Republican Accused of Working For Terrorists

[SilentScope001]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080116/ap_on_go_co/ex_congressman_indicted

 

For the lulz (would also provide fooder for a possible Deus Ex game too).

 

To be honest, however, do the charges have merit?

 

I fully supported the incindment of that one Islamic charity a while back (In America...Guilty Before Proven Innocent, after all), even when many of my fellow comrades was against me...and then got shocked to found that Islamic charity had a 'mistrial', and in fact, most people voted "Not Guilty". Huh. I and the Government must have been wrong then. My bad. (Not sure if the Government dropped the case or not.)

 

Would this suffer the same fate? It all matters if the charity which he is alleged to work for is found Guilty of supporting terrorism too, if there isn't any evidence, look like the Republican is free. (Yes I'm calling him Republican. He's a Congressman, of course his party is important)

 

Anyway, a bit of history about the Republican. It's from Wikipedia, so it's rather unrealible. According to it, he's an fundemnalistic Chrisitan who orignally saw Islam as evil, but since wanted to stress "common ground" and "conflict resolution". Whatever that means.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_D._Siljander

[Tommycat]

With any luck maybe congressmen will look deeper into the people that give them money for lobbying for them in congress. Honestly, I'm less concerned that a charity he worked for turned out to be a terrorist front(though that is a concern) because that could easily be explained as he didn't know it was. I'm concerned that any congressman(be it with an R, D, or I next to their name) considers it OK to take 50k to lobby for them. I know its business as usual, but that has always bugged me. Why do I pay taxes if my taxes are paying a salary of someone that is not there representing me. I think they need to have all their assets frozen once they take office. Any payments made to them should be given to taxes 100%. Congress is the only job where you can work for 5 different places in the same seat and get paid by all 5 for essentially ignoring your job description.

[mimartin]

I would suggest before a former congressperson or senator can go to work for either a foreign nation or a lobby group they have to give up their government pension. I also believe high-level government employees should have to sign non-compete clauses preventing them from going in to those lines of work as soon as they leave their position. I had to sign one for my job, why should they be allowed to go right into a job working against the American taxpayer.

 

I really don’t care that this guy had an R next to his name when he was a congressman. These charges have nothing to do with the Republican Party any more than it would if someone with a D next to their name got caught with their hand in the in a cookie jar, despite what FoxNews says.

[RobQel-Droma]

These charges have nothing to do with the Republican Party any more than it would if someone with a D next to their got caught with their hand in the in a cookie jar, despite what FoxNews says.

 

QFT.

 

If the charges are true, however, I - of course - hope that this guy faces the consequences of his actions. In my view, a organization secretly funding terrorists and a person assisting that organization share about equal guilt.

[Tommycat]

I really don’t care that this guy had an R next to his name when he was a congressman. These charges have nothing to do with the Republican Party any more than it would if someone with a D next to their got caught with their hand in the in a cookie jar, despite what FoxNews says.

QFT X2

 

I don't understand why so many people put so much emphasis on the R next to this person's name. Does that mean that Republicans are held to a higher standard? Does it mean that Republicans are on average a better and more moral group? No, they are human beings, and subject to the same failings as any other person regardless of party affiliation.

[mimartin]

I don't understand why so many people put so much emphasis on the R next to this person's name. Does that mean that Republicans are held to a higher standard? Does it mean that Republicans are on average a better and more moral group? No, they are human beings, and subject to the same failings as any other person regardless of party affiliation.

Both sides do it. I see FoxNews do it all the time. They even went so far as to label a Republican a Democrat because he was in trouble (they call it an honest mistake). They are all humans and the party has nothing to do with the individual charged with the crime.

 

Last time the Media did this to the Democrats I screamed foul, so I guess to remain consistent I have to yell foul now that it is being done to the Republicans.

 

In other words I haven't gone over to the darkside at least completely

[Tommycat]

Both sides do it. I see FoxNews do it all the time. They even went so far as to label a Republican a Democrat because he was in trouble (the call it an honest mistake). They are all humans and the party has nothing to do with the individual charged with the crime.

 

Last time the Media did it this to the Democrats I screamed foul, so I guess to remain consistent I have to yell foul now that it is being done to the Republicans.

 

In other words I haven't gone over to the darkside at least completely

I say the same thing when it's a Democrat. Just because they are a member of a party does not remove them from being human. One person with an R or a D next to their name does not mean the whole party is suspect.