One Senatewhore gone...

Ford called it quits after the videotape of him taking the pile of money hit the public domain.

2 more to go, so far...

Today's favourite quote- Herron saying that the arrests were

"like the day President Kennedy was shot, like 9/11, a day that scares us and scars us like few other days."

Hmmm, let's see, November 22 and September 11 were days when innocent people were struck down by evil killers. That means that the F.B.I. is Oswald and Osama inside Herron's head. Interesting...

Also why should the arrest of criminals scar and scare you, Mr. Herron?

And what's this "us" stuff? I wasn't taking any bribes, I'm neither scarred nor scared.

The hit hound howls the loudest, but maybe it's the barely missed senatewhore....

God disapproves of catching criminals!

Or at least our Lt. Governor thinks so. Though to be fair, he has often opposed bills protecting Tennesseeans from non Senatewhore criminals, too.

" In a rambling Senate speech and prayer, Lt. Gov. John Wilder said it was "wrong" for undercover agents to bait lawmakers with money. "

"I'm hurt because John is where he is, and Roscoe is where he is and Kathryn is where she is," Wilder said. "It's rough. We're family. Three members of our family are in hell. Why? Because they're legislators."

"I hurt because we have some members that are in serious trouble."

"Money out there was here offered as bait to get someone in jail," he said. "It's wrong. It's not your (God's) way."

The article goes on to say,

"Several lawmakers have criticized authorities for allowing phony bills to be put before lawmakers as part of the sting. Others said undercover agents went too far by offering money as "bait" to trap the indicted lawmakers. "

Via the Commercial Appeal, you have to register-

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_3811633,00.html

There is just no end to the cynicism and hypocrisy, is there?

How DARE they use MONEY to catch CRIMINALS! How DARE the F. B. I. pollute the sacred halls of our capitol with FALSE BILLS!

What do you expect a Senatewhore to do when you offer money- refuse to take it?

News for you, Lt. Governwhore- there's not an F. B. I. agent in the world who can introduce a bill in the Tennessee legislature. If it's a fraudulent bill, a LEGISLATOR introduced it.

The corrupt aren't OUR family, they are CRIMINALS.

Poor Senatewhores...

Here's a Fisk of Hamilton County's Democratic Chairman's release. His in quotes, mine not.

"I learned of the indictments against two of our local legislative leaders on Thursday morning, and I am saddened to hear the news of the arrest of Sen. Ward Crutchfield. "

Not sad about Charles Love being arrested? Oh, he's not a Senator, just the black bag man...

"Ward has been an influencial leader in our community, and in our state for over 50 years."

Yes, it's hard to sell non influence.

"The Ward Crutchfield I know is a leader of integrity, fighting for the people of this community."

Then you can relax, because they indicted the one who goes to bat for
corporations from Atlanta who can pay his rate.

"As we learn of the indictments against Ward, and others, I am asking the people of this community to study the facts, to remember that the grand jury only heard evidence from the prosecutor before returning the charges, and that no one indicted has presented facts regarding the indictments."

One... No, a grand jury hears evidence from WITNESSES presented by a
prosecutor.

"In our system of justice, every person charged is presummed innocent until proven guilty. "

Two... Thank you, we had no idea.

"It is important to let the system of justice work, to allow all sides the opportunity to present facts, and to remember that none of the persons indicted are guilty. "

Three... What happened to "presumed" and "proven"? I thought a court decides guilt or innocence?

"It is my hope we avoid talking about these charges without first gathering the facts."

Four... And keep quiet, you out there on the plantation. Hope on.

"This is a difficult time for our community,"

Why? I wasn't bribing him, seems like an honest Senator would be an
improvement. But that's just me.

"our state,"

Because a foul betrayer of our trust has been caught? How does that make
things difficult?

"and for those charged."

WELL I HOPE SO. IT CAN"T POSSIBLY BE DIFFICULT ENOUGH.


"It is my hope that we allow the legal process to find the truth, and that the truth is learned regarding these indictments. "

Five... Because if I keep assuming a distinction between the
indictments and facts / truth, maybe that will stick.

"Until we know more, I would encourage everyone to remember that the charges must be proven in court, and until proven, all charged remain innocent."

Six. Seems like a lot of repetition of presumed innocent until proven guilty, but Democratic leaders seem to believe that their adherents are particularly stupid and ignorant.

"Once I have an opportunity to learn more, I will issue further statements on behalf of the Hamilton County Democratic Party."

Even though I will learn it from the television just like everybody
else. The evidence will be too complicated for you to understand,
but I will explain it for you. Await the next coming of Zardoz.

The message can be found in the original at

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_67515.asp

Fallout from the Senatewhores...

John Ford's nephew Harold announced the other day that he was running for U. S. Senate. And Crutchfield's son in law, Bob Corker, is already a candidate for the same post. Wonder what effect this will have on them?


I was musing on how the senatwhores might react to all this, and there are 4 choices.

Deny, deny, deny that lying videotape. Blame the bagmen, secretaries, and the F. B. I. Worked for Alcee Hastings, not for Marion Barry.

Take the medecine, plead, serve the sentence. Honourable, and just not the way of the long time crook and fixer.

Pull the car into the garage and close the door. Coward's way out, so it's a distinct chance.

Or, the most intriguing possibility-

I'd like to think that once upon a time, even these characters were honest. Maybe, realising that their only place in history right now is being led out in chains, one or more of them will decide to select redemption and tell all. Not for a deal, not for a lesser sentence, but out of loyalty to who he once was.

The truth won't set them free, but it might make them able to face themselves.

Never happen, but it's an interesting fantasy.

I'm still infuriated by the leadership response, as is every voter to whom I speak.

