An argument for Blago's defense

I am absolutely convinced Blagojevich is innocent. Well, "absolutely" might be a little strong, I'll go with pretty sure.

It's just that in recent weeks we have been given all access to the Senate's inner workings and these crooks make Blago look like a jaywalker.

All Blago did was fleece a children's hospital for $250,000 and then he tried to sell a U.S. Senate appointment. Peanuts compared to the grifting in D.C.

The U.S. Senate bribed Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu. She had been a critic of the health care reform bill, but suddenly changed her vote. Three hundred million dollars is a lot of crawdads and Louisiana is on the shortlist of states as corrupt as our own, so we shouldn't be surprised. That said, if Blago is a criminal, then what are these people?

The Louisiana Purchase has nothing on the Cornhusker Compromise. All it took to sway Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson was for us the American taxpayer to give Nebraskans free Medicaid in perpetuity. Nice for them, not so nice for those of us footing the bill. Not sure how this makes federal funding of abortion OK with Nelson, but then again this is Chicago politics incarnate.

What is curious to me is that with a super majority in the senate, good legislation should pass on merit and not bribes and kickbacks. Obviously the health bill is flawed and the Dems know it. They also know seven out of 10 Americans don't want it.

That begs the question: If 70 percent of American citizens oppose it and it's taking billions in graft to convince democratic lawmakers to vote for it, then maybe it isn't a good bill?

Paul Hays

Geneva