The best Abramoff article yet (Newsweek)

[JohnnyRingo]

This article from Newsweek about the Abramoff scam is the best I've seen. I didn't understand nearly as much until I saw it summed up here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10756433/site/newsweek/

And in answer to the anticipated grousing that "the Democrats took money too" that I'm sure to hear from republican friends, there's this excerpt:

DeLay is a casualty of a system he helped create. When the Republicans took over the House in 1994 for the first time in 40 years, they postured as reformers. But they were soon lapping at the trough just as greedily as the Democrats—only with better discipline. DeLay, nicknamed "the Hammer" for his ability to whip Republicans into line, joined with his old friend conservative activist Grover Norquist to create something known as the K Street Project. He put out the word that the big lobbying firms lining K Street downtown needn't bother sending anyone to see the GOP leadership unless the lobbyist was a card-carrying Republican. DeLay gave lobbying a more-partisan, brazen edge. After swinging through the revolving door at many times their Hill salary, former GOP leadership aides could be found in the back rooms of congressional committees helping their old bosses write legislation for their new clients.

Such Compassionate Conservatives:
The real scandal may be how lobbyists fleece their clients, conning them into believing that campaign contributions are essential to protecting their interests in Congress. Abramoff and his cronies played the game with exceptional cynicism. Hired by the Coushatta Indian tribe in Louisiana, Abramoff worked with Ralph Reed to wage a grass-roots campaign to shut down a gambling casino run by the Tigua tribe in Texas. Then Abramoff turned right around and offered his services to the Tigua Indians to lobby to get Congress to open the casino back up. "I wish those moronic Tiguas were smarter in their political contributions," Abramoff e-mailed Reed. "I'd love us to get our mitts on that moolah!! Oh well, stupid folks get wiped out." Ultimately, Abramoff persuaded the Tiguas to pay $4.2 million to try to get Congress to reopen the casino. Congress never did—but the two men raked in hundreds of thousands in fees.

Jack Abramoff had best hope that the spirit of Sitting Bull is long gone. I bet he's been wearing those hats lately to protect his scalp.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. even better is the article in which they cite Daily Kos.

[samplegirl]

2. How long can

Fox news dodge this story?????? Great Article
Ringo!

[JohnnyRingo]

4. Hi Sample...speaking of dodging

Is that lamp post out of intensive care yet?

[samplegirl]

5. don't get me going I'm still mad

If I wasn't a grown woman I'd give that yuppie a
yard-job.

[Halliburton]

3. you mean they didn't try to tie dems to abramoff?

[samplegirl]

6. Here is a list of Jackass's contributions

http://users.bestweb.net/%7Ebgeiger/abramoff.htm

[petersjo02]

7. Just a nit-picky note about Sitting Bull

Many people have the mistaken notion that Sitting Bull was a war chief and led his people into battles against his foes. Sitting Bull was actually a medicine man and led his people through his wisdom and "medicine" rather than by taking up bow and arrow or rifle to fight. He left actual fighting to others, Crazy Horse being probably the most prominent among them. For example, at Little Big Horn, Sitting Bull evacuated camp (heading northwest towards safety) along with the women, children, and the elderly. He was not expected to fight. Crazy Horse and other warriors went into battle with Custer's troops. There is a memorial to Crazy Horse being carved in stone almost within sight of Mt. Rushmore, Native Americans of the 1930s having selected him as the person they most wanted to honor with a stone sculpture. "Indians have heroes, too," one NA elder noted at the time. The Crazy Horse memorial dwarfs Mt. Rushmore, being somewhere in the neighborhood of seven times as large--well worth a visit to the memorial and Indian museum on site if you're ever in the neighborhood. Anyway, it would be Crazy Horse lookin' to get Jack A's scalp. If only he were here to help!!!

[newyawker99]

8. Hi petersjo02!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[JohnnyRingo]

10. I thought of this when I typed his name, but couldn't think of a warrior

I always appreciate an education on a subject I'm not familiar with, thanx.
Welcome to DU!

[Snotcicles]

9. I think these people should serve there time in the general

population at regular federal penitentiaries.

[Straight Shooter]

11. "... stupid folks get wiped out." ... Like Republicans and lobbyists. n/t