Slight corruption is not in itself a deal-stopper. After all, everyone in this great big rat-race of a modern world is tempted beyond their ability to resist at one time or another, for big or little reasons, and for less or more gain. From the policeman who accepts a cup of coffee gratis at the local donut shop to the Senator who takes 'key business leaders' along on a junket to Bangkok to explore foreign, uh, markets. Yes, markets.
But I have to draw the line. Tonight on 'The Daily Show', Jon Stewart revealed that our congressional 'servants' were immune to insider trading laws. They can legally invest for their own benefit using information not available to the public. In other words, they can do blithely what sent Martha Stewart (no relation) to the big house.
Worse still, former congressmen and aides have been funneling the same confidential information (for a fat fee) out to hedge funds and other stock traders. This sounds like something from Capone's Old Chicago, early Vegas, or Putin's Moscow, not Congress.
But there it is. Outright, unadulterated, corruption. Homegrown in the USA.
And all this time, Congress has been railing against insider trading and corruption in the financial markets. Hey, look over there at that mess, they've been telling us, hoping we don't look behind their curtains. A juke and head-fake, and the constitution and fairness are left in the dust.
This goes beyond the slight corruption I've accepted as inevitable; this is evil trickery on a scale equal to the worst abuses of Monarchs (and I don't mean butterflies), absent the beheadings and burnings at the stake.
It's a good thing there are shows like Stewart's to bring these issues to our attention. But, if I were Mr Stewart, or any good soul speaking out about this corruption, I might want to increase my medieval torture and execution insurance, and take the lowest deductible too.
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