Don't Like the Rules? Just Change 'Em

Flexing their so-called "mandate muscle" the Republican-controlled Congress has begun re-writing the rules to suit themselves. Two recent examples prove that this party and this administration cares much less about moral obligation than it does about political expedience. I find it hard to understand how a party elected on so-called "moral values" can so blatantly ignore their own morality rules.

1. Charles Babington of the Washington Post writes: "House Republicans proposed changing their rules last night to allow members indicted by state grand juries to remain in a leadership post, a move that would benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, according to GOP leaders...

House Republicans adopted the indictment rule in 1993, when they were trying to end four decades of Democratic control of the House, in part by highlighting Democrats' ethical lapses. They said at the time that they held themselves to higher standards than prominent Democrats such as then-Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (Ill.), who eventually pleaded guilty to mail fraud and was sentenced to prison.

The GOP rule drew little notice until this fall, when DeLay's associates were indicted and Republican lawmakers began to worry that their majority leader might be forced to step aside if the grand jury targeted him next."

2. You might want to re-read the article above after reading this article from the Christian Science Monitor about Ronnie Earle, the Texas DA pitted against Tom DeLay.

3. Carl P. Leubsdorf Washington bureau chief of The Dallas Morning News writes:
"Angered because the Democrats used the filibuster to block votes on 10 of more than 200 Bush judicial nominations, Majority Leader Bill Frist has threatened to use the GOPâs 55-seat majority to force a rules change barring the tactic against judicial nominees.

If approved, it would give Republicans power beyond that of previous majorities.

But while a Senate rules change might produce short-term GOP gains by ensuring confirmation of embattled conservative judges, it would further exacerbate relations between the parties.

That could be a dangerous step, considering that resistance from some Republicans likely will require Bush to attract Democratic votes to pass tax, Social Security and immigration changes."

Welcome the the 2004 version of moral values.