ATLmalcontent

Cardwell for Senate

I know little about WSB investigative reporter Dale Cardwell, who just announced he's running for Saxby Chambliss' Senate seat. But already I'm inclined to vote for him:

Cardwell said he will run against what he calls the daily, debilitating corruption of Washington, and promises to eschew money from special interest groups and political action committees.

"I have a passion as a believer and an observer, and I just can't stand it any more," Cardwell said.

That's refreshing. No mention of having a conversation with the voters of Georgia -- or a pledge to restore family values. Cardwell seems pissed off, and we need all the Howard Beale types in Congress we can get

Business as usual

From lobbying reforms to anti-corruption proposals to curbing earmarks, Democratic lawmakers who railed against Republican corruption a year ago have flinched from imposing the harshest standards on themselves. Consequently, this Democratic Congress may end up no better prepared to police itself than the Republicans were when the Jack Abramoff bribery scandal broke and the spate of criminal convictions it spawned surfaced as a primary reason for voters' angst last fall.

Will the Democrats be held accountable? Don't count on it. As far as reform goes, both the media and the public are asleep at the wheel.

We're waiting, Madame Speaker

Remember when House Democrats touted tough new legislation against lobbyists? Now that they're in power, those promises of reform seem to be losing steam:

The growing resistance to several proposed reforms now threatens passage of a bill that once seemed on track to fulfill Democrats' campaign promise of cleaner fundraising and lobbying practices.

Can't say I'm surprised that Democrats want to keep the big campaign donations and lavish junkets and parties that lobbyists provide. No institution is more absolutely corrupted by absolute power than Congress.

As today's NYT opines:

Make no mistake. If the leadership fails to bring the lobbying industry to heel, voters will know that Congress remains as much for sale under the Democrats as it was under the Republicans.

We'd be naive to think otherwise. Congress will always be for sale, no matter which party is in power.