Monday, November 23, 2009

For Rent

There has been some grousing about Senator Mary Landrieux getting some $300 million in pet projects in exchange for her vote on the Health Care Insurance Reform.  (Or, as someone put it, "Mary sold her integrity for $300 million.")  I saw this rejoinder:
If one goes back 20 plus years, Sen. Landrieux's predecessor, John Breaux was in a similar situation. At the time, Breaux was a young Congressman (he took over his old boss' seat, the great Edwin Edwards), and he was being strong armed by Reagan during his first budget.

After getting a bunch of concessions from the President to sign on, he was asked by a reporter if his vote was for sale and he said: "No, but it is for rent."
Now that shows integrity, given that in Louisiana politics is very French and so are their political virtues.

Sorry Chris and Ellen, that is just how I see it.

Regards  —  Cliff

1 comment:

  1. If one looks at the Congress as a bucket of worms, then it is easy to understand how the members behave. They are there to get something for their constituents and most of their constituents are not interested in philosophical successes. They want tangible gains in this or that. Thus, what is right for that Congress person at that moment in time is essentially like choosing between two weavils...if it's a bad thing for constituents, then it is the lesser of the two weavils....if it is a good thing....well...the better of the two bugs.

    It's our society....WE made it this way.

    She didn't sell out...she just made the best of a bad deal.

    Regards

    ReplyDelete

Please be forthright, but please consider that this is not a barracks.