John Murtha: Requiem for a corruptocrat

Sufficient time has passed since John Murtha’s death to reckon with his true record. No tears for the wreckage, poison, and damage to the public trust he left behind.
Latest news: There is a movement to install Murtha’s wife in the seat. Given the late congressman’s share-the-pork-with-friends-and-family proclivities, this is a very bad idea for those who want integrity in government in Pennsylvania.
****
John Murtha: Requiem for a corruptocrat
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2010
We are not supposed to speak ill of the dead. But those whom the deceased viciously smeared and humiliated deserve to be defended. Entrenched Democrat Rep. John Murtha passed away on February 8 after a botched gall bladder surgery. He has been hailed as a “military advocate” (Associated Press) and “one of the greatest patriots ever to serve in Congress” (former Democratic congressman Harold Ford). These obsequious obituaries leave out inconvenient truths:
John “Jack” Murtha was an unrepentant smear merchant and corruptocrat to the bitter end.
In May 2006, during an MSNBC cable TV show appearance that Marines and their families will never forget or forgive, Murtha accused U.S. troops of wantonly killing some two dozen civilians, including children, in the terrorist stronghold of Haditha, Iraq. Bellowed Murtha: “Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” Murtha publicly indicted the Marines before military investigations had been completed. His remarks opened the military-bashing floodgates around the world.
In the wake of Murtha’s reckless blabbing, MSNBC executioner Keith Olbermann accused the Haditha Marines of “willful targeted brutality.” The Nation magazine claimed that “members of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment perpetrated a massacre.” The New York Times dubbed Haditha the “defining atrocity” of the Iraq war. International papers piled on with Vietnam-era “My Lai” allusions. Murtha cold-bloodedly sat back and enjoyed the ride while the Marines were left twisting in the wind.
By 2008, seven of the Marines charged in the incident had been exonerated or had charged dropped against them. Lt. Andrew Grayson was acquitted. Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum, Capt. Lucas McConnell, Lance Cpl. Justin Sharatt, Sgt. Sanick Dela Cruz, and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani all had their cases dismissed. Sgt. Frank Wuterich, the last of the Marines facing charges, awaits a long, dragged-out trial this year.
Murtha, the so-called “military advocate” went to his deathbed refusing to apologize or retract the attacks on the Haditha Marines (several of whom unsuccessfully sued him for libel to restore their honor). Decent people would call this intransigent treachery. Murtha’s friends apparently consider it great patriotism.
The ego-bloated, big-mouthed lawmaker treated his own constituents with trademark contempt. During his last congressional campaign, he mocked voters in his district as bigots. “There’s no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area,” he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Responding to mounting criticism on both sides of the aisle about his log-rolling orgies on the Hill, he sniffed: “If I’m corrupt, it’s because I take care of my district.”
First, foremost, and forever, Jack Murtha took care of Jack Murtha. The glowing encomiums from his liberal colleagues have glossed over the 19-term Democrat’s defining moment of political self-service. In 1980, Murtha was an unindicted co-conspirator in a massive bribery probe — in which undercover FBI agents videotaped Murtha entertaining a $50,000 bribe from agents posing as emissaries for Arab sheiks trying to enter our country illegally. From transcripts of those conversations published by the late newspaper columnist Jack Anderson, Murtha’s true colors shined:
“I want to deal with you guys awhile before I make any transactions at all, period. . . . After we’ve done some business, well, then I might change my mind. . . . ”
. . .“I’m going to tell you this. If anybody can do it — I’m not B.S.-ing you fellows — I can get it done my way.” he boasted. “There’s no question about it.” . . .
Murtha worried not about his integrity or how his constituents might be harmed, but about getting ratted out:
“All at once,” he said, “some dumb [expletive deleted] would go start talking eight years from now about this whole thing and say [expletive deleted], this happened. Then in order to get immunity so he doesn’t go to jail, he starts talking and fingering people. So the [S.O.B.] falls apart.”…
“You give us the banks where you want the money deposited,” offered one of the bagmen.
“All right,” agreed Murtha. “How much money we talking about?”
“Well, you tell me.”
By the time of his death, Murtha had been caught intervening on behalf of a law-breaking Pennsylvania company convicted of selling military equipment parts illegally overseas; steered unprecedented billions in federal earmarks to friend, family, and donors; earned multiple “most corrupt in Congress” designations from both the left-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the right-leaning Judicial Watch; and remained intimately tied to PMA Group, a former lobbying firm under federal investigation, and Kuchera Industries, a defense contractor also under federal investigation.
