Vermin Overboard!

Former clients of lobbyist Jack Abramoff scramble in an attempt to find the moral high ground.

Looks like the Republican rats are deserting their sinking lobby-ship faster than you can say Jack Abramoff. The latest high-ranking figure caught with his hand in the till (and now giving up his ill-gotten gains) is House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, unless of course it was Hammerhead Tom DeLay, Bathtub Grover Norquist or perhaps the Nattering Bob Ney of Negativity*, all of whom have also been caught up in this sweep of pay for players.

Seems now that Abramoff has copped a plea and agreed to name names in exchange for serving only 11 years in prison -- instead of the possible 37 he faced otherwise -- Republican lawmakers (and, yes, some Democrats, though far fewer) can't divest themselves of their dirty funds fast enough. It's almost funny to see the scramble underway inside the Beltway these days. Almost. What keeps it from being a full-on laugh-riot is the fact that, although this particular incident will very likely bring down a number of the worst offenders in Congress today, the machinery of greased palms and mutual back-scratching remains firmly in place, and will until and unless real political finance reform is enacted.

One thing that all this Republican ship-jumping may help speed along is the much-hoped-for political sea change in DC in the 2006 elections. Now that many more Republicans than ever are looking to be vulnerable to the public's wrath due to their involvement in Abramoff's schemes and other ongoing scandals, the possibility of Democrats regaining control of one or even both branches of Congress is becoming more and more likely every day.

Here's just one aspect of why this is so important: Everybody knows that Preznit Don't Talk to Me About the Constitution and his evil minions will never be called on the carpet for their numerous high crimes and misdemeanors as long as the Republicans control Congress. So it behooves the nation and the very survival of America to put in place politicians who will stand up to the Lawbreaker in Chief and demand that he be held accountable for his criminal behavior. The problem with impeaching now, though, is the line of succession -- even if we were to rid ourselves of Dimwit Dubya and Hellspawn Dick, the next person after the two of them in line for the Oval Office is the now-tainted Hastert. Who wants that? With Democrats retaking the House, that line of succession would lead instead to San Francisco's own Nancy Pelosi.

Quite a difference! President Pelosi, anyone?

*Credit to my good friend Scott for that excellent nickname.