The US Congress

It looks like, from reading Instapundit this AM, that Congress has picked two designated fall guys for the corruption that is Congress.

In the Senate it is Chris Dodd of Connecticut (D). The item in the Augusta Chronicle outlines the fears of Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff.  (I am assuming this is Augusta, George, since there is all the talk of the Master's on the web pages, but nothing prominent about the Great State of George.  Their view is that:

A corrupt Washington is bleeding us dry and paying us to be quiet.

In the House of Representatives it is John Murtha of Pennsylvania (D). Representative Murtha has, in addition to his reputation as one of the Princes of Porkdom, his association with Paul Magliocchetti, of the eponymously named PMA.  I do think that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article Instapundit linked to was a bit over the top with this paragraph (millions, yes; billions, no):

Well before he took over chairmanship of defense appropriations, Mr. Murtha often worked in tandem with Mr. Magliocchetti to push through billions of dollars in earmarks to bolster a nascent defense industry in Johnstown, Mr. Murtha's hometown.

Let us not think that we can blame those "lobbyists" and thus solve the problem.  Sure, we have that small group known as registered lobbyists.  But, the rest of us, exercising our right to petition are also lobbyists, in our own way.  Too often our voices are not heard.

(As an aside, anyone who doesn't take advantage of this right by writing to Niki or one of our two Senators, or by writing to the editor of The Sun or by doing a blog or by organizing a protest, isn't pulling his or her fair share of the weight.)

Incidentally, if you have some fortitude, you can look at what Registered Lobbyists contribute.  It won't be easy.  Here is the Secretary of State's website.  If you don't know the name of a lobbyist, you have to search some other way, such as by industry or candidate.  If you search by "Contribution" you can enter your State Rep's name (e.g., nangle) and it will tell you which registered lobbyists contributed to him.  Awk!  Here is my classmate and phellow Phantom Phlyer, Rev Kris Mineau (Kristian M. Mineau (Lobbyist 0907)) giving Rep David Nangle $100 in 2008.  This was a personal contribution, and not from the Massachusetts Family Institute, but as a registered lobbyist he gets listed.

But, most important, all of us need to V O T E.  If you have someone you don't like and he or she has no opponent, you can vote for every other office and not vote for that office and that, in itself, will send a signal.

Regards  —  Cliff