Note to Charlie Rangel: Enough with falling back on your service in the Korean War. I give you all due respect for that chapter in your life. Thank you, sir.
However, you’ve written this current dirty chapter all on your own. Your constant comparison to the military service/sacrifice you made then has nothing to do with your conduct now. Your use of your Korean War service as a `shield’ cheapens its valor.
Be a man and own what you’ve done, and the resulting Censure. You could be heading off to prison, as any normal, regular American citizen in your position would be.
What you just said is one of the most pathetic things I have ever heard. More pathetic are those who stood and applauded you for tax evasion, while on the same day voting to raise taxes on the American people during this critical economic time in our nation. May you all burn painfully in Hell for what you’re doing to this nation.
What it looks like to eat ‘most ethical’ crow …
Amen!
“When I was in Vietnam…” Oh wait, that’s a different liar.
I think Rangel got off as lightly as possible given the circumstances of his case. Of course he should have been expelled unless he resigned, as he would certainly have been if he’d been a white Republican (especially after the media had eaten him alive), but that was never going to happen. Rangel always knew it, and I expect he counted on that all along before he was found out. I expect he figured, correctly, that at worst he’d be censured, maybe just reprimanded, but he’d keep the job, the salary, the perks, the status and the influence. Playing fast and loose was a manageable risk.
When someone like Rangel knows he can commit abuse with relative impunity, he WILL commit it, which should surprise no one. It’s practically inevitable, like the sucking of a vacuum. Welcome to the House of Hoovers. Notice that not a handful but 79 House members (including Reps. Frank, Waters, Serrano, Grayson, Kennedy and all members of the Black Caucus except one) voted against censuring Rangel. That’s roughly 20% of the those who voted (those who skipped the vote included FL Reps Hastings and Meek). It’s beyond repulsive that even a single House member would publicly give Rangel a standing ovation, which sends an incredibly bad message. His military service has absolutely nothing to do with this situation, but the man is shameless and grasping at straws. However, make no mistake, if he ran for re-election next week, he’d easily win, just as he won this past Nov. 2. THAT is the real problem behind every lousy politician in office. If I’m going to hate anybody, it’s those who not only put but KEEP such people in business. Those voters are the real disgrace and the real menace–they are the Achilles heel of democracy.
And no, I don’t believe Rangel has changed one iota because of what’s happened. He’s certainly sorry he got caught and couldn’t maneuver his way out it, as he certainly tried to do, but he’s no more repentant about his transgressions than Barney Frank is about his. It’s all a game to them, and the only thing they really need to do is stay in it, no matter how badly they play it.