Somebody posted on Rep. Campfield's blog that "everyone is hurt" by this.

NO, moral moron, "everyone" is not hurt. Any more than everyone is hurt when a burglar or rapist is caught and imprisoned.

The only ones hurt are the CRIMINALS and their ACCOMPLICES.

The honest legislators, and- try to remember them- the CITIZENS, are HELPED when a nest of thieves is discovered.

Why oh why does no one in a leadership position seem pleased that this happened?

The Governor, the Speaker, the Committee Chairmen, they all act...

hurt...

Our Embarassed By The Truth Governor....

Says,

"These individuals under our constitution are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it is important to remember that in the days ahead. If these charges are proven however, it will be a sad and difficult day for our state. Even the fact of these indictments and arrests are a challenge and a sadness to us all, and cannot help but shake the confidence of the people of Tennessee."

No, Governor, THIS is what you should have said...

"A court will determine their guilt or innocence. But if they are guilty, then their arrests and convictions will be great things for the people of our state. I despise corruption, support any investigation into it, and will do all I can to help root it out from its hiding places. No one who betrays the public trust is, or will be, safe in this state."

Or even

"When the Romans discovered that a public servant was corrupt, they sewed him in a sack with wild animals and threw it in the river. It's a shame that punishment is no longer available."

(Apologies to Brian DePalma.)

Only Campfield seems to think catching criminals is a GOOD THING. The rest of the politicians have forgotten that they work for US, they are OUR SERVANTS, and that THIEVES ARE BAD, even when you work beside them and watch them steal every day.

Corrupt Legislarors arrested, FINALLY...

For the last few months Tennessee's legislature, a common trough of patronage that would shame Tammany, has been doing its best to avoid passing an ethics bill fomented bu boat rocking boy and girl scouts. The bill, in its final form, basically makes it a misdemeanor for a legislator to ask for and then accept a big handful of cash from a lobbyist in exchange for a written promise to support and vote for a particular bill.

Senator's wives, children, employees, or others can still do it, though.

Today, 4 legislators and a former legislator were arrested fot federal corruption offenses.

When asked if this had implications for ethics legislation, two prominent senators said,

“If you pass you ethics bills in a hurry, you’re reacting to headlines”, and

“We should not have a knee-jerk reaction”.

Turn off those lights! Everything is fine in here in the dark! Nothing to see, move along!

Another senator said, “It’s a sad day for the legislature and the families."

Not for the taxpayers, whose legislators sell the public purse to whoever will pay, no, it's all about US...

Another brilliant thinker and writer...

Quit reading my tripe and go to

http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/

Uncompromising honesty, careful observation, precise writing, and original thought from an embedded reporter in Iraq.

A few samples-

"There are a thousand such details falling likes trees in a forest, but no one is listening for those kinds of sounds."

" Yet, finally, the ultimate decision-maker is the person reading or watching the news. We cannot expect mainstream media to give quality reporting if we accept drive-through service every night. "

" The media is an industry; but their business is not to report news. The industry needs a captive audience to beat the bottom line. The product is advertisement.

This is not a right or wrong. It's just a business concept for moving merchandise, and every profession or industry has one. Doctors, soldiers, preachers, lawyers, journalists: everyone needs to earn a living. Only a reclusive holy man might argue otherwise, but most holy men also expect alms.

There are probably many reasons why violent acts get more attention than do acts of kindness. All of these reasons fit somewhere under the heading of human nature. Any person rummaging around in his or her own head while asking the simple question, "What do I find interesting?" is bound to find a few garish relics. Sex and someone else's bad news will sell. "

" A fanatic who straps a bomb to his chest and walks into a market crowded with women and children, then detonates a bomb that is sometimes laced with rat poison to hamper blood coagulation, is properly called a "mass murderer." There is nothing good to say about mass murderers, nor is there anything good to say about a person who encourages these murders. Calling these human bomb delivery devices "suicide bombers" is simply incorrect. They are murderers. A person or media source defending or explaining away the actions of the murderers supports them. There is no wiggle room.

Calling homicide bombers martyrs is a language offense; words are every bit as powerful as bombs, often more so. Calling murderers “martyrs” is like calling a man "customer" because he stood in line before gunning down a store clerk. There's no need to whisper. I hear the bombs every single day. Not some days, but every day. We're talking about criminals who actually volunteer and plan to deliberately murder and maim innocent people. What reservoir of feelings or sensibilities do we fear to assault by simply calling it so? When murderers describe themselves as "martyrs" it should sound to sensible ears like a rapist saying, “It’s God’s will.” "

Now, head over there. Before he gets fired for referring to those who are killing Americans as
"the enemy".

Who needs to be literate?

Dealt with a defendant today, seventeen years old, eleventh grade in school. He couldn't fill out a simple form, defeated by the first question, "YOUR NAME:_____".

His mother confirmed his inability, which she shares. He's not "special" * , he just didn't learn. Nor are these people from an "urban" ** environment. Neither seemed concerned, which got me thinking. Who could bear to be unable to read? What sort of person would willingly go through life illiterate? I'd DEMAND to learn, and I'd find a way to get the ability.

This isn't unusual-

http://www.detnews.com/2005/editorial/0501/18/A07-62025.htm

via

http://www.fredoneverything.net/

But then I thought some more. Why do they need to read? They eat, watch television, drink, fight, and breed. Their needs are met by social workers, police officers, court appointed lawyers, subsidised housing, and taxpayer paid health care providers. If they have a problem they can't manage themselves, a degreed person in the employ of the state will sort it out, even to reading them the forms.

Even the most basic of educational skills is entirely superfluous. What a world we have built.

Translation for those who speak only English and not American leftist euphemism-

* Special- an idiot.

** Urban- negro, syn. inner-city.