From his character assassination of innocents to his insatiable appetite for pork and power, Jack Murtha embodied everything that is wrong with Washington. If only the culture of corruption he serviced could be buried six feet under with him.
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A cut-and-run flashback:
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The trial of the last Haditha Marine: SSgt Wuterich takes plea deal
January 23, 2012 03:25 PM by Michelle Malkin
59 CommentsThe last Haditha Marine: Trial update, prosecution collapse, plea deal in the works?
January 19, 2012 05:49 PM by Michelle Malkin
56 CommentsThe last Haditha Marine: Wuterich trial update
January 5, 2012 06:19 PM by Michelle Malkin
26 CommentsRemember SSgt Frank D. Wuterich: The last Haditha Marine goes on trial
January 2, 2012 12:24 AM by Michelle Malkin
57 CommentsRe-confirmed: John Murtha was a rotten corruptocrat
October 26, 2011 10:08 AM by Michelle Malkin
67 CommentsJames Carville is calling Republicans “reptiles?”
April 22, 2010 01:32 PM by Michelle Malkin
116 CommentsThe sun rises. Birds sing. Olbermann lies.
February 15, 2010 09:46 AM by Michelle Malkin
69 Comments
Categories: Haditha,John Murtha

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I can’t wait until the special election. Surely, we can do better than this in Congress…
With respect, while I have no problem with the contents of the article, I think it is in very poor taste.
The man is gone and if you want an example of what Jack Murtha was in life there are unfortunately for America plenty of living examples in politics to use.
Murtha can no longer read this, but his family can. I think they deserve some peace and to be granted some degree of mercy.
De mortuis nihil nisi bonum (dicendum).
But, we should speak about what the dead did.
It speaks volumes about the sick, sorry state of our nation/society/culture that Murtha was not at least booted out from Congress on his @$$, let alone not prosecuted and convicted.
Another example of form trumping substance in our legal (not a justice) system.
He’s on videotape entertaining a bribe, and it’s as if Serv-Pro came in, and…”It’s like nothing ever happened.”
The Murtha story may be a tragedy. At one time he may have been an honest and honorable man. But his slander of our military men was unforgivable. His story may be one of not just outrage but sadness as well.
The Pittsburgh-Tribune Review writes, “Of the 260 women have who served in the U.S. House or Senate, 46 were widows who directly succeeded their husbands.”
Ah … those peoples’ seats were passed on in 46 wills. Poor Teddy just needed a better lawyer.
Errah, He just finished orientation and we plan on doing lunch.
5 alarm chili?
Flyoverman-
I respectfully disagree with you. MM didn’t quite go far enough and she showed enough restraint not to give this “ExMarine” his just due at the moment of his death.
Now; if their family reads the article and is offended-then my questions for them are: Where were you when your husband/son/dad and the like was insulting our military? Where was your outrage with his various scandals?
I gave the family some time to mourn, but pardon me if I don’t join in and sing murtha’s praises. The man was insult to the ‘Corps! A pos of a congressman. Living proof that while he may have a college degree, he wasn’t much smarter than the residents of New Orleans who chose not to evacuate when a hurricane came to town.
I’ll give my praises for the dead for those that truly deserve it. So I hope Murtha is enjoying his HMO stay in heaven and eternity in he11.
GSP
How many such people are there in Murtha’s district? Yes the man is dead but his vile legacy lives on. These vile Corruptocrats are a cancer on this country; dead or alive Kennedys being the prime example.
Was an apology left to 8 Marines by John Murtha in his will?
And yet, the voters in his district elected him time and again – the last time rejecting a real military hero.
Murtha’s slander of Marines and pandering to the leftist MSM is unforvigable. The reality that he is now dead does not change his lack of character, and no amount of reverential post mortem hagiography will alter the facts.
They supported the corruption. I would give them some condolences, but I wouldn’t accept an invitation for coffee, or attend the funeral.
Western PA is one gigantic post-steel, big union, welfare plantation.
At some point, they will elect another just like Murtha.
Murtha is now history. There is no need to “pretty it up”, that’s the problem now, too many re-writes that ignore the truth. Do Better PA voters!
