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More PoliticsThe Photo That Could Doom the Democrats
Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, is now available from HarperCollins. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Brigitte Stelzer / Splash News
Nancy Pelosi is protecting Rep. Charles Rangel, who failed to pay taxes on his Caribbean villa, among other miscues. But the ethically challenged congressional baron is endangering the Democrats’ control of Congress.
Today's Democrats should remember Dan Rostenkowski. The former Democratic Chicago congressman was the kind of guy who would have made an all-Madden team for pols. Growing up, his home doubled as a meeting house for precinct captains. He attended Catholic schools, fought in Korea, then became a made man in the Richard Daley machine. Dispatched to Washington, he learned the inside game from masters like Lyndon Johnson and Tip O’Neill, and by the 1980s had become chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Parochial, crusty, inarticulate, and tough, he sat for decades atop Washington’s pyramid of power—until the Gingrich Republicans made him a symbol of Washington’s decadence. Skewered for keeping “ghost” employees on his payroll, using government money to buy presents for friends, and abusing privileges at the House bank, he lost his seat in the 1994 Republican landslide. “The Rules Kept Changing,” observed Chicago Tribune columnist Mike Royko, “Dan Rostenkowski Didn’t.”
Charles Rangel would make the all-Madden team, too. The son of a maid, he went to work at age 8, won a Purple Heart in Korea, and rose through the Harlem Democratic machine. Since entering Congress, he has spoken blunt truths: declaring that if congressmen’s sons served in uniform, America would never have gone to war in Iraq. He has taken care of the little guy, assiduously bringing home federal bucks to his impoverished district. And in the Rostenkowski tradition, Rangel has taken care of himself as well, using rent-controlled apartments given to him by a Manhattan developer,and failing to pay income tax on a three-bedroom villa in the Dominican Republic (where he’s been pictured napping).
A Democratic source says party pollsters are picking up rumblings that the Rangel scandal is starting to register with the public.
To understand why the Rangel scandals are so dangerous for Democrats, you need to understand something about midterm landslides: They’re usually composed of three parts. First, the other party’s activists are highly motivated. Second, your own activists are highly unmotivated. Third, independents want to burn Washington to the ground.
There’s nothing Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi can do about the first problem. The stimulus, the bank bailouts, the auto-takeover and the health-care push have convinced large numbers of aging white people that Obama is Mao Zedong, and they’re not going to change their mind anytime soon. The best response to the second problem is to pass health-care reform and give Keith Olbermann something to get excited about. But perhaps most crucial of all is responding to problem No. 3.
Independents are the most fickle, the most cynical, and the least ideological people in the American electorate. When they’re unhappy with the state of the country, they tend to stampede the party in power—less because they disagree on the issues than because they decide that the folks running government must be malevolent and corrupt. In Washington, congressmen violate ethics rules all the time. But when independents get in one of their sour moods, these infractions become matches on dry tinder. In 1994, the scandals concerning Rostenkowski and the House bank helped sweep the Gingrichites into power. In 2006, according to exit polls, the scandals surrounding mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Rep. Mark Foley did more to lose the GOP control of Congress than did the Iraq war. Pelosi became speaker, in fact, by running against the GOP’s “culture of corruption” and promising the “most ethical Congress in history.”
Now Republicans are hurling those phrases in her face. Democrats, who in April 2006 held a 17-point advantage as the party less “influenced by lobbyists and special interests,” have seen that margin dwindle to eight points, according to the Pew Research Center. The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has begun running ads against Democrats who accepted donations from Rangel, and two of the party’s most vulnerable congressmen, Alabama’s Bobby Bright and New Hampshire’s Paul Hodes, have called for Rangel to step down as chairman. Call them the canaries in the coal mine.
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Grow a Pair, Democrats
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America Has Disgraced Itself
Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, is now available from HarperCollins. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
camper
pelosi is sticking to the story that Rangel is has accidently stepped over the line of House ethics rules.... In reality Rangel has intentionally stepped over the line that seperates honest taxpayers from felons.
hockeydog
As an iconic photo it is absolutely beautiful!
And the sweet thing about it is that you could
do a cut & paste with a head-shot of any Congress-crook,
or Senator Lard-bucket, and it would fit the bill.
I wish they would all just snooze away, all the time.
