Why We Need DeLay to Stay - Newsweek's Jonathan Alter

[Pirate Smile]

Why We Need DeLay to Stay
The midterms should be a referendum on DeLay's America. Stay on the right fringe or move to the center? Let the people decide.

May 2 issue - A couple of years ago, tom delay was chomping on a cigar at a Washington restaurant with some lobbyists. The manager went over to tell him he couldn't smoke because the restaurant was located on property leased from the federal government, which bars smoking. "I am the federal government," DeLay replied, in words that will follow the onetime exterminator from Sugar Land, Texas, like ants at a picnic.

The line reeks of the arrogance and self-importance that may bring DeLay low, but it also has the advantage of being true: all three branches of the federal government belong to Republicans, and the autocratic House majority leader is the purest representation of the breed. On every issue—ethics, the environment, guns, tax cuts, judges—he is a clarifying figure for anyone who might be confused about the true nature of today's GOP.

So assuming he dodges indictment, DeLay should stay in his post for 18 months, until the 2006 midterm elections. Even if his legendary gerrymandering has made it unlikely that the Democrats will regain control of Congress, at least the voters—who now, finally, have heard of this guy—would have a clearer decision about where the country should go. His potential successors are all just as conservative as DeLay, but they seem colorless and would thus fuzz up the choice. The midterms should be a referendum on DeLay's America. Stay on the right fringe or move toward the center? Let the people decide.

-snip-
Actually, that's an argument for keeping DeLay around. We should want the 109th Congress "distracted" and kept from returning to normal business for as long as possible. Anything the Democrats are "trying to do" won't get done anyway. And what the Radical Republicans are trying to do is usually bad—from cutting taxes further amid monster deficits to immunizing polluters in the energy bill (which won't do a thing, as even proponents admit, to cut gas prices), to subjecting Social Security to the whims of the stock market. It was once conservatives who thought Congress should legislate less. Now this should be the Democratic mantra: Don't do anything. Just stand there!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7614140/site/newsweek/

I love that - "Don't do anything. Just stand there!"

I've been wanting to bitch about what lazy asses the people currently in charge of the Congress really are - like the Senate only working on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - but then I shut up because the less they get done, the better.

[quaoar]

1. Reminds me of an old LBJ story

"I am the federal government," DeLay replied, in words that will follow the onetime exterminator from Sugar Land, Texas, like ants at a picnic.


According to the story, LBJ was going somewhere and needed to take a helicopter. As he arrived at the military base a young officer approached him and said, "Mr. President, your helicopter is over here."

LBJ looked out over the many helicopters on the airfield and replied, "Son, they're all my helicopters."

[pretzel4gore]

9. but LBJ loved mischief!

LBJ would kick DeLay's ass!
(btw LBJ used to hold interviews whilst sitting on the toilet, his way of telling big shots who thought they were god's gift to politics something ...)
:P

[ArtVandaley]

11. Haha, I'd heard that one before

My favorite LBJ story is when he was first running for office and he told his aides to spread a rumor that his opponent was having sex with the pigs on his farm. LBJ's aide said that they couldn't do that, for it obviously wasn't true. LBJ said "Of course it's not true, but let's make the son of a bitch deny it!"
hahaha

[Larkspur]

2. The problem is that most Americans would never think that their Rep or

senator is the bad guy. It's always the other district's or state's rep and senator who should be removed. In my US Rep district -- CT-2 -- there are Dem apologists for our Repuke Rep. Rob Simmons. Simmons tries to cast himself as a moderate, but there are Dems and Independents who refuse to see Simmons supporting DeLay, even if the support is indirectly given.

[Pirate Smile]

6. The campaign for 2006 will need to morph all these Republican's

into DeLay. Did Simmons vote for DeLay for Majority Leader? I'm sure.

That is the same as how people "like" the Maine Senators and Lincoln Chafee. They are as much of a vote for Frist for Majority Leader as is Santorum.

[MaineDem]

7. That's exactly the point I make when talking about Maine's Senators

Moderates my ass!

They are known votes for Frist...for Gonzalez...for Condi.

When the rubber meets the road they vote with the GOP. Otherwise they're "allowed" to appear moderate. Sadly, people here buy it.

[Rowdyboy]

3. Please, please, please let Mr Bugman stay for awhile.....

He's as bad for Republicans as Gingrich! If he's forced out, they'll just replace him with someone just as right-wing, but with more tact and savvy.

[MaineDem]

4. I had forgotten the restaurant story

But I remember when it happened. I didn't realize it was DeLay though.

I think he needs to stay. Once he's gone he'll be out of the limelight and all the scandal will disappear. We need him to be the point person for GOP abuse of power.

[quaoar]

5. Classic case of hubris

"My name is Ozymandius, king of kings:
Look on my words, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

DeLay needs to hang on till November 2006, fighting off ethic charges week after week after week, ranting about the evil liberals and the media who are out to destroy him and destroy Christianity.

He will be the poster child of Republican corruption and arrogance. Every Democrat running for Congress in 2006 should be running against Tom DeLay. If he leaves, how will we nationalize this election?

If DeLay is on the ballot in 2006, We also have a great shot at winning his seat in Texas.

[dkofos]

8. The only good reason I can think of

is to have someone to kick around
for the next 18 mo. until the 06 elections.

I personally want to see him in prison by the 06 elections

[Pirate Smile]

10. kick