The man was just terrible, and yet comment after comment on this site reminded us of his military service, as if that were a get-out-jail-free card. If anything, that betrayal of his military service and his country made his crimes all the worse. Our ancestors knew what to do with traitors. Too bad we no longer care. Frankly, I’m delighted he is gone. My only regret is that his death enabled him to cheat justice once again.
And as for those voters who voted for and re-elected the jerk again and again, screw the lot of you. You are a disgrace to your citizenship.
Hear, hear!
I also respectfully disagree with Flyoverman. If Jack Murtha’s family is pained by the corruption that characterized his congressional career, that’s on Murtha, not MM. He made those choices and built that legacy. If he wanted to leave his family with something better than that, he had 34 years to do it.
Well, I wonder who the Western Pennsylvania racists will elect now?
For those who have a problem with speaking truth about someone who no longer can speak for themselves, I would generally agree. HOWEVER, nothing said in this article wasn’t said by Michelle prior to his death. She would be dishonest if she changed her tune and her comments due to his death. Keep shinning the light Michelle!
Mr. Murtha exemplifies everything that is wrong with those who serve in elective office…bribes, shakedowns, backroom deals for contracts. IMO, he had to be aided and abetted by his fellow Congressional reps. A pox on the whole lot of them. Let’s not try to give him a grand legacy when he does not deserve it. He is a traitor first to the Corps and second to his country. No sympathy here. And, as far as his family is concerned, they benefitted from his corruption.
With respect Flyovermom, it is called a legacy- if you want to be remembered well in death, live life with integrity and honor. Murtha did not. There are far too few of these character traits being acknowledged these days. He made his death-bed, he has to lie in it.
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John (Jack) Murtha made good and bad choices in his life. He did serve our country honorably in time of war in the U.S. Marine Corp–thank you for your service, Jack.
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But then he became corrupt and sold out his fellow Marines–and the citizens of our country–as he got rich and cut shady deals for his benefit.
***
HONOR and SERVICE to our country are hallmarks of the Marines–and of our other military personnel. Jack got an F on this one.
***
Ditto for Randy (Duke) Cunningham–who is doing jail time for similar behavior. Jack might have become his cellmate in the future as the corruption investigations went forward. RIP, John Murtha.
***
John Bibb
***
The day he died, I said good riddance. Being soft on someones record just because they are freshly dead is pathetic. Any defense of his corrupted ways just shows how much of a jello spine people have.
Good show MM! I wish more people had the cajones to just say what needs to be said like you. The time for sugar coating was gone when he sold his own soul.
Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
If Obama gives his eulogy it may be the one time he says it right, speaking of a Marine corpse.
I applaud Michelle’s courage to say what needs to be said. Murtha didn’t mince words about the brave men in our military. He deserves respect for his military service but the truth is the truth. He wasn’t in politics for the good of the people. Michelle did not attack him personally, she told the truth about his record.
I wish his family peace but isn’t eulogizing him as as a man of integrity like putting lipstick on a pig?
To all above. Allow me to put this into the venacular of my former life.
I intend to direct my rounds toward live targets. It’s a target rich-environment out there, FILLED with people in politics who are an ACTIVE threat to my way of life.
If you wish to stand on the battlefield getting satisfaction from wasting ammunition by blasting away at a dead opponent, feel free.
Also understand all you will accomplish by your actions is demonstrate to those neutrals who are trying to figure out which side what is in your soul.
My advice is to fight smart, direct your fire on the highest value targets you can find that are still actively opposing you, and do it in a manner that will win friends and not create more enemies.
Flyoverman, while you have a valid point on “targeting your subjects”, your advice completely ignores the power of rewriting history. The truth should always remain as such, and if the cost of upholding the truth is to come across as something some people do not like, then so be it.
I couldn’t understand why it took so long for somebody to finally nail this SOB’s coffin shut. If you praise the corrupt, you condone the corruption. Dead or alive this guy was a disgrace to the human race.
Unsubstantiated rumors are beginning to float that the lobbying firm PMA Group, defense contractor Kuchera Industries, and the John Murtha Johnstown/Cambria County Airport have formed a consortium to file a wrongful death civil suit after the death of Congressman John Murtha. The suit will seek compensatory damages for loss of income and the loss of future earning capacity and general damages for the alienation of affection, pain, suffering, and grief suffered from the loss of a loved one. An unnamed spokesperson for the consortium stated “this hits us right in the pocket book”.
