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What really smells about Abramoff scandal (religious right and Indian gambling)
msnbc ^ | Jan 4 05 | Tucker Carlson

Posted on 01/04/2006 1:28:45 PM PST by churchillbuff

[I]t was with not all that much surprise that I read Lou Sheldon's name again recently, in a story about disgraced lobbyist and admitted felon Jack Abramoff. According to the Washington Post, Sheldon allegedly took money from an Abramoff client called eLottery and in return pressured members of Congress to defeat an anti-gambling bill. Sheldon was joined in this by former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed, another longtime Abramoff friend. ...

Why were supposedly honest ideological conservatives like Sheldon and Reed and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist involved with Jack Abramoff in the first place? Keep in mind that Abramoff's business wasn't just gambling, which by itself should have been enough to scare off professional moralizers like Sheldon. Jack Abramoff was a lobbyist for Indian gambling. ...

Step back and think about this for a second. Indian tribes get a special pass from the federal government to run a high-margin monopoly simply because they are Indian tribes, which is to say, simply because of their ethnicity. This is the worst, least fair form of affirmative action, and it should be anathema to conservatives. ...

And some still do. But others got rich from it, and now they're likely headed to jail. I'll be cheering as they're sentenced. Weirdos and charlatans and self-interested hacks like Lou Sheldon and Grover Norquist have long discredited the conservative ideas they purport to represent. Their political allies in Washington and Congress may be tempted to defend them. I hope they don't. We'll all be better off when they're gone.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 109th; abramoff; americanindians; casino; christians; donors; pmsnbc; tuckercarlson
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1 posted on 01/04/2006 1:28:46 PM PST by churchillbuff
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To: churchillbuff

Go choke on your "bow-tie" Tucker.


2 posted on 01/04/2006 1:34:44 PM PST by jbwbubba
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To: churchillbuff

LOL.

I saw the headline and just KNEW you had posted it.


3 posted on 01/04/2006 1:34:56 PM PST by Peach
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To: churchillbuff
Indian tribes get a special pass from the federal government to run a high-margin monopoly simply because they are Indian tribes, which is to say, simply because of their ethnicity. This is the worst, least fair form of affirmative action, and it should be anathema to conservatives. ...

And here I thought it was because the federal government made treaties with Indian tribes long ago and the tribes are exercising those treaty rights.

And also look at what Tucker wrote here: get a special pass from the federal government

What kind of conservative believes that the right to do something stems from a special pass from the federal government?

Mind you, I think the Abramoff stuff stinks to high heaven. But Carlson is the last person I care to have lecture me about the nature of conservatism, as his writing here aptly demonstates.

4 posted on 01/04/2006 1:36:31 PM PST by dirtboy (My new years resolution is to quit using taglines...)
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To: churchillbuff
Why were supposedly honest ideological conservatives like Sheldon and Reed and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist involved with Jack Abramoff in the first place?

Because almost everyone in DC was involved with him too over a 10+ year period.

5 posted on 01/04/2006 2:07:24 PM PST by KC_Conspirator
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To: churchillbuff
The Pee-Wee Herman of journalist still has a job?

My confidential source tells me Pee-Wee Carlson has been seen holding hands with Little Ronny Jr.

6 posted on 01/04/2006 2:09:43 PM PST by TexasCajun
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To: dirtboy
And here I thought it was because the federal government made treaties with Indian tribes long ago and the tribes are exercising those treaty rights.

That and the fact the Secretary of the Interior can not tell the Indian tribes how much money the government is holding for them and where that money is.

7 posted on 01/04/2006 2:12:05 PM PST by TexasCajun
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To: churchillbuff
Just got through watching Odd Ball on MSNBC and they were scrolling names of Abramoff payees and amounts and the names were all Republicans every one of them. There were really no RATS that got any money?
8 posted on 01/04/2006 2:29:11 PM PST by Mike Darancette (Mesocons for Rice '08)
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To: Mike Darancette

There was a post yesterday with the names of some of the democrats who've received money from Abramoff, including tiny tom daschle, it was quite a bit. But then odd ball mathews would never admit the democrats were corrupt, only the evil Republicans.