At least then, they would not be foisting any more
pork-laden laws on a gullible and unsuspecting
American public.
DeeAmbro
Yep, I would say this is right up there with Republican Jim Bunning's "tough s**t to unemployed workers. There are plenty of crooks in both parties so let's not delude ourselves that one party is pure and the other isn't. I have noticed however, that the corrupt republicans stay in power. Seems like a double standard to suggest that dems should resign when they get in trouble but it's A-OK for republicans to stay. I for one would hope that both parties should have the same standards. I'm not making excuses for Rangel, I'm just saying those screaming for his head should examine the corruption in their own party.
Timbo52
DeeAmbro: Something strike a nerve for you? I don't see where the author is saying that a democrat, Rangel in this case is any different than any given Republican as you're so boldly defending. Can you give me the double standard you speak of? We could probably tit for tat on that one for about a month. I don't hear anyone asking for Rangel to resign but they are asking for him to step down from his chairmanship. Since I'm a conservative I have to admit I am enjoying this but I am also smart enough to know that there are almost as many crooks in congress as there are congressman in DC, unfortunately.
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pong1092
DeeAmbr, yep don't be a hypocrite. Why aren't you asking Harry Reid to step down for his racist comments? Trent Lott did. Washington is full of hypocrites on both sides. Its funny how easy it is to ignore the faults of your own party but bring up the faults of another so easily.
reader3
DeeA -
Seems to me I remember left leaning media screaming for Vitter, Ensign, and Sanford to resign, as well as Dolittle, Cunningham, Craig, and now Bunning. Google any of those and you'll find someone demanding their professional head. I don't think there's any bias in the calls for resignations, and I lean to the left socially. Rabble rousing is a fickle mistress...
PigFarmer
hockeydog, you nailed it. It doesn't matter whether they're Reps or Dems. There are plenty of Charlie Rangels on both sides of the aisle.
strydes
I am all for recalling the whole bunch and starting over. The less time these guys spend making policy, the safer Americans and their money are.
CoddledEgg
Rangel is detestable and has been for decades.
But I object to the picture- the guy is entitled to lie on a beach just like everyone else.
maspring
I object to the picture just because it's unattrative.
If you're going to post pictures of people on a beach you could do so much better.
prettyscary1
He does look comfy...
toomanynotes
You mean he lies on the beach, on tv, in his dreams, in testimony, to his constituents, to his enemies, to everyone on the planet, 366/24/7.
crypto
Rangel is entitled to lie anywhere, and has for his entire congressional "career". But I go with the other comments. This November any logical thinking voter will put ANY incumbant in the street. It's past time to show these #@$^^&@!! that we can control our government.
liberatorquest
I agree CEgg, he is entitled to lie on the beach, none of our business what he does in his free time. If you can't catch him doing illegal and underhanded deals during office hours, just back off!!!! He looks very relaxed and peaceful in that picture, good for him!!!!
scott1607
Chuckling at crytpo's comment -- logical thinking voters are few and far between...
CoddledEgg
The picture proves the guy was at the beach.
- it does not indicate that he spends all his time at the beach
- it does not indicate that he is oblivious to his job
- it does not indicate that he used illegal funds or fraud to finance his beach trip
The problem with using these pictures for short hand for "everything that is wrong" is that it promotes sloppy thinking.
The most virtuous person you think of could be pictured in exactly the same beach picture. So whats is proven? Nothing.
Chuck Regnier
In a house that he don't pay tax on. Why not.Why can't we all do it ?
mikescs
he is entitled to lay on beach at his expense, not my tax dollars and payoff dollars, just like "given" the manhattan apts, give me a friggin break, dont get nuttin for free!!
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anghiari
The Congressional Black Caucus just had a story about how they are mirroring the Republicans with their upclose and personal relationship with lobbyists....they have about as much clout as they have NEVER HAD...PULEEZE...these people are eating at the same trough as both wily Republicans and eager Democrats.
Oh please...you mean white folks are not into brotherhood? Could have fooled me!
