I read in the paper today that Grover Norquist (head of the non-profit Citizens for Tax Relief) was used as a conduit by Jack Abramhoff (disgraced former GOP-super lobbyist)and Ralph Reed (the baby-faced ex-head of the Christain Coalition)to launder money (over 1 million dollars of which Norquist took a cut for each transaction)given from the Choctaw tribe to Reeds organization.
It's ALMOST unbelievable that Republicans continue to support these crooks and lying slime bags (Reed is vying to be Luetinent govenor of Georgia)except I've learned that is seems to Republicans that hypocrasy and larceny are toloerable as long as the cash keeps coming.
These jerks are still repected members (except possibly Abramhoff) of the Right, un-apologeticly active in fund raising and remain close allies to the White House.
The article read:
The result, according to evidence gathered by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, was that Norquist's Americans for Tax Relief became a conduit for more than a million dollars from the Mississippi Choctaw to Reed's operation, while Norquist, a close White House ally, took a cut.hursday's 373-page Senate report on Abramoff's influence-peddling said some nonprofits channeled money from one entity to another in an effort to obscure the source of funds, the eventual use of funds and to evade tax liability.
The report said some tax-exempt organizations apparently were used as extensions of for-profit lobbying operations. The committee forwarded 108 documents to the Senate Finance Committee in February about nonprofits, 28 of them dealing with Norquist's group.
To me, this is proof that the GOP and the "we'll do anything to stay in power" philosphy has lost all moral credibilty but also proof that to Republican voters integrity doesn't really matter!
They are still prominate leaders in the party or of the Right wing and even though the evidence is piling up of how crooked the GOP machine has become it hardly effects thier standing, in some way enhances it. The list of scandals and the Republican crooks is endless but you still have Guiliani campaigning for Reed, Norquist still visiting the White House, Tom (hot-tub)DeLay working the Conservative Religious speaking circuit, etc...
So how do they get away with it??
There can only be one explanation as to how they get away with it...THEY"VE MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL HIMSELF!!
They must be sacrificing babies under a full moon on alters at the RNC or chanting spells at Citizens for Tax Relief because it's gotten so bad there can be no other explanation for thier continued success! Except maybe ther's one more possibility...Republicans are shamlessly willing to vote and support ANYONE as long as they claim to be "Conservative".
This doesn't mean they have to actually BE COnservative (the current Congress proves that) but the GOP has proven that claiming to be a Conservative (and especially being the "most Conservative of the Conservatives") is all it takes to get elected and stay in power.
Cheat
Steal
Lie...it's all good as long as you're one of thier "Conservative" team.
It's so GD dis-heartening because it makes it very difficult to break through to these people if they are willing to forgive anything as long as thier guy wins and keeps recomending tax breaks or some other right wing mantra.
So what can be done about it you ask??
I say, lets burn a few at the stake!
Or how about dunking?
Exorsism?
I used to feel that was all just superstition but now I'm thinking that ONLY something drastic like this will ever shake the GOP and thier supporters from thier pact with evil.