CelticBear’s Musings

One of the tenants of the Republican Platform is “personal responsibility.” It was touted during the Reagan years and is supposedly part of the Republican “values platform” now.

You can read a recent take of mine on Republican “values” here:

Is This The Morality, The Values Issues of Which You Spoke Of?

But this scandal with Tom Foley and the inappropriate e-mails to minor pages really exposes just how much the Republicans believe their own words. First, Foley avoids taking personal responsibility by blaming his actions on being an alcoholic, (because as Jon Stewart quips, without alcohol the thought of taking advantage of teenaged boys would never have crossed his mind.)

Then Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert claims he didn’t understand the nature of the issue. Even though House Majority Leader Boehner AND the number two Majority Rep. BOTH said when they found out months ago, they told Hastert and then “washed their hands of the issue” believing it would be taken care of. Interestingly, other Republican Reps. who knew about it are also saying they told someone above them and then forgot about it assuming it would be taken care of.

Let me ask you: If in a public school, Teacher A found out Teacher B may be having inappropriate relations with students and tells the Principal, and then months and even years go on and nothing happens and Teacher B is still teaching…when it finally came to light, do you think Teacher A would be absolved of all responsibility? Would you have expected and demanded of her to have done more? So, why should we hold these employees of our in the House less accountable for what they knew and did nothing to stop?

Then the Neo-Con stooges like Rush Limbaugh has the audacity on his show to suggest that the page was a Democratic plant intending to trap and smear Foley! Because that somehow, even if it were true, also absolves Foley of responsibility?

Also interesting that every time there’s a leak in the media about this illegal survailance or that illegal data gathering or that CIA agent’s identity exposed, the Administration cares more about finding out the source of the leak than in the allegations themselves!

OK, so NOW Dennis Hastert, years later, calls for a “full investigation” into the Foley affair. Why didn’t he call for one when he found out? Especially if he supposedly didn’t understand the full nature of the issue? (Ha!) Oh yeah! Political control? Surely not; Hastert would never use political power for the wrong reasons!

(Click to see how Hastert used political power to pocket $2million for personal gain.)
Back to blaming your bad judgement and evils deeds on the ole devil’s rum, there’s Rep. Bob Ney who admitted to selling his House votes for special interest lobbyists. Blamed on alcoholism. And Tom Delay fought to the bitter end to avoid personal responsibility for his involvement in illegal campaign contributions. Republican Senator George Allen refuses to admit responsibility for racial remarks and RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman consistantly refused to admit any involvement with mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, even after the evidence poured in! One of my favorites, bush’s loyal appointee as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development when faced with his quote that he cancelled the contract with an organization that criticized bush, said he lied when he made the comment. Then when faced with proof that he tried to force his staff to award contracts only to bush supporters, said the fact that his staff mostly ignored his demands as proof that nothing illegal or unethical has been done! My god.

Let’s not forget all the shifting of blame during the Katrina aftermath, and no one in the administration will admit to making any mistakes regarding Iraq, whether it be the lies and deception regarding the evidence that got us there or the complete and utter mismanagement of the war and the absurdly horrible results we have today.
Wow.

Now, I’m no supporter of the Democrats, but you have to wonder, where the heck are all the scandals and crimes and indictments regarding Domocratic politicians?!

Oh yeah…there was that one, where Democratic Representative Bill Jefferson accepted a bribe from an undercover FBI agent, he maintained his innocence as well. Although, when it was put forward that all financial records of members of Congress be investigated, who made the biggest uproar? The Republicans. Considering how much lobbyist and campaign funds and Abramoff scandal is going on in that party, there’s no wonder.

Anyone who votes straight-ticket Republican, or expresses opinions of blind party support, I have no use for. Their ignorant blind faith in an ideology that’s full of hypocracy and lies is very telling. Interesting that the Republican party is so married to religion. Makes you go “Hmmm.”