SNIFFING FUMES

Can't you just see S_LINK90 out in his garage, ratty overalls streaked with grease, wearing a tiny paper mask as he lays down a coat of paint on his latest restoration job. Unfortunately, that thin, tiny mask, constantly gets knocked around, ending up high in one cheek, or under his chin like an elastic beard.

Linky probably thinks he's being safe enough, but, let's face it, if you aren't wearing a tight-seal breathing mask, that particulate paint is coating the esophagus and permeating into the bloodstream. The guy probably has a technicolor cerebrum by now. The latest question LINK thought to stump me with shows that the paintcell infestation of his brain has done massive damage to both his memory and his reasoning ability:

S_LINK90: NANCI PELOSI CLAUS,,,,,
S_LINK90: SHES VIOLATING JEFFERSONS RIGHTS
S_LINK90: AND SHE IS YOUR HERO
S_LINK90: YOUR EVADING THE QUESTION CLAUS,,,
S_LINK90: I WONDER WHY
S_LINK90: LOL
S_LINK90: YOU LOSE CLAUS

Ok, let me extract the question here. LINK is asking us why "my hero" Nancy Pelosi, is asking William Jefferson to step down from his committee seat while he is UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE FBI. Isn't Pelosi violating his right to be considered innocent until proven guilty?

There are a few major chasms in the logic here, but first and foremost, remember that Pelosi is simply a political leader, and isn't immune from criticism. But in this case, she's dead on. House members are expected to maintain an ethical record that is above reproach, as well as guarding against even the appearance of impropriety. In fact, Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) just recently stepped down from his Ethics Committee seat, despite the fact that he expects to be exonerated. Pelosi's request is normal and reasonable, holding a lawmaker to a high ethical standard.

S_LINK's problem is that he is used to Republican leaders who REFUSE to step down when investigated. They hold on with nails scraping the floor, until they are tossed out the door. The Republicans in the House even tried to rewrite their own ethics rules to let Tom DeLay serve as majority leader EVEN AFTER DeLay was indicted for a felony. No Republican who has been mired in recent scandal has had the integrity to step down while under an ethical cloud. And that tells you everything you need to know about the Republican attitude toward ethics.

Just to tap out the final dent in LINK's argument, take a look at this article. Two REPUBLICAN congressmen ask Pelosi to remove Mollohan from his committee post. So, I guess your heros from the GOP are violating Mollohan's rights, aren't they? I don't hear you whining about that, though.

I couldn't let this article pass without pasting what Pelosi's spokeswoman had to say:

“I look forward to reading their letter to Speaker [Dennis] Hastert [R-Ill.] on Congressman [Tom] DeLay [R-Texas], Congressman [Bob] Ney [R-Ohio], Congressman [John] Doolittle [R-Calif.] and Congressman [Richard] Pombo [R-Calif.],” Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider said. “I must have missed their letter on incarcerated Congressman [Randy “Duke”] Cunningham [R-Calif.].”

Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican.

JC