Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Time to Pay Up

I was amused by the bottom grafs of a Bloomberg story on the conviction of Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. It pointed out the irony of how even though they're not represented in the Senate, 12 District voters may have just decided if the Democrats will have the 60-seat filibuster-proof majority in that chamber the party so desperately desires.

Stevens, 84, like other long-serving senators, was wildly popular in his home state. During his 40 years in the Senate (he's the longest serving R in the Senate), he brought home the bacon and made sure his tiny home state (population-wise) got every penny it could, whether it needed it or not.

Like any powerful person who's been corrupted, he apparently felt he was above the law. The hubris of his excuses is laughable.

"I paid every bill I was sent," Stevens said, trying to justify the pittance he paid for the massive renovations done to his house. "It was a loan," was his way of describing the presence of the vibrating chair he received.

Does he really think we're that stupid?

Today (yesterday, actually) is a great day for the District. Should Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich defeat Stevens next Tuesday, not only will he represent the 683,478 residents of Alaska, he'll definitely owe those 12 District residents and, by extension, their 588,280 neighbors, for getting him elected.

Not that he'll come through, of course. Begich, like Stevens before him, is first and foremost a politician and politicians have no loyalty.

3 comments:

rachaelgking said...

How many lies do I have to tell to get a vibrating chair? Because I'll totally do it.

FoggyDew said...

Usually just the one: "I love you baby." Either that or get yourself into a position to help an oil services company. The chair is a booty prize...

Anonymous said...

My favorite defense of Stevens from some right-wing talking head on MSNBC: "The people of Alaska aren't going to accept the judgment of twelve people from someplace like Washington, DC"