Pujo

Hack means somebody who would rather tow the line for someone they like rather than being honest. George W. Bush's defenders did the same for him, their retorts to any criticism were the same as the ones you gave: nobody has any better ideas, and that's just the way it's done in Washington. Wrong is wrong, and Feinstein is wrong. Somebody's going to see that as a political opportunity, just like Democrats and Republicans always do when jumping at each other, but it doesn't excuse the act. And don't talk out of both sides of your mouth by saying you already criticized her elsewhere while you're defending her here.

Patters

You are reading all sorts of stuff into what I said. I am not been and have never been a fan of Feinstein. She's a DLC Democrat, like Lieberman and Clinton. I am criticizing the approach of the groups who are criticizing her, not the need to criticize her. By going after her on a conflict of interest issue, they are not laying the groundwork to replace her with someone better. And, unless there's proof that she violated the Senate ethics rules (and from what I've read, she's had things cleared with them), then this issue won't get much traction. If they want to go after Feinstein, they should go after her for her DLC views, such as they did to successfully press her to change her stand on Alito.

Pujo

That's not their responsibility. I'm glad when government officials who do unethical things are called out on it, even if there's no better candidate in mind at the time. Are they supposed to keep quiet about it because they're not running a campaign to replace her?

Real World

I was reading about Feinstein's husband being a contractor for the Walter Reed stuff, which is why she's been quiet too. These people are all the same, which is what I've been saying for quite some time. I'll check out the links though.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Real World

You're just noticing?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Real World

Do you hold everyone to this same standard?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Patters

That's not at all what I said, but I think there's a much bigger issue. The real issue is the direction of the country.

The right-wing has taken us down a road that's made us more polarized, our economy less equitable, our world situation more vulnerable, and our values more hypocritical. The mainstream Republicans have acted like sheep while this happened.

The mainstream Democrats have taken us down a road that's nothing but Republican light.

There is no common left-wing philosophy to rival that of march-in-step radical right. There are signs of hope, with people like Al Gore, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Jim Webb speaking out. But, they are politicians, and should not lead the way. The political activists need to advocate something bigger than this legal ethical lapse. It's great they pressed Feinstein to step down from her committee, but it does nothing to educate the public about the bankrupt values that have been imposed on our society by the morally bankrupt right wing.

On the Feinstein (and possibly Pelosi) issue, I don't see what the activists expect to gain. Corruption is an important issue, but it should be a tool to achieve broader aims, and I don't see that here.

Patters

Mostly. Sometimes I play politics because it's fun, but generally I try to stick to the bigger issues. That Bush got drunk driving tickets can be fun to tease people with, but it's hardly a problem for me. That Bush was AWOL from the military can be a useful petty response when someone brings up a Clinton mistake, but it's hardly the reason I'm against Bush.

Now, since I assume this is what you're referring to, as far as Republican scandals go, there are two points:

(1) In politics, like sports, the goal is to weaken the opponent so that you push your own agenda. Going after Republicans for anything legitimate is smart because it makes it easier to achieve more important aims. This was the strategy that the Republicans used to fight the Clinton agenda, and it was reasonably effective. Politics is a nasty game, and it always has been since the founding of our Republic because there's no way to change it. It's rough and tumble, like a good Pats-Eagles game.
(2) In Feinstein's case, from what I've read she cleared her conflict of interest with the Senate Ethics Committee. Now, I'm not saying that makes her right or makes the Senate Ethics Committee, but it means she probably did not commit a crime, so the issue will not turn into a Cunningham type affair.

Terry Glenn is a cowgirl

You are correct.

The only thing that your leaving out is all of the republicant's also that fill the very same bill...