No More Delay….It’s Time for Tom to Go

Tom Delay, the soon to be former House Majority Leader, is under fire on many fronts. He is under indictment in his home state of Texas for money laundering, with a trial some time this year. He seems certain to be thoroughly implicated in the Abramoff scandal. As Kieth Olbermann of MSNBC said, “That the Bush White House would even want the media focusing on how it is doing in Iraq, perhaps a sign of just how much it does not want anyone talking about Jack Abramoff.” And it only spells more bad news for Delay, who has decided to permanently relinquish his leadership role in the house, as of Saturday, Jan. 7.

While this is a welcome step, it is not enough. The voters and citizens of Texas need to take further steps. Delay is up for a new term in November of 2006. He may not last that long. Granted, Texas is a place where bully politics seem to work and where the electorate often looks the other way. But even there people are crying “enough!”

Delay has seen his zenith, and his star is falling rapidly. His party is in large measure abandoning him, the President excluded, of course (so far, anyway.) Of course, the political scandals in Washington go deeper than Delay, and are popping up in both parties, although they are mostly Republican. But Delay seems to be the worst, to epitomize all that is perceived as wrong on the Hill. He seems to wear a “For Sale” sign on his forehead, that includes his family.

If any sort of confidence is to be restored to Washington, real justice needs to be applied to Delay and others like him. And real leadership needs to emerge that is above reproach. Senator John McCain of Arizona seems to be emerging as the most stand up guy in the Republican Party, with both the means and the desire to stand up to Bush and Delay and others when it comes to matters from torture of prisoners to money scandals. He may well have aspirations himself for a Presidential run, and I would welcome him as a candidate. He is at least not bought and paid for, or under the thumb of the religious right.

In closing, Delay should be admonished by the House, and by the voters of Texas. And he should be punished by law, and if found guilty, serve real time.