Michelle, you probably just made Olbermann’s “worstest person ever in the history of the entire world” list, again.
Murtha was a true “EX-Marine” … a term reserved solely for those who no longer deserve the honor of being called Marine …
Once a Marine Always a Marine is a point of pride shared by all those that have earned the right to be called Marine …
Death Before Dishonor is a common belief among Marines and other American military personnel … like so many other things Murtha had it backwards …
DesertLover
SSGT USMC
no one saw this coming..murtha would be proud.
If this is not a compelling case for congressional term limits, then there is none. How does a blatently corrupt weasle politition continue to get re-elected 19 times? “If I’m corrupt, it’s because I take care of my district.” Bring home the bacon. People support people who get them stuff.
Term. Limits.
Install his WIFE into his seat?
Where do people get these ideas?
If your cardiac surgeon got hit by a car on the way to the hospital, would you want the doctor’s spouse to perform your surgery?
Just look at Niki Tsongas in MA to see how well political spouses can handle the job, i.e., not very…
History is written by the victors.
Let’s just win and it will all be easy.
Does anyone not feel relived that Sadaam Hussein is dead? I wouldn’t put Murtha that high on the scale of evil but sometimes the little evil is more dangerous and insidious than the big evil that we can fear and isolate. I am not afraid to say it. I am relieved that Murtha is no longer among us.
Speak the truth about the living and the dead.
As far as stating all these (highly accurate) things in MM’s column, I agree both with Flyoverman (to a degree) and the other posters. There is merit to recounting the harm that this corrupt ex Marine did to his constituents, military, and to his own reputation. But since we all already are quite aware of this fellow’s terrible deeds, and it has been written about I would guess hundreds or thousands of times, there is some feeling that rehashing it again is a wasted effort; especially now since there is nothing that can be done to him (if there was anyway while he was alive) to make him pay for his misdeeds. As far as the effect that articles like this one has on his family is concerned, as one poster pointed out, that is on him, not MM, or anybody else. But since living corrupt liberals and criminals in Congress are what we need to focus on to try to get our Country back on the right course, it does seem a bit of a waste of time to bother writing more about one of the more horrendous and corrupt public servants of the past 30 years.
Teddy; So are you having a hot lunch or a nice cool salad for these two porkers?
Yep, that’s what he was, a typical crooked politician. Kind of a Yankee version of Boss Hogg.
I just wish the voters had done so in 2008. That was a huge disappointment.
Did everyone forget Murtha falsifying the vote count, a treasonous offense (IMHO)?
Murtha Falsifying the Vote
Off topic folks but I have to tell you all this, I wrote, everyone wrote to our State Senators and Guess what:
Kansas proclaims its sovereignty!!
“The resolution calls on the federal government to “cease and desist” from passing onerous mandates on the states. If passed by the House the resolution would be sent to the President and other federal leaders.”
It may not be much but, there is a movement out there and many States are following suit.
.
This despicable man finally died and decorum says be nice.
.
NO
.
This vile POS is gone and he left his filth behind. I hope at the wennie roast that hes the wennie
Thank you for writing this article, Michelle. I printed it out and put it on my fridge. As you stated, Murtha’s colleagues glossed over his corrupt political career. He fleeced America with millions in federal dollars to his district for unnecessary projects in order to buy votes from equally complicit constituents. Murtha’s family were silent every single day of his reckless agenda. None of them spoke out about the Haditha smear campaign. Murtha went to his death without remorse or apology. How can people be so sympathetic that they refuse to speak the truth about this man after his death? That type of political correctness is deader than Murtha. Thank God for people like Michelle Malkin for bringing to light this, and every other important message, to the people. I continue to tell family and friends about your blog and many of them are now avid readers! The uninformed have become informed. You are making a bigger difference than any other media source.
Enough of this silliness!!! Family members should not be put in congressional jobs. I’m tired of these political families. You’d think that they had a birth right to the seat. The only way we seem to get rid of these entrenched politicians is to wait for them to die. The country has suffered enough.
He was married? Who would…never mind.
