OH, MY ACHIN' BACHMANN AND ROD GETS FLOGGED

Representative Michele Bachmann has announced her candidacy for President of the United States. Pass me the shotgun, Mumma, there's a fly on baby's head. Rejoice! There ain't no global warming, the just-about-100% opinion of the scientific community, notwithstanding.

To acknowledge her due, she genuinely believes in what she says. She doesn't duck when accused of embracing Tea Party views. She is the Tea Party. And, if she, in general language, edges a teeny- weeny bit towards moderatism, and she will, then the best thing she has going for her is Mitt Romney being the frontrunner. The Tea Party's mantra is "Anybody but Romney." Should a moderate Republican (see Jon Huntsman) surge to the top, and the G.O.P. majority kicks in, she will be stripped of staying power. Stay tuned.
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Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was found guilty, by a jury, of various felonies centering upon a conspiracy to sell the Senate seat, vacated by President Obama, for monetary gain. The driving force was the broad language defining the federal crime of conspiracy. If the Guv had engaged in whimsy, speculating about what might come his way in return for bestowing the seat to this or that guy, no crime. Should he verbalize this ambition in a quid-pro-quo proposition, crime. Putting it another way, if you aspire to be appointed to the state supreme court, and be overheard (tapped) saying,"I'm making a large contribution, Governor, to your campaign. I'm eyeing a supreme court judgeship," and the Guv. says,"You've got it!", the federal crime of conspiracy has been committed. If, however, you make the contribution and subsequently let your ambition be known to a third party, who transmits this sentiment to the Guv. and you get the appointment, everybody is clean.

No deal was ever consummated by Blagojevich. He didn't make a dime. A victimless crime. And yet, he faces a lengthy federal prison sentence for having betrayed the public trust (see prior post).
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