Monday, October 17, 2005

Conservatives Wearing Saggy Diapers That Leak

The new defense meme for the Republicans is taking shape—it's the "criminalization of politics." These poor conservatives are just trying to get things done, and the bitter Democrats and media are on a witchhunt, throwing up charges and indictments, just hoping something will stick... waaahhh...

Bill Kristol had his contribution, and of course, it's complete crap. Hunter over at Kos will have none of it and he takes Kristol to the woodshed.
What's particularly galling is while Kristol and Bell bemoan the criminalization of "conservatives who seek to govern as conservatives", few of the people at the heart of the various Republican scandals represent much in the way of true conservatism at all. Is Abramoff a "conservative", or simply the main driveshaft of a Republican money machine? What about DeLay? Does his deficit-busting, spend-money-like-a-drunken-pirate agenda really square with "conservative" principles, or does "conservative" these days simply mean whatever principles Kristol deems convenient during this particular twenty minute span of time, to be revised as needed by the latest RNC-faxed talking points?

[...] You don't have far to look, in the Republican Party, to find true conservatives. I may not like the political stances of a John McCain or an Arlen Specter, but nor do I fear for the nation if they come to lead the Republican party. Men of integrity can disagree on the principles of government; men whose sole moral compass is directed by what they can technically get away with, however, aren't political men. They're just crooks.

Exactly. This isn't looking at politics and deciding to make some of it "criminal." This is politicians, this time on the Republican side, deciding on illegal means to their political ends and then their consorts bitching when they get caught. They fucking deserve more than what will eventually be coming to them. Trust me.

UPDATE: Would you believe me if there was video? Here you go.
[h/t This Modern World]

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