We have now witnessed the end of the panic attack over violated ethics laws. The behavior of the Cunningham’s in the Congress and the Abramoff’s is indefensible and should be punished. In fact, it was. Crooks were discovered, investigated, prosecuted, convicted and sent to jail –– all under current law. The Congress, however, was embarrassed. It did what it has always done in the past, it proposed new laws. One can make a convincing case that such new laws are not needed – witness the present living quarters of the miscreants. But each new generation of Members have to prove that they, too, are for honesty. So it is not surprising that we are about to see Congress actually implement some of the things it has been beating its breast about for months. Nothing really new.

Here’s what is new. The House Ethics Committee finished its work on the case of Mark Foley by saying that he hadn’t violated any rules. This means that they are going to pass redundant ethics rules to augment those that demonstrably already work and then, wring their hands and whimper that there is nothing they can do to a Member who demonstrates inordinate interest in under-age boys who are dependent on the House for their security. No rules covering this, my Aunt Hannah!

Well, here’s an idea: Write some.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke - 1770