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anghiari
Is it a black man getting sun that makes this pic so toxic...I am sure he has on some sunscreen...cause black folks get blacker quicker ...oh? you mean is Rangel a crook? ...and sleeping at his condo might make folks think these black guys are getting it to easy if they can be lying on a beach somewhere? Where's Tom Delay? Democrats are going to hunker down just like Republicans did on Craig, Scooter, Gonsalves...Do Americans truly believe their elected officials are not going to take advantage of loopholes that most of us would also take advantage of...please people get real! We left higher standards behind when Clinton stupped Lewinsky and we elected George Bush
Timbo52
Hey liberal anghiari. The problem with this picture is that Rangel is a big fat Bast**d like me who can't even lay on the beach and take off his shirt. Poor pathetic crook.
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Baddchild
C'mon, Jefferson was caught with 90,000 in marked bills hiding in his freezer and Pelosi and the black caucus left him in until the voters of Louisiana finally kicked his crooked ass out... and you think she is going to get rid of Charlie? It's democrat 101, from Traficant to the Clinton's. It shows just how scared of the CBC Pelosi and the dems are, it's not like the GOP could take a seat in Harlem. Getting rid of Rangel would allow Pelosi to claim to be "draining the swamp" despite the democrats having the worst ethically challenged, hypocritical administrations ever.
Funny now that some dems want him out before now because he's finally has a conviction of sorts, this pic that us in the free thinking society have known about for well over a year is finally getting into the regular liberal media.
crypto
Anghiari: "black folks get blacker quicker"?? Does that have anything to do with Obama getting a new $9600.00 sun bed?? Is that the battle plan for 2012?? I hope not. Jesse Jackson said Obama was too white for the last election. So now he's gonna be too black??? HMMMMmmm. Having a half white president do raise some interesting points of view.
Centrist420
Just ONE more of the jerks that has to go. Funny thing is; there was this poll I read about a year ago, where they asked people if they think that most senators and other congress-people need to get voted out of office. The resounding answer was YES.... but ONLY when it applied to OTHER states' reps. LOL.
We need to get rid of them ALL. Good news: Bush and Obama back to back, showing us that BOTH parties are almost the same, and the only thing that separates them is small arguments over abortion, guns and other BS. What really needs to happen to level the playing field and correct ALL of our problems is ONE LITTLE THING: The tax code that is heavily weighted in favor of the lobbyists. Fix that, you fix it all. Why aren't we all arguing about THAT? Because there is NO argument, everyone would agree and then those idiots in washington would have to do something about it. So, they don't discuss it and once again, we get fed THEIR agenda, NOT ours.
I am sick of all of them and you should be, too.
johnwr3
The culture of corruption is alive and well and living in Washington. Don't be to shocked America, power and money go hand in hand. Oh, Abraham Lincoln we really need you now. There has to someone out there who can save us from ourselves. I guess we get the government we deserve...sad.
danf71
here's what I'd like someone to find out. Rangel's accused of not paying taxes on 500k of income on his lucrative resort investment property. Well, to have 500k of income to pay taxes on he had to have rented the joint out to a lot of people, for a lot of weeks at some pretty good rates. Right? Ever try that with your own time-share or vacation house? It isn't easy to breakeven let alone make that kind of stroke.
So, call me crazy, but I wonder if any of the good folks renting from the Congressman lobby on capitol hill? I wonder what the rent rolls look like on that condo? Isn't this just the same old game where the lobbiests pay off the Congressman's real estate and the poor boy who goes to Washington retires with an amazing accumulation of wealth?
Rangel's a crook.
reheiler
A quote from Mr. Beinart:
"the vast, legalized corruption that marks our campaign finance system."
Would that be the very system that Barack Obama opted into in 2008, after months of promising to remain in the federal matching-funds nirvana of campaign finance reform fetishists? Oh, and I love calling independents the "most cynical" voters out there IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH with the sentence: "In Washington, Congressman violate ethics rules all the time." That sounds, I dunno, kinda cynical to me. Beinart's playing a bank shot. If Rangel goes down, the left's strategy will be to make him the posterchild for a blatantly race-based campaign to drag Obama across the finish line in 2012. "Everybody does it! They just targeted Rangel because he's black! And from Harlem, no less."
DakLak
The Republicans wrote the book on election corruption.
Remember Abramoff - Republicans only!
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Marisa
VERY, VERY well said.
