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I Don't Give a Damn 'bout My Bad Reputation
Author: BobR    Date: 04/22/2011 12:35:26


I don't give a damn 'Bout my reputation
I've never been afraid of any deviation
An' I don't really care If ya think I'm strange
I ain't gonna change
An' I'm never gonna care 'Bout my bad reputation

- Joan Jett


There's as certain human emotion known as "shame" that is common among most people. It is that sheepish apologetic feeling one gets when they know they've done something wrong. This is typically manifested in actions like self-punishment and giving back. For some strange reason, this is an emotion that seems strangely devoid in Republican politicians.

This is brought to light yet again by the recent announcement of John Ensign's (R-NV) plans to resign. Is it because he had an affair with a staffer's wife? Is it because he tried to pay off the staffer and wife by having his parents write them a series of checks that just fell under the amount they would have to report as income? Is it because he "forgot" to report $500K in assets on his taxes? Is it because he was added to the list of the 15 most corrupt politicians in America?

No - he stayed in office after all of that. This time, it's because he will finally face a Senate ethics committe investigation:
Ensign is under a Senate Ethics Committee investigation over claims he violated ethics rules in the aftermath of an affair with Cynthia Hampton, the wife of former top aide Doug Hampton, whom he helped obtain a lucrative lobbying job.

He cited the investigation in his statement.

"I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents, or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings, or especially public hearings. For my family and me, this continued personal cost is simply too great," he said.

That's right - he blames the investigation for hurting his family instead of his own actions. There's a word for that.... hmm.... oh yeah: Asshole.

Of course - this is all child's play to diaper-wearing prostitute-paying Senator David Vitter (R-LA). In 2007, he got named by not one, but two DC-area madams as a paying customer (who apparently liked to wear diapers as one of his kinks). Did he resign in shame? Of course not - he offered a token apology, said God had forgiven him, and stayed put:
While the Louisiana state Republican Party offered guarded support, national Republicans offered forgiveness. The Nation predicted that the Republican Party would be in a "forgiving mood", pointing out if Vitter did step down, then Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat, would likely appoint a Democrat to take Vitter's place until a special election took place, thus increasing Democratic control over the Senate.

Isn't paying a prostitute an actual crime (not saying it should be, but I believe it is)? The statute of limitations has apparently run out on that one, but it seems like the Senate should still do something. Hell - the people of Louisiana should do something. Oh yeah, they did - they re-elected him.

For a few other quick examples, there's House Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). She actually broke into tears, pleading her fellow Republicans to vote for a budget compromise. When it came time to vote (... wait for it...) she voted against it. Why? The bill didn't change, just the perception of it (and - ostensibly - the perception of voters back home).

In the "I don't give a damn about the 1st Amendment" category (mixing politics and religion division), Gov. Rick Perry (TX) took a page from former GA governor Sonny Perdue and decided the best approach to a statewide drought problem was to pray for rain. Only he didn't just do like Sonny did and pray on the state Capitol steps, he actually issued an official proclamation from his office:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the three-day period from Friday, April 22, 2011, to Sunday, April 24, 2011, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal and robust way of life.

I pray he reads the Constitution and works with civil engineers to devise a workable water use plan.

One might make the argument that these are just a few "bad apples" What then to make of the Republicans' assaults on the President's attempts to require disclosure of campaign contributions by companies seeking government contracts? It seems a no-brainer to bring attempts at pandering and vote-buying to light. That the seemingly entire Republican party is trying to frame this as a "free-speech" issue shows that they believe the axiom that "money talks" is literally true, that money-as-speech is covered by the Constitution, and that they believe these "conversations" deserve privacy (unlike our cell phone conversations, which are not private per the Patriot Act). The reality of course is that they want to be able to deliver legislation to their contributers under the cloak of secrecy, and are hiding behind the Constitution to do it.

Have they no shame?

BONUS Click: You knew it had to happen - a 3-D porno has been released...
 

50 comments (Latest Comment: 04/22/2011 21:12:09 by livingonli)
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