A Culture of Corruption

Dec. 21 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President George W. Bush calls indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff "an equal money dispenser'' who helped politicians of both parties. Campaign donation records show Republicans were a lot more equal than Democrats.
Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff gave more than $127,000 to Republican candidates and committees and nothing to Democrats, federal records show. At the same time, his Indian clients were the only ones among the top 10 tribal donors in the U.S. to donate more money to Republicans than Democrats.
Bush's comment about Abramoff in a Dec. 14 Fox News interview was aimed at countering Democratic accusations that Republicans have brought a ``culture of corruption'' to Washington. Even so, the numbers show that ``Abramoff's big connections were with the Republicans,'' said Larry Noble, the former top lawyer for the Federal Election Commission, who directs the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics.

Read the story here.

I am certainly no fan of Republicans, but anyone who says the Republicans brought the culture of corruption to Washington is a moron. Washington has been a cesspool of corruption almost since its inception. It simply takes stories like the Abramoff story to remind us. But anyone who believes that this story will lead to any change in our government is also a moron. A few scapegoats will be led to the slaughter and the culture of corruption will continue. This time, though, it will continue with greater gusto, since all of us Joe Six Packs will believe that the problem has been solved. This is what happened with the Enron/Tyco scandal. Does anyone really believe anything has changed in the business world? We held up a few lawbreakers like Ken Lay, gave them slaps on the wrist, and now, with the belief that all is right in the world, we can turn our attention to important things like Dancing with the Stars.

I am afraid to say we truly get the government we deserve.