Politicians are sweating bullets...

...now that lobbyist Jack Abramoff has pled guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud in exchange for a deal. Yes, he's going to name names and tell who is in the corruption boat with him. It could be very very bad for Republicans because I hear that he's donated lots of money to their campaigns--because they are in power. I imagine there are lots of Democrats squirming too.

I'd never heard of this guy before but I did know about lobbyists. This is one reason we can't get very much done in Washington. We need decent health care coverage for everyone...but there are lobbyists fighting against that and they have the money and the power, not the poor people. We need alternate sources of energy but the oil lobbyists are too financially powerful to allow that to happen. Why do we still have cigarettes for sale when everyone knows how deadly they are? There are tobacco lobbyists--very powerful ones. The industry lobbyists have more power and money than environmental groups which is why we continue to destroy the earth.

So I'm kind of laughing at the idea that politicians in Washington are getting nervous for going on vacations with this guy's money. I think it's hilarious there's a bunch of them coming forward to either return donations from Abramoff or to donate them to charities. Ha.

Not that anything is going to change--sure, the ones caught up in this mess will get swept out but then there are always new lobbyists out there to corrupt new politicians.

So it goes.

3X Thursday:

1. Does your company celebrate MLK Day? Meaning, do you get to take off work? If not, does it bother you (other than the fact that everyone gets to stay home but you!)? Why/why not?

I'm not working so every day is a holiday for me. ;) As for companies that are off, that seems to be what we do to honor a person in this country. Personally, I think they would be better honored in schools if the kids spent the day learning about them but then that's just me.

2. What do you think about all of these politicans getting busted and narking on each other? Is it a sign that perhaps positive change is on the horizon, or is it just more of the same? Explain your answer.

Hee hee hee! It could be a sign of positive change but when it comes to politics, I'm an old cynic. After Richard Nixon and his pack was caught things were a bit more circumspect for a while but then it was back to the same old same old. I think the same thing will happen here.

3. What's your opinion on all this business about the justification of spying on people without a warrant? Do you think it's correct? Do you think it's needed? Is there a solution?

I don't have anything to hide but I really shudder at the thought someone might be listening in or spying on me. I understand why government is trying to justify it but it smacks of Big Brother. This is what happens when we give up some of our rights in exchange for security. Eventually the lines will become blurred and then we're going to have more and more interference and more and more loss of freedom.

Bonus Question for Comments: Do you think the US is on a downward spiral, or is there hope for us yet?

Well, there's always hope.