When Obama was inaugurated, I kind of just watched with amusement when Dianne Feinstein introduced the "Oaf of Office". Chuckled when the "Oaf" was messed up, thinking it was Obama, then chuckling again when it turned out to be Roberts who flubbed. Anything that anyone considers funny is because of someone else's misfortune. Seeing someone fall down, step on a rake, take a pie in the face, or get nailed in the jewels by a kid with a pinata stick are hallmarks of comedy.




Well, I guess Obama is laughing his ass off right now as he has just kicked us all in the balls. The really bad thing, though, is that, right before he did it, he looked at us and said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to kick you in the balls. Just relax."

On Obama's first day, he brought with him new, tighter ethics rules. He put a salary freeze on high paid employees, saving the economy a few bucks. Kind of weak really, when you consider the task at hand, but the move is just dripping with symbolism, and the folks love their symbolism. How can anyone argue with tighter ethics rules and the symbolism of our beloved government making a sacrifice for the sake of its poor people, who have suffered for eight long years under the tyranny of George Bush. The kind of thing I would imagine a benevolent dictator doing after a successful coup.

Part of the tighter, and I use the word loosely, ethics rules was that people who have lobbied a particular interest within the government cannot work in the Obama administration for that particular department.

Obama called the rules tighter "than under any other administration in history." They followed pledges during his campaign to be strict about the influence of lobbyists in his White House.

He had to realize that this would rule out a lot of qualified people. The people who lobby for companies like Raytheon are experts in weaponry, aeronautics, and a whole range of other military technologies. This experience makes them extremely qualified for positions at the Pentagon. So Obama built in a waiver system to his executive order allowing for exceptions when it is best for national interests. The thing about making a rule, especially an ethics rule, is that you don't just turn around and break it yourself, not once but twice, two days later.

Bring in William Lynn, the top lobbyist for Raytheon. Despite his position, he has been tapped to take the number two spot at the Pentagon. It's okay, though. Obama has issued him an "Ethics Waiver" so that he can break his own rule.

Meanwhile, Obama's nomination for the No. 2 official at the Pentagon slowed as lawmakers considered whether William J. Lynn III might require an exemption from the administration's own lobbying rules. Lynn, who has broad support in Congress, had been considered a shoo-in for deputy defense secretary.

Then there is William V. Coor, who used to lobby the government on behalf of the Campaign for Tobacco Free kids. Obama tapped him to be the number two at the Department of Health and Human Services.

And don't forget about Tom Vilsak.

If we could charge money for these ethics waivers we could get the budget balanced and have economic growth for at least the next eight years. We could sell them to Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, Tim Geithner, Rod Blagojevich, Bill Richardson, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and I'm sure that the Clintons would want to pick up a Family Four Pack.

Bill Richardson, Obama's appointee for Secretary of Commerce, is now being investigated by a grand jury for allegedly giving California firm CDR Financial Services a lucrative government contract in exchange for campaign donations.

A person familiar with the proceedings told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the panel is looking into possible "pay-to-play" dealings between CDR Financial Products and someone in a position to push the contract through with the state of New Mexico.

So, how many corrupt politicians does it take to change Washington?
Just one, but he brings all his buddies with him, anyway.

We've all read the news by now. Rod Blagojevich has been indicted to sell Barack Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder. The full text of the indictment is found here. Below are just some of the charges Blagojevich is facing:

89. On November 3, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Deputy Governor A. This discussion occurred the day before the United States Presidential election. ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Deputy Governor A discussed the potential Senate seat vacancy. During the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH told Deputy Governor A that if he is not going to get anything of value for the open Senate seat, then ROD BLAGOJEVICH will take the Senate seat himself: “if . . . they’re not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it.”

