Comments on: John Ashcroft: Filthy Whore

By: Al Swearengen

Al Swearengen — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 01:46:29 +0000

Kucinich is indeed an honest man, and like Ralph Nader is unreasonable. He has been right about everything up to this point, and his presence in the 2004 campaign was the kind of thing that opened him up to ridicule…I rolled my eyes a few times late in the race, but watching him work on CSPAN in the years since, there’s hardly a negative word I could utter regarding the man. Far less the politician than most, his steady leadership, rowing against the stream for so long, has solidified the thoughts I’ve had concerning his character. Like very few others…perhaps no other in Congress, he will anchor the party for years to come, and NEVER subdue the words he was meant to say…so often the very same words most of his contemporaries are thinking but afraid to speak out loud.

By: Karl

Karl — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:11:42 +0000

What about Dennis Kucinich? He has always seemed like an honest politician. Maybe that is wy e does not get taken seriously.

By: Al Swearengen

Al Swearengen — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:29:24 +0000

I’d be surprised if Bernie Sanders from Vermont was corrupted in some way. But your point is well taken…and coincides with the story of Eve biting the apple I suppose. To where all politicians are corrupt, but the question is whether they acknowledge it and/or to what degree do they work to control the problem?

I rather like this construct, because it speaks to a rationalization of human nature in a way that religion attempts to achieve, and in identifying those most corrupt who will never admit they have a problem or repent, their vice can be described as sin and communicated in a way that the evangelicals can possibly understand.

By: captain_menace

captain_menace — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 04:38:18 +0000

I wonder if there are any truly uncorrupted politicians? Is it possible to not be influenced by power brokers?

By: Al Swearengen

Al Swearengen — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 02:03:55 +0000

If I don’t suffer from some kind of a nervous breakdown, and manage to pass 2-3 more CLEP tests, I should have the degree in hand by September.

I’m worn out at this point though. Whaaaaaaaa….

I’m thinking of corruption as being separate from the market doing what it is naturally inclined to do. The example you used w/ the medical profession…I look at that differently than the case where elected politicians are being corrupted in order to make something happen.

Honesty is in decline, that’s for sure, but a change in this regard cannot possibly take place without a high standard set at the top.

By: captain_menace

captain_menace — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 23:16:38 +0000

“We in America are exposed to corruption in passing for the most part”

I disagree. I think it’s all around us, but that we don’t necessarily see it as corruption.

Ask any one of the 78% of U.S. students who have admitted to cheating on schoolwork if they considered it “corruption”.

Ask a dentist who “refers” me to a specialist for further x-rays (when there wasn’t any good reason) if he considers that corruption. Was he just being overly cautious? In his defense… I have no proof other than the $200 payment owed to the specialist.

Probably just like the Chinese, we don’t consider our own acts to be as corrupt as the acts of others.

BTW… congratulations on another semester down. So, you have 3 more? When will it be over?