CoddledEgg
"But Abramoff didn't work just with Republicans. He oversaw a team of two dozen lobbyists at the law firm Greenberg Traurig that included many Democrats. Moreover, the campaign contributions that Abramoff directed from the tribes went to Democratic as well as Republican legislators.
Among the biggest beneficiaries were Capitol Hill's most powerful Democrats, including Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.) and Harry M. Reid (Nev.), the top two Senate Democrats at the time, Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.), then-leader of the House Democrats, and the two lawmakers in charge of raising funds for their Democratic colleagues in both chambers, according to a Washington Post study. Reid succeeded Daschle as Democratic leader after Daschle lost his Senate seat last November. "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR200506 0202158.html
BillSanford
Let's see... Nancy Pelosi was all about the "culture of corruption". But that is when she was throwing mud on George Bush. Now, she is all about the "speaker of corruption"...
The complete absence of ethics or integrity in this woman is amazing - and she is the American Speaker of the House. This says a lot about the corruption of the Democratic Party, and a lot about the current state of honesty in the American government.
Pelosi the liar is dangerous to America - she needs to be removed.
studentoflaw
my goodness, you are adept at internalizing propaganda without any hint of supporting evidence.
you do realize that the mindless repetition of baseless accusations do not, in fact, make them true, correct?
stop listening to and regurgitating hyperbole and learn to think for yourself. the country's well-being depends on it.
DeeAmbro
studentoflaw, you are so right. I find these attacks against Pelosi totally without merit. It seems more likely that she's being attacked because she is a strong, effective, democratic woman.
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crypto
To call Monica Pelosi what she really is would be an insult to every female dog in the world.
rodh30005
Is it true or not that Pelosi said the Dems would clean up corruption in Washington? Did Pelosi say the CIA never briefed her on water boarding? THe ANSWER to both is YES! If you OBJECTIVE observers wish to ignore facts and then spout off to others to get the facts straight that would make you the hypocrite!!!! It's high time politicians are judged on their acts, not talk.
Marisa
Gee, you're really mad, aren't you? Are you so vindictive because Ms. Pelosi is a woman? Probably. YOU are the one who needs to be "removed." Get over it.
rvail136
It's ok for Rangel to be the most corrupt member of Congress, because he's a Democrat. Mass media will overlook his corruption 'because of all the good he has done'. So it doesn't matter. TV & newspaperss will give him a pass and ignore the fact that his committee sets the taxes he has evaded.
Of course if you or I were to do what he has done, you'd go to prison. But since he's a member of the 'most ethical Congress ever' he won't have to worry about it.
sophia5
" the ethically challenged congressional baron (Rangel) "
Hilarious.
Liberal Beinart describes Liberal Rangel as " Ethically Challenged. " LOL
Is that Liberal Political Correctness when describing a Corrupt Liberal Politician ?
If Beinart was describing a Republican would he have called him " Corrupt ? "
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periscope
I doubt that Rangel is the most corrupt member of Congress, given the sell-out of the Republican Party leadership to the healthcare industry, the banks and Wall St., but it's the old adage of the Emperor's wife having to be above suspicion that applies here.
The Democratic Party has been entrusted with leadership in the Congress and the WH, and it cannot afford to have ethically challenged people like Rangel violating rules and laws, especially since violating rules and laws has been the habitual province of the Republicans.
For the sake of the country and their own survival, Dems should cut Rangel loose.
BillSanford
Republicans "sell out" to healthcare industry, banks, Wall St.?
Say what?
periscope... what underground silo have you been living in? Go read the last few months of newspapers... any newspaper. Obama, Pelosi, Reid have sold the Country's fiscal soul to Wall Street, pharmaceuticals, insurance, and Healthcare companies. THAT is the only way they are able to get Obama's Healthcare 'plan' passed.
rodh30005
How bout all them back room deals the Dems are cutting? You OK with that? Any objective evaluation would lead an ethical person to the conclusion that something just ain't right. Of course if you were a member of the Union or Acorn I could see why you shoot your mouth off like nothing is wrong.
mikescs
periscope: if you really looked, dems get more donations from the health care industry, along with trial lawyers , think that is why dems are pushing obamacare for the health industry, and why they dont want tort reform in obamacare?
shag11
Rangel needs to go, and from a brother, the Congressional Black Caucus needs to stay out of the way.
leftylosers012
shag11Rangel needs to go, and from a brother, the Congressional Black Caucus needs to stay out of the way.
