>The situation now is no different than it was then.
>
>Stop raging about Bush. Rage about the problem, and then perhaps we can get something done about it.

Thanks for proving my point, which was "they'll pull up an example of the other side having done something similar 40 years ago.".

It's not the problem itself, it's the way the current administration handles it. So while you think it's all the same, it's actually not. It's the extent of cronyism (i.e. the average ratio of loyalty/competence which has reached some heights), the number and the level of officials involved (expressed as a compound index of hierarchy_level*amount_in_question) and the way it's set up as a system (K-street project and the policy of sharing the bed with lobbyists), and the vigor they display when initially covering up, then denying, defending and eventually trying to make the other side somehow guilty.

If you feel it's the same as it ever was, it's your feeling and you're entitled to it. My overall feeling is that it's the same, just immensely more so. They only try to paint it as just the same.

Also, the other side of handling the cases: what happens to the perpetrators? The proponents of death penalty as a deterrent somehow fail to impose any harsh penalty on their own delinquents. Foley - alcohol rehab. Ouch. DeLay - defended as far as it can go. Santorum - finance the Green Party candidate's campaign to split the vote. Only those who couldn't be defended in court are let down, but not after a long battle. If that doesn't show that party loyalty is appreciated more then plain honesty, I don't know what will. They don't even try to pretend that they're trying to be honest. No better than churches protecting pedophile priests.