Beginning of the End for GOP

I’m not one to overreact to news that a politician has been indicted.  It’s not an unusual occurrence and, in more cases than you might expect, the indicted is ultimately exonerated.  So forgive me for not jumping up and down in celebration of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s indictment for conspiring to illegally funnel corporate cash to Texas state Republicans in 2002.  I don’t know if he did it and smart people are split as to whether he’s guilty of the crime for which he has been charged.  For me, his guilt or innocence is almost beside the point.  You see, his possible acquittal doesn’t obviate the fact that he is a dirty politician and his continued presence as such a prominent Republican marks the beginning of the end of GOP dominance of Congress.  I write this not because I know a secret but, rather, because DeLay’s indictment is one of a long list of ethical lapses that show the national GOP is corrupt and uses its power to enrich their friends and punish their enemies.

The DeLay indictment is yet another in a long line of recent events to demonstrate that the Republican Party in Washington, D.C., from the White House to Capitol Hill, is shot through with corruption and besotted with their power.  They've looted the federal treasury of billions to pay for an unjustified war in Iraq (and the Coalition Provisional Authority has literally lost $8 billion there), no-bid contracts to their friends seems to be their preferred way of operating, they've jeopardized people all over the country with that ridiculous bankruptcy bill they wrote and passed, they've been wasteful spenders of taxpayers money, and they don't seem to care about the damage their policies are doing to the federal deficit.

Karl Rove outed a covert CIA operative.  David Safavian, until two weeks ago, the Bush Administration's chief procurement officer, was indicted on charges of obstruction of justice surrounding crooked GOP lobbyist, and DeLay crony, Jack Abramoff.  There are examples too numerous to list here of political appointees that are patently unqualified for the jobs to which they have been assigned. Add to that fact that some of these jobs require decisions to be made that literally have life and death consequences (Mike "Brownie, you're doing a great job" Brown) and it's not a stretch to see that the party is in trouble.

Meanwhile, Republican elected officials are being caught in scheme after scheme to enrich themselves.  Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham sold his house to a government contractor doing business before Cunningham’s committee for nearly twice its market value in what can only be called a bribe.  Further, Cunningham lived for years on this same contractor's houseboat in D.C.  Senator Bill Frist is now under investigation for what may turn out to be insider trading.  Numerous Ohio Republicans, most notably Governor Robert Taft, have undergone varying investigations, not to mention legitimate concerns about voter suppression in the 2004 election.  And let's not forget former Illinois Governor George Ryan, who is currently in court facing charges that he took cash and gifts to help insiders land lucrative state contracts.

DeLay’s indictment may turn out to be nothing.  It may turn out to be a big deal.  Either way you slice it, it's part of a long pattern of corruption that has developed over the years of GOP dominance of Congress and the White House.  The Gingrich Revolution was largely built around the argument that 40 years of Democratic control led to arrogance and corruption.  It appears now that the GOP has done more in a shorter time and the nation is worse off as a result.

© Michael K. Fauntroy, September 29, 2005