Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss

Despite claims to the contrary, there is actually little difference between indicted former House Majority Leader DeLay and new Maj. Leader Boehner. Sure, Boehner hasn't been indicted, but he has nearly as many K Street affiliations as DeLay. Among the three candidates for Maj. Leader, Boehner had the most former staffers working at K Street lobbying firms. Not to mention Boehner's little problem back in the mid-90's when he passed out campaign checks from the tobacco industry on the House floor. Oh, and who could forget his participation in the Gingrich, Armey, DeLay et. al. conference call plotting to defy the House Ethics Committee in 1996.

Of course, the mainstream media is unlikely to pick up on any of this substance and will instead recite GOP talking points about how the new Republican leader is committed to reform, blah blah blah. Look, if the GOP really wanted reform they would have elected Shadegg, who supported lobbying reform and budgetary earmark reform. But what the GOP really wanted was cover from the Abramoff scandal so that they could continue their corrupt ways while paying lip service to change.

And they will likely be successful. Let's face it, the past three elections have shown that the American electorate is incredibly gullible and poorly informed. The GOP, with helpful assistance from Fox News and talk radio, has convinced the American people that black is white and dissent is unpatriotic.

The Republicans in the House are fully aware that they need K Street money and support in order to continue their fleecing of America. There was absolutely no way they were going to support a true reformer for Majority Leader. Instead they chose someone who would talk the talk of reform while continuing business as usual in the House.

Real reform will only come from kicking the GOP out of power.