New Congress, Same Corruption

Business as usual for the Congress that Majority Leader Pelosi promised would be the most ethical ever:

On the Monday that was supposed to start the new Congress's first five-day workweek, Minority Leader John A. Boehner helped persuade his Democratic colleagues to give House members the day off.

The Ohio Republican had his reasons. He was going to see Ohio State compete in the national championship football game in Arizona. Boehner had tickets for the stadium's nosebleed section. Then, Boehner's office said, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. offered him a bird's-eye seat in one of the company's skyboxes.

In the skybox, Boehner mingled with lobbyists for the media giant, whose vast interests in Congress include broadcast-decency legislation and possible restrictions on its hugely popular MySpace Web site.

And its all perfectly legal under the rules created in the new Democratic-controlled Congress, ss long as he pays for the "ticket." Fortunately for Boehner, he can use his campaign funds to pay for the day off at the game.

Did we really think that things would change in Congress simply because the Democrats are now in charge:

But the new rules, the toughest changes since Watergate, still leave lots of room for special interests to curry favor and lawmakers to raise big dollars.[...]For instance, lawmakers can still go to widely attended events or campaign events and accept freebies such as meals. Nonprofit organizations and universities can still provide lawmakers free travel in many cases. And lawmakers can still offer creative opportunities for special interests to meet with them -- for a price.

Conflict of interest? It is why the government is unresponsive to our needs. We are not being heard. Only the lobbyists get satisfaction:

"It makes one pause when members of Congress raise one hand to vote on an ethics proposal to limit special interests and with the other hand outstretched behind their back ask for campaign contributions or perks from special interests," said Kent Cooper, a former federal election regulator who studies ethics and political money.

Exit Polls last November show the number one concern of voters was corruption in Washington. It is why over 75 percent of Americans disapprove of the Congress.