Texas political blogger Charles Kuffner sees a similarity between departing former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and TV's beloved Fonzie (except that no one be-loves DeLay): an inability to admit they were wrong.
Tom DeLay, Meet Arthur Fonzarelli
Comments to "Tom DeLay, Meet Arthur Fonzarelli":
Ayn_Randian | August 26, 2006, 2:28pm | #
I was really pulling for a "jump the shark" comparison.Like, when did the American Government jump the shark? Discuss.
Good point, because all other politicians spend a large portion of their day copping to all the mistakes they made.
James | August 26, 2006, 3:22pm | #
Let's not forget that DeLay never seriously intended to run. He put himself on the ballot so he could collect campaign contributions which he could then, quite legally, divert to his legal defense fund.He's right in that true justice wasn't served; true justice would have him indicted for fraud. But God levies "justice" and the law merely creates order. The Texas law is intended to prevent parties from screwing with the ballot. You may or may not agree with the law, but its intent was clearly served.
FatDrunkAndStupid | August 26, 2006, 3:58pm | #
But wasn't one of the other main reasons DeLay ran to screw over the "turncoats" who dared to enter the primary before he had announced his intention to retire? He may not want to be crude enough to admit it, but isn't what happened exactly what he wanted?Jim Walsh | August 26, 2006, 4:30pm | #
Let's see: spouts simplistic opinions endlessly, pandering to the fears and prejudices of undereducated white people, fostering an air of cynicism and public divisiveness...I see a big future for Tom DeLay in right-wing talk radio...
chamberlain | August 26, 2006, 4:38pm | #
Radio is hard work.DeLay has funneled trillions of dollars worth of pork and tax exemptions to the ruling class...I'm sure our grateful elites will be happy to fund his retirement through their front companies.
Most mortals see DeLay as a disgraced politician slinking out of office, the people who actually run this country see DeLay as Frodo boarding the boat to the Undying Lands...
Pro Libertate | August 26, 2006, 5:02pm | #
Ayn_Randian,During the Progressive Era. Some good things were done and some serious problems were addressed that needed to be addressed, but the methods used to deal with those problems damaged the idea of limited government in a profound, and perhaps fatal, way.
joshua corning | August 26, 2006, 8:48pm | #
them damn republicans taking positions on things that can be proven wrong or right...unlike say the dems who take all positions.During the Progressive Era. Some good things were done and some serious problems were addressed that needed to be addressed, but the methods used to deal with those problems damaged the idea of limited government in a profound, and perhaps fatal, way.
so what 1932?? Nah i wouold put it somewhere when Hearst invaded cuba
Warren | August 27, 2006, 9:29am | #
so what 1932?? Nah i wouold put it somewhere when Hearst invaded cubaOh gee, you really think so? I know a few good episodes came later, but really once the alien and sedition act was signed, you knew it would never be the same.
joshua corning | August 27, 2006, 3:58pm | #
Oh gee, you really think so? I know a few good episodes came later, but really once the alien and sedition act was signed, you knew it would never be the same.well what about how Washington put down the Whiskey rebelion...
Putting more thought into it the US never really jumped the shark...one has to admit that it is fairly recently that women gained the right to vote and really recently that Blacks and other minorities have had the ability to participate in the political proccess.
Property rights may be in shambles but it is getting better...equality under the law is at an all time high...The history of liberty in America is less a decade old sitcom and more of a generational game of two steps forward and one step back.
joe | August 27, 2006, 5:12pm | #
Bad American Democracy! Bad!American Democracy organized a bribery and money laundering ring!
American Democracy used the office of House Majority Leader to operate a racket!
The fault here lies with American Democracy, although some blame surely lies with the American Democracy Party who kept electing American Democracy to a position of party leadership.
So, in closing:
Hey, look over there!
joshua corning | August 27, 2006, 7:45pm | #
Forget America lets watch joe jump the shark in real time.Joe are you about to tell us how the democratic party has been so clean of curruption that they can critisize repulicans with imunity or are you actually say somehting profound like the trouble with currption is that government has grown so large both in tax revenues and the ability to effect peoples lives that it invites curruption regardless who is in power.
joe | August 27, 2006, 8:08pm | #
No, no, over THERE! I want you look over THERE this time.Uh, what was this thread about?
Libertoids: there is a coordinated campaign working its way through the Right Wing Media Machine to try to save the Republican Party's bacon by blaming its abominable behavior on inchoate concepts, and let the individuals responsible for their actions take a pass.