90. Later on November 3, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Advisor A. By this time, media reports indicated that Senate Candidate 1, an advisor to the President elect, was interested in the Senate seat if it became vacant, and was likely to be supported by the President-elect. During the call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated, “unless I get something real good for [Senate Candidate 1], sh*t, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH later stated, “I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying. And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself.” Later, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that the Senate seat “is a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

94. On November 5, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with JOHN HARRIS regarding what ROD BLAGOJEVICH could obtain for the Senate seat. After discussing various federal governmental positions that ROD BLAGOJEVICH would trade the Senate seat for, ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked about “the private sector” and whether the Presidentelect could “put something together there. . . .Something big.” Thereafter, HARRIS suggested that the President-elect could make ROD BLAGOJEVICH the head of a private foundation. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told HARRIS that he should do “homework” on private foundations “right away.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked whether he could get a high-ranking position at the Red Cross. HARRIS stated that “it’s got to be a group that is dependent on [the President-elect],” and that a President probably could not influence the Red Cross. ROD BLAGOJEVICH told HARRIS to “look into all of those.”

95. On November 5, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS and Deputy Governor A. They discussed potential private foundations with which ROD BLAGOJEVICH might be able to get a position in exchange for filling the Senate seat and, in particular, those foundations that are “heavily dependent on federal aid” and which, therefore, the White House would have the most “influence” on. ROD BLAGOJEVICH wanted to know how much the positions being discussed pay.

96. On November 5, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A about the Senate seat. During the phone call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that the President-elect can remove somebody from a foundation and give the spot to ROD BLAGOJEVICH. In regards to the Senate seat, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated “I’ve got this thing and it’s f***ing golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for f***in’ nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”

97. On November 6, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Spokesman. ROD

BLAGOJEVICH told Spokesman to leak to a particular columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, that Senate Candidate 2 is in the running for the vacant Senate seat. According to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, by doing this, he wanted “to send a message to the [President-elect’s] people,” but did not want it known that the message was from ROD BLAGOJEVICH. Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman discussed specific language that shouldcbe used in the Sun Times column and arguments as to why Senate Candidate 2 made sense for the vacant Senate seat. A review of this particular Sun Times column on November 7,

2008, indicates references to the specific language and arguments regarding Senate Candidate 2 as a potential candidate for the Senate seat, as discussed by ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Spokesman.

98. On November 7, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A about

the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is willing to “trade” the Senate seat to Senate Candidate 1 in exchange for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services in the President-elect’s cabinet.

99. Later on November 7, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH discussed the open Senate seat in a three-way call with JOHN HARRIS and Advisor B, a Washington D.C.-based consultant. ROD BLAGOJEVICH indicated in the call that if he was appointed as Secretary of Health and Human Services by the President-elect, then ROD BLAGOJEVICH would appoint Senate Candidate 1 to the open Senate seat. HARRIS stated “we wanted our ask to be reasonable and rather than. . .make it look like some sort of selfish grab for a quid pro quo.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he needs to consider his family and that he is “financially” hurting. HARRIS said that they are considering what will help the “financial security” of the Blagojevich family and what will keep ROD BLAGOJEVICH “politically viable.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated, “I want to make money.” During the call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH, HARRIS, and Advisor B discussed the prospect of working a three-waycdeal for the open Senate seat. HARRIS noted that ROD BLAGOJEVICH is interested in taking a high-paying position with an organization called “Change to Win,” which is connected to Service Employees International Union (“SEIU”).22 HARRIS suggested that SEIU Official make ROD BLAGOJEVICH the head of Change to Win and, in exchange, the President-elect could help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level.

Barack Obama today denied having anything to do with the governor.

"Did you have any contact with or were you aware at all of what was happening with your Senate seat?" asked a reporter, the Wall Street's Journal Jonathan Weisman.

"I had no contact with the Governor or his office," Obama said, "and so we were, I was not aware of what was happening."

But this is not true according to Obama adviser David Axelrod:



The indictment also provides that Blagojevich was involved with Tony Rezko. Rezko was a primary backer of Blagojevich. He was also a primary backer of Obama in his early career. Rezko sold Obama a sliver of land from his plot next to Obama's house to make it too small for anyone else to build a house. See my video about Tony Rezko and Obama's other associates here.

These are the people that we have just put in charge of our country. They come straight out of the Chicago political machine that has been cranking out corrupt politicians for almost a century.

Edit: The video was pulled from Youtube, but you can see it here.