into supporting him because of that.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, Crowley's house, in between golfing..and all that such a trip entails? Kidding, Eli.

(sigh) Thats what I do.

Anonymous said...

AJ has a very interesting post at Lothlorien Path, by the way (here)

It speaks to my joke better than I can, for sure.