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Standards of Behavior

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When it comes to standards, how low can we go?

Congressman Charlie Rangel had failed to report more than half a million on his congressional financial disclosure forms, violated rent control laws in New York, taken corporate-funded junkets, and more. After being admonished by the House ethics committee, he has finally decided to take a leave of absence as chairman of the powerful Ways & Means Committee.

But before he stepped down, some excused him. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued that Rangel’s behavior “was not something that jeopardized our country in any way.” New York Times columnist Paul Krugman said, “It is worth pointing out that none of these things actually seem to affect national policy.”

Oh, goody! He didn’t destroy the entire country!

Then there’s a local scandal in Washington, D.C. Former crack-mayor, current Councilmember Marion Barry allegedly earmarked his girlfriend a $15,000 city contract and then took a kickback from her. The council just censured Barry.

But Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy notes that people in Barry’s 8th Ward are dying of AIDS at an alarming rate, while money appropriated to help has vanished. He writes, “If Barry did take a kickback from his girlfriend, they say, it didn’t result in somebody’s death. So why should he face censure when those who stole the AIDS money got away clean?”

He didn’t kill anyone: Our new standard for ethical behavior. Really?

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

9 replies on “Standards of Behavior”

I am so ashamed of some of the morons we have in office. I suppose because it didn’t really do any damage, Rangel should be forgiven. How about stealing the trust of the American people and dragging it through the mud, then throwing it back in our faces. I cannot wait to vote again, me and millions of others. Your’e OUT.

>>He didn’t kill anyone: Our new standard for ethical behavior. Really?

No. He’s a democrat… and he’s black.

The notable thing here is that the Congressional Black Caucus stands firm behind any member who is, as in Rangel’s case, a crook whose record goes back several years. (The CBC members know all about taking trips to the Caribbean on some corporation’s dime.) One of them broke loose this time and admitted that Rangel was a problem.

Rangel, like Geithner, has tax problems. Rangel actually “helps” write the laws, while neither obey them, but Rangel is finally taking some heat. Geithner remains, as Sec of the Treasury, in charge of the IRS. Seems to be broken at both ends!

Good. If there’s a GOP bad apple, perhaps one with “a wide stance” (okay, that was rather amusing as a defense), they should get the boot, too. Dems just have an easier time of it, because the media is on their side.

Seems like the NY TIMES is finally realizing that being the Obama fan club isn’t selling newspapers. Note the Emanuel/Axelrod “war” that the TIMES reports today (over who’s gonna be the fall guy for Obama’s rookie mistakes; smart money is on no-nonsense thug Rahm coming out on top, it would seem; Axelrod is a squishy ideas guy). They gave Rangel front-page coverage, but pulled their punches.

Yes! I recently read a news story regarding the newly elected official in, I believe it was Afghanistan, who had been convicted of attempted manslaughter of a member of his family. That was his excuse: I didn’t kill anybody!

I agree with Voxoreason- to an extent.

The extent- He is black.
Just like much of our system, becuase of some abuse (slavery, whatever) 100 + years ago; not having all (civil) rights decades ago, whatever- that is an excuse. Being a Democrat helps- look at the late John Murtha- he was as bad as Stevens- but nothing happned to him (his dying was from other reasons). (Government controleld health care?).

Ethics, right and wrong, standards of behavior. I have heard from some sources here in the “Good Old USA” that expecting this is old fashioned and not PC. However without ethics and solid standards
we are nothing. Even animals have their rules of behavior. Have we fallen so far that we are beneath
the animals who are less intelligent than we? … or are they?

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