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| Tea Party darling: Trey Radel |
My Republican of the Season: Rep. Trey Radel.
Rep. Trey Radel, channneling his inner Rick James, announced:
U.S. Rep. Trey Radel said Wednesday night he will take a leave of absence for an unspecified time and donate his salary. "I have no excuse for what I have done. I have let down our country," he said at a news conference.
Radel spoke to reporters after returning home to southwest Florida, hours after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor cocaine possession. The 37-year-old first-term Republican from Florida said he will enter an inpatient drug treatment program. The cocaine possession charge came after authorities said he bought a small amount of cocaine in a sting in the nation's capital last month. During the brief news conference, Radel said he "grew up with a mom who struggled with alcoholism."
All due sympathy for those (and their families) suffering from the all too human drug/alcohol addiction. Drug and alcohol addiction, as we know, has no discrimination based on race, gender, age or socio-economic status -- even though our judicial system has double standards based on race and economic status.
On the other hand, the GOP -- who based their birthright to govern on religious convictions -- likes to not throw but heave rocks from the glass tower. How many times have we been "blessed" with political speeches -- or should I say sermons -- about the dire need to restore American values and principles? And how the GOP is the only party for salvation.
Once again, case in point: Troy Radel.
Radel, speaking from his judgmental perch, campaigned by highlighting his support for Liberty, Prosperity, Integrity ;and conservative values, personal responsibility. And in this role, Radel demanded mandatory drug testing for poor families that receive welfare and food stamp benefits.
Can we say hypocrite?
He insisted that he was going to, as a non-corrupted politician, bring American core values to DC; but all we got was one more coke head. Maybe we should have mandatory drug testing for congress.
In the words of Washington Post columnist Petula Dvorak:
Yup, in Radel’s version of Absurdistan, it’s totally okay for a guy in a suit to use coke and collect a government paycheck, but a single mom who needs help buying milk for her kids has to be drug-tested before she gets one government dime.
And:
Why, exactly, don’t we require a drug test for our lawmakers?
They get paid by the taxpayers. They make important decisions. I’m sure the electronic voting machines they use to cast their yeas and nays count as heavy machinery. Or the members-only elevator does.
Anyone receiving taxpayer dollars should be held to a much higher standard. From the regular Joe and Jane off the streets receiving government payments to the police force, firefighters and especially politicians, ensuring they abide by the nation's laws is a must. And it's definitely a must when the people who create and enforce drug laws have been known to use drugs!
ReplyDeleteI'm 100% for the legalization/decriminalization of most drugs. But as it stands now, the politicians and police enforce very strict standards by and large, and the fact that they don't live up to their end is ridiculous. It's beyond hypocritical. It's a separate universe the public sector exists in compared to everyone else whose hard work funds it.
I will say this though: It's at least refreshing to see a shoddy politician actually walk away -- and not only that, but give up their salary! How friggin' often does that happen? Pitiful that there's another charlatan in there, but at least he's not a hanger-on for money and power (so it would seem to date; he could pull a Wiener).
Perverts, molesters, ethical violators, tax dodgers and cheats, politicians who literally catch BJs while in office, admitted former drug users -- the hubris of these people is incredible. To not only refuse to gracefully bow out but to double down and press harder for more power; it's just nauseating.