As a constituent of the POS Murtha,I must ask that people not assume that the money he stole was distributed to his whole district.In all the years he held office,he never did anything for anyone outside of his inner circle.No one despised that lowlife more than I did.As far as his wife or one of his croneys taking over the seat he occupied,knowing the ignorant,uninformable(you can’t tell them anything)dumba$$ voters here in W Pa.,it will probably happen.
What can you expect from idiots who chose “milk carton”Bobbie Casey over Rick Santorum,who would have been the 41st vote against Bambicare?
So if anyone ever tries to insult you by saying “you live in a zoo”,you all have my permission to answer,”No I don’t,blues does.”
Michelle rules.
Where’s comment #40?
Mark Steyn would seem to agree with Mrs. Malkin’s assessment 100%…
If his generational theftcapades weren’t enough, calling Marines murderers was the last straw. He was a crook and a disgrace to his country and the Marines.
Blues, it must be tough for a conservative to live in loonyville. I’ve always wondered how Murtha could have kept his job. The guy was indeed a POS as far as I’m concerned.
We’ll do our part in November and get rid of Grayson. You’re not the only one living in a zoo.
Murtha is dead, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t or shouldn’t point out how corrupt he was. I, for one, am glad that his filthy self is not in Congress anymore. Condolences to his family, and may God have mercy on his soul, but in life, Murtha caused great harm to our country. I hope his replacement has one iota of decency so that (s)he’ll be better than him.
There was more than enough revised history in most of the MSM obits. Michelle took exactly the right tone. A disgrace to the Marine Corp and a political piece of s*** should be remembered for exactly what he was.
John Murtha = Scum. Of. The. Earth.
This cartoon is how I feel about Murtha. It’s about Zinn, but the sentiment is the same.
I would like to know how the MSM will treat a Republican when they go the final reward in the sky. As far as history is concerned, OF COURSE they will bad-mouth the Repub and bring up all the escapades they can round up – if none to round up, then make it up.
Case in point, commenting on the passing of Ronald Reagan:
Yeah, that’s playing nice. And that was one of the nicer comments that is from a site http://www.stanford.edu/group/wais/Politics/unpleasantcommentsreagan.htm
I respectfully disagree. There is no escaping justice where he is now.
Errah, Good News, I think he’s sharing a room with John Wayne Gaycee
I used to cruise through Huffpoop and Kosland just to see what the peons were up to. Just can’t stomach it anymore. I suspect there is righteous indignation at Michelle telling the truth about their deceased “hero”.
Good by Jack, you civilian puke. I, a Marine Corp Platoon Sgt. would love to write more, but I will leave it at being nice and sweet to you.
How do you people reconcile being Christians with having so much hatred?
Murtha was the poster child of all that is wrong with a vast majority of our congresscritters. They twist the law into knots. In a more perfect world they’d be in jail not making policy and laws the constituents are forced to live with. No, I’m not buying this man served honorably and then by some kind of evolution saw no violation of ethics by his conduct. And, let’s not let those that put him in office off the hook either.
MM, I read this early this morning on another website and thought it was one of your best. Thank you.
imjustsaying
Are we not ‘as Christians’ obligated to call out evil when we see it? Or, do we just ignore those commandments and sing kumbayah and shrug our shoulders when someone walks with millions of dollars out of other people’s pockets. That’s called theft and is to be condemned.
I hate to rain on your parade, but…
When Sonny Bono (R) died, his widow Mary completed the term. Happens all the time. I think it’s B.S., but it seems to be some bizarre belief that the surviving spouse is entitled to the seat.
Jack Murtha turned out to be a disgrace to his position. A man posing as honorable, yet with no honor or integrity, abusing his position to capture ever more power for himself. I will not defile him because of his recent demise, he has done that by himself. Like Ted Kennedy, a life not well lived…..
Romans 12:9
It is right to hate what is corrupt and dishonest and evil in this world. Murtha chose to immerse himself in such things. I for one as a Christian, find such people utterly repugnant.
Yeah, all the libtards believed this tripe. Until his letters were released. They showed a very intelligent man who was passionate about his belief in freedom.
Interesting how the downstream media always considers the intelligent Republicans as stupid, but it lies about the socialists being intelligent.
Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
Exactly. I can only hope that “Reach-Across-the-Aisle-McCain” can someday realize when the other side wants you to play nice, it’s so they can attack you better. There are no friends in politics, My Friend.
[Reagan] was as dumb as a stump.
