“We need change”

Back in September I had recapped some of the nonsense that cluttered debate during the run-up to the 2004 Presidential election, and I asked which issues would have have a similar impact in the 2006 cycle.

Here’s a starter:

1. The “Culture of Corruption” stigma only applied to Republicans who–deservedly–paid the price for ineffective self-purging of tainted goods. The shining star for pundits to watch this year is Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), who just won his runoff election. There are continuing investigations–mostly tied to the Abramhoff scandal–that could implicate additional members of Congress this year. And Tom Delay awaits trial. . .
2. Considering the findings in the House Ethics Committee’s report, the Mark Foley scandal was likely a political maneuver skillfully timed to affect maximum damage on Republicans in the elections. There was no coverup or political subterfuge as bemoaned by “concerned observers“. There was an inability on both sides to address the issue of questionable (but private) communications amd behavior between an adult and a young person. (Are we now proposing to freely monitor such communications when we can’t even monitor domestic terrorist threats without the ACLU intervening?)

More to come when I deem it politcally necessary. . . ;^)