We dodged a bullet back in 2004
I know the "Big News" of the day is the arrests of the Taliban leadership and the Crash in Austin, but the thing that stuck out for me was the sentencing of Bernie Kerik for fraud and lying and corruption and mob favors.
This isn't just ordinary fraud and corruption, this was Giuliani's right hand man (who gained fame for taking on the Mob) being on the Mafia Payroll. This was a man on the mob's payroll getting nominated to be the head of homeland security.
Let's think about that last point again: In 2004, a man on the take from the mob was nominated to be the head of homeland security.
Enough dirt was left unwashed off of this man to land him in the Federal Pen for four years. And this man was going to become the leader over the 22 seperate agencies under the DHS umbrella. Customs, ICE, the Coast Guard... I am sure that any syndicate would LOVE to have a relationship with the man at the top of those agencies.
The thing that also bothers me is that this won't change the political narrative unless we PUSH IT HARD into the general consciousness. There is still a perception among some that Democrats/Unions = Mafia. And there was some truth to that, especially 40 years ago. But all of that should be dwarfed by BUSH NOMINATED A GUY ON THE TAKE FROM THE MOB TO HEAD HOMELAND SECURITY. Even the joke response: "Well the Mafia probably knows alot about protection" falls flat, this was not some capo, this was a man who thought he could take cash from the New Jersey Mob and somehow come out ahead (lord knows what kind of favors they would have demanded if he was confirmed).
Just like I never want to hear about the deficit from a Bush voter, I never want to hear about protecting the homeland from a Bush/Giuliani voter. I never want to hear about "Corrupt Democrats" from a Bush/Giuliani voter.
Let's not let this story get re-framed or forgotten. Alot of people worked hard to uncover this and helped our nation dodge one of the many bullets shot it's way by the Bush administration. This should mean something to voters and politicians for at least a while.
Bush/Giuliani/Republicans = Letting the Mob run Homeland Security.
This isn't just ordinary fraud and corruption, this was Giuliani's right hand man (who gained fame for taking on the Mob) being on the Mafia Payroll. This was a man on the mob's payroll getting nominated to be the head of homeland security.
Let's think about that last point again: In 2004, a man on the take from the mob was nominated to be the head of homeland security.
Enough dirt was left unwashed off of this man to land him in the Federal Pen for four years. And this man was going to become the leader over the 22 seperate agencies under the DHS umbrella. Customs, ICE, the Coast Guard... I am sure that any syndicate would LOVE to have a relationship with the man at the top of those agencies.
The thing that also bothers me is that this won't change the political narrative unless we PUSH IT HARD into the general consciousness. There is still a perception among some that Democrats/Unions = Mafia. And there was some truth to that, especially 40 years ago. But all of that should be dwarfed by BUSH NOMINATED A GUY ON THE TAKE FROM THE MOB TO HEAD HOMELAND SECURITY. Even the joke response: "Well the Mafia probably knows alot about protection" falls flat, this was not some capo, this was a man who thought he could take cash from the New Jersey Mob and somehow come out ahead (lord knows what kind of favors they would have demanded if he was confirmed).
Just like I never want to hear about the deficit from a Bush voter, I never want to hear about protecting the homeland from a Bush/Giuliani voter. I never want to hear about "Corrupt Democrats" from a Bush/Giuliani voter.
Let's not let this story get re-framed or forgotten. Alot of people worked hard to uncover this and helped our nation dodge one of the many bullets shot it's way by the Bush administration. This should mean something to voters and politicians for at least a while.
Bush/Giuliani/Republicans = Letting the Mob run Homeland Security.