Is Tom DeLay a "lightening rod" - taking heat for corrupt GOP?

[NAO]

because I do not want the American people to let the GOP off the hook just because DeLay gets crucified and put in jail gets whatever he deserves for his numerous crimes.

I don't want people to think that DeLay was "one bad apple" and that the GOP is "basically good".

I don't want The Passion of DeLay to atone for anything or look like a Republican "cleansing".

Here is the metaphoric meme for DeLay, corruption, and the GOP in general:

"Corrupt, Crooked, Criminal Republicans are just like Cockroaches - if you see one, that means there are many more you don't see. So lets turn on the light, and watch them all scatter..."

[susanna]

1. Yes, he is. It's called scapegoating...

...and the modern GOP are past masters at it.

I particularly like your last paragraph (cockroaches), seeing as how Delay was an exterminator. The beauty(?) point is that he is unable to exterminate himself.

[NAO]

2. The cockroach reference was a deliberately blunt allusion

to his profession career, prior to entering "public service". I suspect he was doing a much greater service to society as an exterminator.

[susanna]

5. then again, maybe not.

:-)

[punpirate]

3. DeLay is the current...

... poster child of GOP corruption. They don't want that advertised. If, and only if, DeLay is brought down by his own excesses, yes, the GOP will do its best to describe him as their one bad apple, and will hope that life gets back to normal.

There's not much one can do in that event. But, take heart in this--DeLay amassed the kind of power he did because of the money he generated, which was then distributed to like-minded GOP candidates. With DeLay out of Congress, that leverage of his is lost to many other GOP rubes. They have to find new sources for DeLay's kind of cash. So, it's not all bad if Tom goes down, and quickly.

The GOP will do whatever it has to do to stay on top. So, with DeLay gone, the focus will have to shift to the next sleazeball to take his place.

[morcatknits]

4. So,

If Delay is a scapegoat, but he's still guilty, does that mean he should get off without being punished? I don't think so. DeLay is as low as they come. If he gets off the hook, it will be worse than Watergate, for sure.
morcatknits

[punpirate]

9. Didn't say that....

... I was addressing the original post, which was about how to deal with the GOP. And, if DeLay is the analogy, we're just gonna have to take them a cockroach at a time.

DeLay isn't a scapegoat, mind you--he's a notorious example of just how far to the right and to the extreme the GOP can go. But, as extreme as he is, the GOP will find someone to take his place. That's my point. Once he's gone, once he's history, they will find someone else. Guaranteed.

All the problems don't go away because DeLay is gone. He's just one of of the biggest of the biggest problems the GOP presents right now. There will be more when he's gone.

Just have to stomp `em as they peek out from under the baseboard of democracy. :)

[shoelace414]

6. Delay is not just a Republican

he's a leader in the Republican party.

[BlueManDude]

8. right on

this guy needs to go down - it will be an earthquake in dc.

[BlueManDude]

7. No - the House GOP will be lost without him

the notion that we want him to survive is absurb. We need a scalp and there's only one bigger than his.

[ReadTomPaine]

10. Well said. (n/t)