I was living overseas during the latter part of Jimma’s reign and basically I lived every day with a target on my back because Americans,a the time, were fair game and pretty much everyone knew that the US would not do a thing to anyone that bothered Americans, in a word. The day that Reagan became President, it was like the fear of God was put into same said people and all of us overseas knew, that if any American was harmed, namly us – they would be calling down the lightning on themselves. Reagan was a President of the United States – a real President and I miss that man.
FIFY
ECS
I recall watching Murtha discuss the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut. He said he went to the Reagan Administration and told them if they did not withdraw from Lebanon, he would push to revoke the funding.
And here I was for the longest time thinking Reagan’s went wobbly all by himself when he ordered the withdrawal.
An earlier poster worried about Murtha’s family reading an uncomplimentary review of his record.. I think they are all aware of what a sleazebag he was.
My list of presidents since 1901, best to worst. With a few comments.
* Reagan – It’s morning again…
* Coolidge – The business of America is, business.
* Harding – Tax cuts that nobody knew about.
* Eisenhower – I like Ike.
* Truman – The buck stops here.
* Taft – A better Republican than Teddy.
* Roosevelt – A better Roosevelt than FDR.
* Bush 2 – Death to jihad.
* Kennedy – Cut taxes big and took us to the moon.
* Hoover – Fall guy for Wilson’s Federal Reserve Bank.
* Bush 1 – Got clinton elected.
* Nixon – A crooks crook.
* Ford – Fall guy for LBJs inflationary policy.
* Clinton – Whorehouse, not whitehouse.
* Carter – You want malaise with that?
* FDR – Socialism’s greatest hero.
* Johnson – On the outside pissing in.
* Wilson – Fascism’s greatest hero.
* Obama – Birth certificate? I don’t got to show you no stinkin’ certificate!
As followers of Christ, it is appropriate that we pray for everyone, even those who hate us so their hatred will not condemn them. It is not the desire of Christ that anyone be overtaken by the evil one. But make no mistake. The evil one walks this earth seeking whom he will devour. And devour he does. We do despise that which is not of God. We do despise that which seeks to destroy us – that which is not of God, that which is evil. God have mercy on us all and save us from the evil one. It is only by His grace that we are saved from the evil one. Please do not judge His mercy by our own weaknesses and our own imperfections. Oh, that we were perfected and like Christ that all would see Him in us.
Good list. I agree almost all the way down, but would bump Ford above Hoover and certainly above Nixon. Solid integrity but not so competent – and sacrificed his re-election to pardon Nixon. Gutsy – if not too bright.
I miss Reagan too, but am thinking we Maybe tend to idolize him a bit much. The Onion did a nice parody that kinda painfully points up the Reaganesque leadership vacuum that has left the GOP in a RINO swamp. From comments on MM I wonder if we value conservative purity more than wisdom, leadership, humor, charisma etc. Reagan had the whole package. My prayer is there is someone in the periphery that will be even better. Just don’t see it in anyone on the radar now.
In Saratoga there’s a memorial to Benedict Arnold’s foot, which was wounded in service to America. It doesn’t mention his name.
Not suggesting the same for Murtha.
I’m as appalled by his political maneuvering as anyone else, but the whole “outcry over calling Western Pennsylvania bigoted” really needs to stop.
As a lifelong Black Pennsylvanian who has traveled to other major cities in the northeast and midwest I can verify that this area is high is racist attitude AND action. No, it isn’t everyone, but it is ingrained and as long as people continue to deny it, will remain ingrained.
These denials aren’t doing us any favors. Here is a news report from May of last year on hate groups in the area.
Please, stop helping hide this problem!
http://www.wpxi.com/news/19334075/detail.html
Under no circumstances should a widow(er) be handed a seat previously occupied by a deceassed spouse. This keeping it in the family is one of the nails in the coffin of creating a more honest political system.
If, after someone else has served a full term (2 years house; 6 years senate), the spouse wants to throw their hat in the ring and run just like any other candidate, OK, but we should be looking for ways to reduce the dynasty aspect in politics, not make it easier.
The reason I put Ford so low was because of his “Whip Inflation Now” campaign. He had the opportunity to place the blame squarely in the lap of LBJ and Senator Proxmire. (In 1968, the Senate voted to remove the last gold backing from Federal Reserve Notes. Proxmire lead that charge.) When a conference on the economy was called, Ford had to attend a pre-conference, conference. Both conferences said the answer was to print more paper money.
