Wednesday's links and comments

I guess it is a matter of perspective. This headline uses the word blame when I think credit would be much more appropriate.

Coburn blamed for killing bills

In the year leading up to this past November's elections, Democrats with the help of a complicit media pushed the idea of Republican corruption. This tactic worked as Republicans with alleged or real ethical problems were kicked to the curb. However, Democrats reelected their various scandal plagued congresscritters (Martinez, Mollohan, etc). This weekend voters in Louisiana continued the trend by sending William Jefferson back to the House for another term. You may remember Jefferson was taped accepting a bribe and $90,000 of marked money was found in his freezer. While I rightfully blame the fools who voted for this crook, I also blame our federal judicial system that hasn't seen fit to arrest and charge him. This story continues with this item: The Congressional Black Caucus is planning to press Democratic leaders to reinstate Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) to the Ways and Means Committee. Well, that makes sense no one will bribe him unless he is in a position to affect how confiscated money is distributed. Don Surber pointed out this morning that incoming House Speaker Pelosi has taken action to keep Jefferson off the Ways and Means Committee until the investigation is complete. No word on whether he will be giving any refunds.

Investors Business Daily has an excellent article about the classless departure speech of the abysmal failure Kofi Annan. Here is the first and last paragraphs (but read the rest):

Departing U.N. chief Kofi Annan has much to answer for during his tenure, including his own possibly criminal behavior. Instead, in one of his final speeches, he lets loose a flood of bile, mostly aimed at the U.S. . . .

He should be asking the world — including the U.S. — for forgiveness for his many failures as U.N. chief. He also should be indicted or at least investigated for crimes committed on his watch. But Annan's lucky. Instead, he'll retire to the lecture circuit, with a lavish pension funded largely by the U.S., a nation he despises

In the past century, there have been several horrific attempts at genocide (the Holocaust, the former state of Yugoslavia, Darfur, Rwanda). To a large extent, these atrocities went on unchecked until after millions of people were killed or displaced. Outgoing U.N. Ambassador John Bolton has proposed taking action before the atrocities start again. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has repeatedly called for Israel to wiped off the map and is this week hosting a meeting of his fellow racists like David Duke to deny that the Holocaust even happened. Bolton is suggesting that Ahmadinejad should be charged with inciting to commit genocide. Regardless of the fact that his proposal will not likely be acted upon, it is important that Ahmadinejad's comments be denounced with strong moral clarity.