If the Democrats got caught turing the budget process into a criminal racket run out of the Congressional leaders' offices, and the party tried to blame it on greed and capitalism, would you buy it?
Don't let propagandists like joshua corning manipulate you with the same spin, just because he knows which buttons to push to generate sympathy from his audience.
Individuals who abuse the public trust are responsible for their own behavior. Corrupt people have themselves to blame for their own corruption. They need to be held responsible, not allowed to foist their own crimes off with some talking points from HQ.
joshua corning | August 27, 2006, 9:01pm | #
Individuals who abuse the public trust are responsible for their own behavior.Huh???
I thought Tom DeLay was out of power? What do you want me to do; light a paper bag full of shit on his door step?
Anyway the only solution to curruption in governemnt is to weaken the power of government over the individual.
Joe, your "One Good Man" to run the perfect statist utopia does not exist.
ein | August 27, 2006, 9:07pm | #
I thought Tom DeLay was out of power? What do you want me to do; light a paper bag full of shit on his door step?Could you?
joe | August 27, 2006, 9:25pm | #
People who don't think there's a difference between having honest people in power instead of corrupt ones are going to get the government they deserve. Unfortunately, so are the rest of us, unless we THROW THE BUMS OUT.You want to be Karl Rove's bitch, joshua? Keep voting for the individuals whose choices made this mess of corruption happen? Go ahead. Make sure Tom Delay's accessories and enablers continue to control Congress.
Not me.
joe | August 27, 2006, 9:42pm | #
'Joe, your "One Good Man" to run the perfect statist utopia does not exist.'No, but the multitude of particularly bad men who would run our generally-good-enough system into the ground through their corrupt misdeeds do exist. And right now, they control the executive and legislative branches of the government.
We're seen the fruits of their labor in Iraqi, in the Gulf Coast, in the K Street Project, and in the Bridge to Nowhere. They didn't have to act as they did because they work in the government; they came to work in the government so they can act as they did. Others have held the same offices and not disgraced themselves, and not done this degree of damage to our country.
I imagine that for Tom Delay, Duke Cunningham, and George Bush, believing that it's really not important whether the government does its job competently or in-, honestly or dis=, is very liberating.
joshua corning | August 27, 2006, 9:45pm | #
Keep voting for the individuals whose choices made this mess of corruption happen?I didn't vote for Rove, or DeLay...I guess your acidental question mark was somehow prescient.
The only republican I voted for last election was running for govenor and he lost...and this election the only republicans I will be voting for will be running against an ecumbant democrate who after checking her voting record was one of the accessories and enablers of big government.
Not me.
that is good news joe...I am sure I can speak for most of us that we are glad you are voting Libertarian this november.
Shem | August 27, 2006, 9:52pm | #
so what 1932?? Nah i wouold put it somewhere when Hearst invaded cubaThe Progressive Era started in the late 19th century. It reached it's apogee in 1932, but it did a lot of work prior to that. Whether that was indeed where America jumped the shark is an open question, however. The era and it's accomplishments are much more complex than many want to believe.
joshua corning | August 27, 2006, 10:13pm | #
It sure is fun having to defend myself being a libertarian and not right wing when I make statements like "the only solution to curruption in government is to weaken the power of government over the individual." here at reason Hit and Run...such an idea being so new and illformed as you say it is joe.NoStar | August 28, 2006, 1:40am | #
The government jumped the shark when it illegally surplanted the Articles of Confederation with theConstitution by not following existing law.
It jumped the shark again during the Whiskey rebellion.
Smilin' Tom DeLay | August 28, 2006, 9:25am | #
"It sure is fun having to defend myself being a libertarian and not right wing"Watching you defend yourself being "not right wing" is like watching me defend myself for being "not illegal".
Uh, wait a minute.
Pro Libertate | August 28, 2006, 9:50am | #
Shem,I'm one of those who'd truncate the period for the "Progressive Era" to something more like the late 1890s to the early 1920s (if not earlier--there's an argument that much of the movement lost its legs during the war). Anyway, the impetus behind the movement and plenty of its accomplishments were praiseworthy, but my regret is that the affirmative use of government (more importantly the expansion of the power of government) to achieve those ends opened a genie's bottle that we're going to have a heck of a time stoppering up again. I know that many left-wingers see government as a counterbalancing good to corporate power, etc., but even they have to see the problems with an unlimited government now, post-GOP control of most of the country (and all of the federal government). It's not just about having the right people in office; it's about having a government designed to prevent the wrong people from running amok.