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The Smoking Russian Donut

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“Politicians in prison garb,” headlined a recent Sun Sentinel editorial, “shake trust in government.”

It was not a fashion statement.

“What is it about a long career that makes some politicians — not all, let’s be clear about that — feel the rules don’t apply to them?” asked the paper, which serves Florida’s Broward and Palm Beach counties.

This week, after spending the last 24 years in Congress, former Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) began serving a five-year term in federal prison. Brown was convicted of 18 separate fraud and corruption counts stemming from her use of a public charity to benefit herself.

Not to be outdone, last week the FBI arrested Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper on various corruption charges following a six-year undercover sting operation. “From what is now known,” the editorial board judged “the case against Cooper” to be “devastating.”

There are taped conversations, reportedly, between FBI agents posing as “wealthy land owners [seeking] political favors” and the mayor, discussing pay (her) to play (with the city). At one point, undercover agents say a bribe was delivered to the mayor in “a Dunkin’ Donuts bag stuffed with $8,000 in cash and checks from people with a ‘bunch of Russian names.’”

Russians?

“If not so tragic,” the paper wrote of the corruption, “it would be laughable to imagine Russians colluding to control the Hallandale Beach city election.”

Humor is needed, truly. Yet, the Sun Sentinel concluded instead that “term limits are needed in Hallandale Beach.”

Of course.

And needed for Congress.

Now more than ever.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.


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6 replies on “The Smoking Russian Donut”

“What is it about a long career that makes some politicians — not all, let’s be clear about that — feel the rules don’t apply to them?” 

Maybe it’s how the media treated Clinton crime family activity and covered up for them?

I believe these two cases are exceptions, rather than the rule.   Where government corruption is concerned my attitude now is:  no hopes, no disappointments.
As for corrupt government officials actually being punished in a court of law:  I’ll believe it when I see it.

Perhaps an annual open season on legislators and bureaucrats? It’s been suggested before…

“There ought to be one day – just one – when there is open season on senators.” ~ Will Rogers

Because term limits will either be ignored or repealed by those addicted to power and money, I’ve often fantasied about a near foolproof method of ensuring a turnover of personnel in elected office. Simply use the offices and environs of the uber power officials to store nuclear waste. Short term exposure would not be immediately harmful, but remaining in proximity for a decade would no doubt cause numerous health issues,

This would also cause a rotation in the permanent staff that has become in effect a shadow government.

Or we could have an open season every year or so. Hunting license revenues would likely retire the national debt within a few years.

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