Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Friday, May 29, 2015

The Hastert Rules

Pretty vague at the moment as to what the former Speaker was trying to cover up.  It would seem to be from his time as a high school teacher and wrestling coach.  That's a little different from public malfeasance.

It seems pretty clear he broke the law - that he helped pass - regarding bank withdrawals.  And then he lied about it.  If he lied, the question immediately becomes about what.

Hastert was largely considered the least corrupt, least dogmatic possibility for Speaker.  He wasn't Tom Delay.  If he was covering up some sordid fact from his past that's one thing.  But if he was engaged in public crimes as a House member or Speaker, then that's quite another.

I can only say it so many times: One party sees government as a tool to improve the common weal.  One grand old party sees government as a source of enrichment for them and their friends.

UPDATE: Turns out it was creepy sex stuff.  How sad in so many ways.

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