True North

The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives just voted against holding Charlie Rangel accountable for his hiding income, thus giving thoughtful people the ultimate proof that they aren't serious about corruption.

House Republicans have failed for a third time to oust Rep. Charles Rangel as chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Despite the expected defeat Wednesday, the GOP did keep the spotlight on the New York Democrat's ethical problems, although the matter will be turned over to the House ethics committee for a long-term investigation. The House voted 246-153 to refer the resolution to remove him to that panel in a partisan vote that had no meaning except to revisit Rangel's problems.

The Harlem congressman is faced with allegations of financial improprieties, including failure to pay taxes on investment income and neglecting to report assets and income on his congressional financial disclosure forms.

What's the delay? Rangel has admitted that he didn't properly disclose important details about his financial situation by filing an adjustment to financial disclosure forms. This isn't a case of he said, she said. This isn't an instance of allegation competing with counterallegation.

If he wasn't an important ally of Speker Pelosi and President Obama, Charlie Rangel would be facing some serious penalties from the IRS. That's undeniable fact. For that matter, if he were a corrupt Republican, it's a safe bet that Charlie Rangel would've faced harsh House sanctions and rightfully so.

Nobody with an ounce of intellectual integrity thinks that Charlie Rangel didn't try hiding income from the IRS. Nobody with an ounce of intellectual integrity thinks that Charlie Rangel didn't doctor his financial disclosure statements to hide his hiding of income.

Rep. John Carter is right:

"We cannot tolerate a double standard in this country, one for the common man and another for the rich and powerful," says Carter, a former state judge for over 20 years. "To allow Mr. Rangel to continue to serve as Chairman of the very committee with IRS oversight, without paying a nickel in penalties, and with no end in sight to his ethics investigation, sends a clear message to the American public that this government refuses to abide by the same laws they impose on the working people of this country. With this vote, those people can see exactly where their representative stands on the issue of equality under the law."

Speaker Pelosi said before becoming speaker that that congress would be the most ethical, the most transparent congress in history. It's ironic that she won't even live by the rules that they subject We The People to, something that Speaker-Elect Gingrich insisted on in the Contract With America.

This proves that the Democrats are arrogant, that they think they shouldn't have to live by the same rules that they impose on others. Especially in a TEA Party world, that isn't acceptable. In this TEA Party environment, we expect all corruption to be punished. In fact, it's a demandment.

It's long past time where elites live by one set of rules and the rest of us are forced to live by the laws on the books. NO MORE will this double standard be tolerated.

Comments welcome at LFR.

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