During the Senate hearings, Irwin Schiff (author-economist from CT) made numerous predictions about what would happen when the gold backing was removed from the Federal Reserve Notes. The Senators tut-tutted and the other “experts” laughed about how none of what Schiff said would happen. The Senate had the gold backing removed and every one of Schiff’s predictions came true. The result was the rampant inflation of the mid-late 70s and early 80s.
It was easy to see but no politician bothered to look.
Best example for term limits there is.
He was bullying, uncouth, lying, dishonest, traitorous, swine.
For his false accusations about the Haditha Marines may he reside in hell.
I’ve never understood Murtha. How does a man who once was a Marine lose so much of himself and become so toxic? I guess the Marines are just like any other segment of society. There are just evil people in all walks of life. Too bad he never came close to redemption. I have a feeling him and Teddy K. will be sharing many a hot toddie by the fire.
Well that’s a badge of honor. I’d love to see what Michelle will write when he kicks the bucket.
My reference to him being a lying , bully.
I still think Mr. Murtha was Wilbur Cobb.
Question…
Would Murtha now qualify as a Marine Corpse?
Dear Jack,
Thank you for your military service, but why did you insist on becoming a prick? Is it a Democrat thing?
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely- and Murtha was allowed near absolute power….sadly, w/ impunity.
His name will go down in history, true long term history, as one of the worst, unethical, immoral selfish persons ever in American congress.
I will always think of “shameful” when I hear Murtha.
PA would be wise to change the name, or close forever, that useless airport.
In 20 years or so, I doubt many will recognize the name of Murtha. He’ll just be a footnote in history, if that. We don’t remember too many congressmen in the history books. Best answer you’ll get will be, “I think he was a congressman once.” Ask, these days, who was Hubert Humphrey or “Scoop” Jackson and you’ll probably get more shrugs than anything else.
two words: GOOD RIDDANCE.
His treatment of the Haditha Marines was despicable and an act of treason.
For this column on the real Murtha, Michelle has again earned the most coveted decoration of meritorious conservative service: Olbermeathead’s Worst Person Award.
For the second time in as many month, Washingtoon [sic] finds itself in the deeply warped position of having to render tribute and honor to a “dedicated public servant” who also happens to be a monumental moral midget.
Teddy the tireless and dogged advocate for the plight of the proletariat (or something) happens to also posess the depraved disposition to deprive a young girl of life via drunken excess, and leave her struggling for life, then in a dark watery grave while deliberating how to save his political life instead. Under present DUI Manslaughter law, (Not to mention felony leaving the scene of a fatal accident) he would be correctly convicted and sentenced rather than elected.
The Murtha paradox is a bit more confusing. A man who earlier in life volunteers for combat and serves with merit and valor becomes the poster child for pork, graft and corruption in public service. Admittedly, and with no shame. “John Murtha had gotten so caught up in insuring his own incumbency that he sacrificed almost everything of value to maintain and augment his power in Washington” – Rick Moran
Well, his mother probably liked him – then again maybe not.
All this just makes me feel more and more helpless to do anything about the state of our legislative entities. At what point does the level of frustration in this country turn into either resignation or violence? If change does not come, these two eventually become the only roads left open.
MM, congrats on your worst person award. It shows you’ve got them upset. That’s the goal.
I wouldn’t wish death on anyone, but John Murtha’s treatment of the Haditha Marines was deplorable.
John Murtha is the 6 of Spades on the Deck of Royal Fools.
“Marines killed innocent civilians in cold blood”
He typified the reason we now have the tea party movement, irresponsible and expanding big government that is stealing our liberty and run by those who think they are royalty.
Michelle has company in “worst persons” attention. Olbermann critized Inhofe and the children “because the snowstorm killed people”. I guess kids need to check the news first, before they go outside to play in the snow.
Conservative families giving liberals the family finger sure gets their dander up
Well, global warming is a religion for the nutroots – which means Man/Bear Pig/is kind of like their messiah. They’re lucky the gorebots didn’t put a fatwa out on them. Algore Akbar!!!
The quote from Shakespeare seems to hit the mark: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”
Whatever good he did was not for our country but only for a few at the expense of many. Let’s hope we can undo some of the evil things that Murtha had a direct hand in imposing on us.