Unlike Ray Nagin (and perhaps Florida), it appears that the Louisiana Democratic Party understands that it’s time to clean up some problems (Houston Chronicle):
BATON ROUGE, LA. — An eight-term Democratic Louisiana congressman whose Capitol Hill office was raided earlier this year as part of a bribery investigation failed Saturday to win the endorsement of the state’s Democratic Party.
The political climate right now is — or should be — one of absolute intolerance for corruption, in all its forms. The days of mutual back-scratches and fanny-patting “atta boys” are done. It doesn’t really matter, at this point, whether someone has been convicted or not; it’s a matter of perception, and both parties need to be strenuously cleaning house.
Obviously, Louisiana’s Democratic leadership gets it, even if Jefferson does not (NOLA.com):
Jefferson said Saturday that under party practice, the decisions by the local Democratic committees should have led to an automatic endorsement of him by the state body.
[snip]
Jefferson said the party in the past had not turned its back on other incumbent officials who had “issues with investigations.” He cited Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom, who for years has fought prosecutors in a corruption case, and former Insurance Commissioner Jim Brown, who served six months in federal prison for lying to federal agents.
Enough. Seriously.
On Friday, Nick Anderson (the Houston Chronicle’s brilliant editorial cartoonist) put out an animation about Hillary Clinton, called “Hillary’s baggage“, in which she explains away her “trunk of junk” in front of a run at the White House in 2008.
Polimom likes Hillary, but Nick’s engaging cartoon is all too true.
However, it’s not just Hillary, or folks aspiring to the presidency. Once junk starts collecting in that personal trunk, folks, politicians really need to find other career paths, because they’re nothing but polarizing lightning rods and distractions thereafter.
And we need to be done with that.
In Bob Woodward’s book State of Denial
Polimom’s been wondering the same thing about America.
Are there people in our government who can resist the corruption that power too often brings? I’m sure there are, but there are far too many who cannot… and as a result I now distrust them all. We can’t oust all of them, but we can strongly draw some lines, sending a crystal clear message that Foleys cannot be protected, Jeffersons cannot be supported, DeLays must not be excused.
I truly think Americans have had it up to their ears with the power games, pandering, and covering — in both parties. I know I am.
