The Democrats' charge of a "culture of corruption" in Washington is not off base. It's just off base to scoff at the idea that corruption affects this party but not that party, your friends but not my friends. The federal government is huge--$2.7 trillion huge--and anytime there is that much money to be had, shady people are going to go after it, and shady guardians of the public's coffers are going to help them for a price. Shadiness is a bipartisan affliction.

FBI agents claim that they found $90,000 in Rep. William Jefferson's freezer in a search last year. Popsicles in a freezer? Sure. Vegetables in the freezer? Yeah. $90,000 in the freezer? I don't think so. Not that it's illegal or anything--but $90,000 in the freezer? That's a little strange. No, that's a lot strange.

The FBI alleges that Congressman Jefferson took things of value--such as the cold, hard cash in his ice box--in exchange for granting official favors on at least eight occasions. Should Jefferson find the case against him insurmountable, he might want to plead guilty by reason of being from New Orleans.

How to minimize corruption in government? Minimize government to its Constitutionally prescribed limits. "In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men," Federalist 51 notes, "the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." Government is out of control. The Constitution allows the federal government to become involved in a few, defined matters. But the government has become corrupted. Officeholders ignore the constitutional limits on them. Presidents launch wars. Judges legislate from the bench. Congressmen award money to artists, grade schools, and foreign despots, while they forbid citizens from awarding a few thousand dollars to the political candidate of their choice. The Constitution doesn't allow for any of this, but government has become so corrupted that it no longer abides by the Constitution. If it did, government would be smaller. Rogues would have less opportunity, and less incentive, to rob the government. What self-respecting thief would rather stick-up Baily Building & Loan than land a score at Fort Knox?

"I wish to say emphatically that in all of my actions that are here under scrutiny, that I have never intended to dishonor my office, or you, the public," Rep. Jefferson maintains, "and I certainly did not sell my office." No, he just rented it out from time to time.

Dems like pointing fingers at Republicans for corruption, and it will pay off for them this fall. But isn't the reason that this Republican-led Congress is so corrupt--even if Ds and Rs are both doing it--because they have out big-governmented the Democrats in pork and riders etc.? Let them hang.

I still haven't quite figured out this trackback stuff yet, so I just wanted to let you know I linked this post on my site. Very good perspective on the issue!

I'm relieved that I won't be hearing Democrats regurgitating that moronic "culture of corruption" mantra anytime in the near future.
I'm also anxious to hear how the Congressional Black Caucus blames all of this on racism.
Where's Jessie and Al when you need them?
Where does Marion Barry stand on this?
Enquiring minds want to know!