“No government run health care, but don’t take away my momma’s Medicare.”

As long as they stay out of jail, they will be useful to someone as the GOP lies in wait until they can regain power (Cheney, Rumsfeld).

If nothing else, these useful idiots can be counted on to repeat the RNC talking points on cable news, saber rattle occasionally, and be generally depended upon to criticize the Democrats even if they sound like idiots; the next day their quotes are treated like little golden nuggets to be cherished and replayed over and over. These disgraced idiots, who are given unearned and unwarranted amounts of respect have to be kept in reserve to be trotted out when needed to carry the water for their party.

Only sexual scandals render the worst of them radioactive, but even guys like David Vitter, R (loves diapers), is still in congress, still getting attention, and gets treated as a serious person by the media.

It is a reflection of how low our standards have fallen that these assclowns can have a cushy job, are shown respect by the media and continue to pollute the political scene. Between the politicians and the banksters, it boggles the mind that those who commit the most egregious offenses are paid the most! And now many of our politicians are banksters and our banksters politicians! And the average joe foots the bill.

The official Adulterer’s Club of Elected Officials is growing so large that it might need it’s own caucus.

I keep hoping to read that Phil Gramm has been similarly jailed, but my guess is that he has brought in sufficient tax evasion monies from his cronies so as to cause the Swiss authorities to overlook him (lest they be embarrassed and Swiss bank secrecy get torn to shreds if he talks). I’m sure that he has ample reserves of his own ill-gotten Enron loot stashed away in Swiss banks, safe from prying IRS eyes.

That’s what I think.

————————

With all due respect, Barry, deregulation had a lot of bipartisan support at the time. For example, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act was not only passed by Congress, it was passed by both parties in Congress overwhelming. In the Senate the vote was 90 yes, 8 no, 1 no vote (John McCain). The Democrats voted 34 to 6 in favor including: Biden, Daschle, Dodd, Kennedy, Kerry, Reid and Schumer. See: Govtrack

In the House, the legislation received similar strong bipartisan support with 362 yes, 57 no, 15 no votes. The Democrats voted 151 yes, 50 no, 4 no votes. See: Govtrack2.

Bill Clinton signed it into law on November 12, 1999. Here’s what he had to say about it at the signing: “You heard Senator Gramm characterize this bill as a victory for freedom and free markets. And Congressman LaFalce characterized this bill as a victory for consumer protection. And both of them are right. And I have always believed that one required the other.” See: Resource.org

Here’s what Chris Dodd had to say about it as recently as March 2007:

“I am proud to have had Tom’s and the Chamber’s support on some of the most important pieces of legislation with which I have been associated. Laws like the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act; the Y2K litigation reform act; the Class Action Fairness Act; the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which has helped bring our financial services sector into the 21st century; and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which in the aftermath of 9/11 has played a crucial role in keeping our economy strong.” See Dodd Web site

~~~

BR: Yes, I mention most of those things in the book, and also rain down blame on Dems like Clinton, Rubin, Summers and Schumer.

But I am asking about why a foreign bank employs a former US Senator. I don’t really care about the politics, as I know what politics does to your brain. LITERALLY

Barry:
Senator Gramm, how like you this play?

Senator Gramm:
The blogger doth protest too much, methinks.