DELAY FEELS LEGISLATORS SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM LAWS THEY PASS

One of the really important precepts of English Common Law that is embedded in our own legal traditions is that no man is above the law-- particularly not the powerful and mighty and not those who write, pass and enforce the laws. I don't have much expectation that a lowlife bug exterminator like Tom DeLay, who managed to strong-arm his way to the top of the GOP, would have any appreciation-- or even knowledge-- of English Common Law, but DeLay's partisan ravings will probably ring alarm bells even among Republicans (a few Republicans).

As more and more Republican crooks are unmasked, like himself and his own cosigliere Jack Abramoff (both of whom await trials for serious financial violations), DeLay is attempting to shift the blame to Democrats for one of his own trademark modes of operation: "the politics of personal destruction."

After polls this week showed that his own political support in his Texas district has eroded and that he is now in serious jeopardy of losing his seat (even if he doesn't wind up in prison), DeLay sent a letter to constituents and contributors, connecting his case with probable indictments of Karl Rove and "Dollar" Bill Frist. He doesn't draw the conclusion, however, that arrogant powermad neo-fascists who believe the ends justify the means are dangerous and bound to be up to no good. Instead he is whining that they are being brought low by "the criminalization of conservative politics."

DeLay likes the idea of passing laws-- primarily laws that will benefit his wealthy and "generous" supporters at the expense of ordinary American working men and women-- but it never seems to have dawned on him that even he-- who once said, smoking a Cuban cigar in a No Smoking Zone, that "I am the government"-- must also obey the same laws that everyone is subject to.

If anyone has "criminalized" conservative politics, it is the people who have felt so empowered that they could disregard laws they considered, in the words of Leona Helmsley, "for the little people." Luckily for the little people, there are still straight-arrow law enforcement officials untainted by DeLay's big money politics who are willing to put themselves in the crosshairs of these vicious and corrupt pols and their allies, not for wealth or for power but for the good of our beloved nation.