Quote of the Day

This AP report in today's Star-Telegram provides us with the quote of the day.

Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), who pleaded guilty to corruption charges in the Jack Abramoff scandal, is quoted from a written statement as saying:

"I allowed myself to get too comfortable with the way things have been done in Washington, D.C., for too long."

Not only did he confess to dishonoring himself and his office, he issued a rather scathing indictment of the political culture in this country. Seldom does a politician confirm our suspicions that corruption is, and has been, rampant in our government.

I wish that Will Rogers had only been joking when he said that we have the best politicians money can buy, but hardly a day goes by that doesn't bring additional proof that it is, in fact, true. Bribery, sex scandals, manslaughter, and just about any other crime you can imagine have been committed by politicians who often get reelected to office rather than receiving punishment for their acts.

Will Congressman Ney's comment stir people to demand that politicians clean up their respective acts, or will everyone just yawn and continue accepting the status quo? I fear the latter.

Paraphrasing Joseph de Maistre, "Every country has the politicians it deserves."