1137 Three Coins in a Cesspool

1137  Three Coins in a Cesspool

So Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Robert Menendez may soon be sharing a cell somewhere.  It’s unlikely.  But it is possible.  Jackson, (D-Ill.) is charged with taking three quarters of a million dollars from his campaign funds to buy some little doodads, like a hat that belonged to Michael Jackson and a wristwatch worth five figures, among other things.  

Three quarters of a million also figures in the case of Menendez (D-NJ.) He received something like that from a contributor, then turned around and did some nice little favors for the guy’s business, favors that put the contributor well ahead of his competitors.

News reports say the Menendez thing was started by a right wing hit group with good research and includes allegations he engaged with underage girls in the Dominican Republic.  All this is accusation.  It hasn’t been proven.  Yet.

Some supporters are in a quandary.  If the hit squad research hadn’t pushed and pushed and pushed the charges would never have been noticed.  But they have been.  And no matter the source, if the allegations are true, off with his head, and the sooner the better.  Let him join the ranks of the corrupt, the wide of stance and guys who jump into the water after drunken strippers.

Jackson left congress for medical reasons, and they apparently are legit.  He’s smart enough to know that if he did siphon off that ton of cash, he’d be charged whether a sitting congressman or not.

The former mayor of San Diego ran up a one-billion dollar gambling bill.  She’s a Democrat, too.  And she’s not charged with any political shenanigans, just bilking her late husband’s big bucks foundation of all kinds of money.

She, like Jackson, has a medical condition that combined with her gambling addiction.  But unlike Jackson, she IS blaming illness for her current woes.  It’s entirely possible that a brain tumor (alleged) was responsible for her major league heist.  So what.

Ahah! you say.  Treacherous Democrats.  Nah.  The Republicans have their own sleazeballs. It’s treacherous politicians.

Scarce few people leave office poorer than they entered.  And Henry Kissinger’s quote is truer today than ever: Ninety percent of politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.


Shrapnel:

--That hotshot reactionary from Texas, Cruz?  Fine to oppose the president’s proposed cabinet members.  But not with venom and unsubstantiated charges that would be considered libelous if made off the floor of the Senate.

--Can someone teach pedestrians who walk four abreast on a one lane sidewalk that they’re in the way?  Same story on subway platforms.  You don’t need eyes in the back of your head to know that there’s someone behind you.

--Update:  Makers Mark Bourbon has recanted (is that a pun?) and will not cut the amount of alcohol in its booze, after all.   We’d like to take credit for starting the protest that overturned that stupid decision, but won’t.  Also, bet you didn’t know Kentucky produces 95% of the world’s bourbon with 4.9 million barrels aging right now... which is more barrels than people (currently 4.3 million) also aging right now.

I’m Wes Richards.  My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®
Please address comments to wesrichards@gmail.com
© WJR 2013