################################################################
shag11, you surprise me, but in a nice way. Congratulations on you're honesty. As a white guy I tip my hat to you. Very refreshing to hear an honest man.
crypto
Right on shag: It's past time for the brothers and sisters of our great country to realize that skin color will make no difference when the green flos. The "new" black politicians are just continuing to do to us what the old white politicians have done all our lives.
flyoverland
I don't agree with Charlie on much of anything. And, yeah, it looks bad, but somehow, I just can't bring myself to join the chorus. This man was a legitimate war hero who almost died in the defense of this country. Yeah, it was a long time ago, but I hope he gets at least a small modicum of slack for that.
leftylosers012
flyoverland, no one gets a free ride for theft of services and criminal acts or otherwise. If that were the case thousands of war vets who have committed crimes would not face any consequences. Rangel is a dirty deeds congressman with years of corruption on his record. He has to go, and should be prosecuted. ORDINARY CITIZENS GO TO JAIL FOR TAX EVASION, HE IS NO BETTER.
flyoverland
I said a modicum of slack
olaf02
I was a Marine for 22 years. Could someone please send me the list of laws I can ignore with impunity. Thanks in advance for your help.
rodh30005
That means he can break the law? Congress shall make no law that does not apply equally to them and the common citizen. That is not a direct quote of the Constitution but close. Or do you not support the Constitution?
crypto
Can't go with you flyoverland: I fought in three wars for our great country and I'll just bet there are many others here who have done the same. All we deserve is a fair shake, no slack. He gave up any respect he might receive from this veteran at least, by taking the short cuts he did. WE can't afford it on the battlefield and we can't afford it by our representatives.
byersl
He needs to retire, he's an embarrassment and the poster child for what Americans hate about Washington. I'm a liberal Dem, and I am hoping beyond hope that the next report on the taxes and rental property will sink him and that Nancy is waiting for that to cut him loose. He should understand that he can still work for his constituents running some kind of NGO or something.
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devilsadvocate
2010 doesn't seem to be an incumbent-friendly election year.
Does this picture not remind you of Milton from "Office Space" sitting on the beach after he started the fire?!
Anthonyn
Hey devilsadvocate! Want to place a side bet on the percentage of incumbents re-elected? It would take all of the partisan sheep on this site to realize that BOTH parties are screwing us over for a big change in Congress to take place .And barring an economic meltdown that is just not going to happen.
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DeeAmbro
Yes, the culture, all of us included. Yet we expect our politicians to be pure. It's a joke.
eurydice9276
Nonsense, we don't expect our politicians to be pure, we expect them not to be crooks
Ozone69
The fact that the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee (that's the committee that writes the tax code) didn't think he had to pay tax on income earned from rental property is amazing. He has a whole host of other ethics issues mostly dealing with money. I never expected Nancy Pelosi to do anything responsible on this corruption matter. She circled the wagons when the Rangel mess came to light. Predictable democrat behavior. Wasn't she supposed to "drain the swamp" of corruption in Congress? This is all moot because the Republicans will take back Congress in a few years if Obama's Health Care debacle is rammed down our throats.
caveman1957
lets not forget that geroge bush used a tax advantage of claiming a lumber mill on his taxes and during a campaign debait they asked about his tax deduction on a lumber mill he was unaware that he had a lumber mill but responded by saying its a good time to buy a house on a balloon mortgage now every one is loosing their house????????????
Danram
Last I checked, George Bush isn't president any more.
Timbo52
Danram: But the expiration date on their Bush Bashing card hasn't expired yet. Give them a break, please.
sharinlite
Bush is not the president anymore and if you think $1 million in a bank account, three "rent controlled" apartments and a "villa" in the Caribbean is O.K., then you're just as blind as a bat! Just remember, he had nothing when he started in politics.
standfast24
Oh blame Bush, that's original !
gameon
No, Bush said "need wood" after hearing about his mill, it was one of his finest lines.
wilson0004
This man has become a total disgrace. He is an albatross to the Dems. They should censure Mr. Rangel and ultimately remove him from the House. He deserves nothing less and that should be come the benchmark for further infringements by other members.
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