By INCITES BY ED SILVERSTEIN
The recent Senate immigration bill is a prime example. GOPsters foam at the mouth at even the mention of granting legal status or amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens who, for little money, do all the menial jobs that Americans wouldn’t touch. Doing such, they claim, would be rewarding unlawful behavior, something the Republicans would never do. Or would they?
Let’s take a look at a comparison between Jesus Rodriguez — a fictional composite of actual illegal aliens — and Senate Majority leader, Tom DeLay — a real-life Republican conservative.
BIRTHPLACE: Rodriguez — Nuevo Laredo Mexico, along the banks of the Rio Grande River.
DeLay — Laredo Texas, along the banks of the Rio Grande River.
EMPLOYMENT: Rodriguez — Days: country club bus boy; nights: janitor at Wal-Mart; weekends: mows lawns.
DeLay — U.S. Congressman for Texas’ 22nd district.
“moral transgressions” — Conservative congressional Republicans have dramatically increased their political fortunes by flogging the Democrats for so-called while claiming the ethical high road for themselves
CRIMES, MISDEMEANORS AND ETHICAL LAPSES: Rodriguez — Illegally crossed the U.S. border from Mexico.
DeLay — Cited by the Congressional Ethics Committee after a memo from a Kansas energy company claimed that $56,500 would buy a “seat at the table.” Cited again when he ignored long-standing congressional precedents and spearheaded a Texas redistricting scheme to eliminate Democratic congressman in a non census year, then misused the Federal Aviation Administration to track down protesting Texas state Democrats. Rumored to be the target of Texas Grand Jury criminal investigation looking into the illegal funneling of corporate contributions to state campaigns. Admonished by Ethics Committee when he ignored House rules to keep a vote on a Medicare bill open for an additional three hours during which time he and house Republicans tried to bribe Rep. Nick Smith to change his vote. Admonished by Ethics Committee for forcing lobbying firms to deny jobs to Democrats and hire only Republicans. Accused of negotiating with lobbyists to provide business-friendly votes in the House in exchange for campaign contributions. Being investigated for breaking House rules that prohibit accepting travel from a foreign entity. Being investigated for two instances in which he broke House rules by accepting travel from registered lobbyists. Being investigated for funneling $500,000 from his campaign and PACs to his wife and daughter.
REASONS FOR MISDEEDS: Rodriguez — Wanted to provide basic needs and a better life for his family.
DeLay — Personal financial gain. Free trips. Consolidation of political power and prestige. Career advancement: ensuring ascension to House Speaker. Attempting to circumvent voting laws by providing Republican congressional candidates with an unfair advantage. Revenge against Democrats. Desire to circumvent constitutional protections and governmental checks and balances in order to advance his extreme religious, neoconservative and pro business ideology.
Consequences: Rodriguez — Deportation. Homelessness. Starvation.
DeLay — Received four slaps on the wrist from House Ethics Committee. After three of his closet associates were indicted for illegal campaign contributions and rumors began to circulate that DeLay might be next, Congressional Republicans, who would never reward illegal behavior, attempted to change the GOP rule so that DeLay could become the Speaker of the House even if he was under indictment. When that failed, Texas Republican lawmakers sprang into action and attempted to pass legislation that would halt the investigation into DeLay’s actions. When that failed, Republicans lashed out at Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, accusing him of being a Democratic partisan stooge, even though 12 of the 15 politicians Earle has prosecuted were Democrats. When that failed, the morally superior Republicans changed the Ethics Committee rules so it would take a majority of committee members to initiate an investigation, then they removed the committee’s impartial Republican Chairman and other less partisan Republican committee members, and replaced them with Delay loyalists who had donated to his legal defense fund.
CONCLUSION: Republicans are correct when they state that there is no excuse to ever reward criminal behavior … when all you have to do is change the rules. (Ed Silverstein can be reached at incites@ncites.net.)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 20, 2005. Read the original PDF.