9 posted on 01/04/2006 2:41:31 PM PST by tillacum (Today is the beginning of the rest of your life, take advantage of it, don't waste it.)
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To: Mike Darancette

Here you go ..... for starters.

http://www.nrsc.org/newsdesk/document.aspx?ID=1362

http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_recips.asp


10 posted on 01/04/2006 2:43:12 PM PST by Just A Nobody (I - LOVE - my attitude problem! WBB lives on. Beware the Enemedia.)
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To: Mike Darancette
RATS got loads of money from him. Lost contact where I seen the list of both Republicans and RATS and almost equal. Dirty Ried was one.
11 posted on 01/04/2006 2:44:23 PM PST by Logical me (Oh, well!!!)
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To: Peach

Nother One


12 posted on 01/04/2006 2:45:07 PM PST by Iowa Granny (Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.)
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To: churchillbuff
Grrr... I hate Tucker Carlson.

Step back and think about this for a second. Indian tribes get a special pass from the federal government to run a high-margin monopoly simply because they are Indian tribes, which is to say, simply because of their ethnicity. This is the worst, least fair form of affirmative action, and it should be anathema to conservatives.

Treaties, you sawed-off, bow-tied, idiot. The Indians aren't given special privileges, they're exercising their rights under a legal contract.

13 posted on 01/04/2006 2:47:47 PM PST by Zeroisanumber
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To: Mike Darancette; MNJohnnie

I watched Chrissy's show last night...and the same thing happened...that little twit David Shuster gave a "background" story about Abramhoff..and never named ONE Dem that has been associated with him...

I had to turn his show off when Chrissy and Craig Crawford were LAUGHING about how "Bush's own Justice Dept. is going to take down the Republican House and Senate...."

There is a thread that MNJohnnie posted today..that gave the LONG list of dems and the amounts of money THEY received from Abramhoff...


14 posted on 01/04/2006 2:50:06 PM PST by Txsleuth (Official Snow Flake!)
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To: Logical me
Here's one list of Rats.

You Don't Know Jack???

15 posted on 01/04/2006 2:51:25 PM PST by Columbine
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To: Iowa Granny

Oh, Tucker Carlson. My favorite bow tied half a Republican.


16 posted on 01/04/2006 2:59:15 PM PST by Peach
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To: dirtboy

Sorry. I'm afraid I have to agree with his assertion that Indian Tribes get a "free pass" from the Feds.

I'm in the Pacific Northwest & have found this to be the case with the tribes that signed on to the Point Elliot Treaty. Non-Indians can only stand by helplessly & watch as tribal fisherman net the rivers during salmon spawning season for the sole purpose of taking the roe to export to Japan & leaving the rest of the salmon on the banks of the river to rot. The public is told that declining salmon runs are the fault of non-Indians overfishing - no mention of salmon being intercepted & killed before they can even spawn. Time & again, the Tribes get a free pass on filling wetlands, clear-cutting, & waterfront developments that non-Indians are never allowed. The same for gambling, tabacco, & alcohol sales. Are you aware that MOST of these old treaties BANNED the possession, consumption & sale of alcohol on reservation land? The Tribes insist on upholding every provision of the treaties until it comes to that clause, of course.

I'm so far right I'm about to fall off the edge of the world & I agree with you (in principle) that the "right" to do something shouldn't stem from a special pass from the government. But, when an excrutiatingly small percentage of the population enjoys "rights" that no one else does, I think it's reasonable to say that they are receiving a "special pass" in a clear-cut violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution.


17 posted on 01/04/2006 3:07:36 PM PST by torqemada ("Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!")
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To: tillacum
BBC mentioned that Democrats were not blameless but did not name names but listed names of Republicans. That for the BBC I suppose is fair and balanced /sarcasm off.
18 posted on 01/04/2006 3:07:46 PM PST by snugs (An English Cheney Chick - BIG TIME)
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To: churchillbuff
Weirdos and charlatans and self-interested hacks like Tucker Carlson have long discredited the conservative ideas they purport to represent.
19 posted on 01/04/2006 3:08:44 PM PST by Timmy
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To: All

The worst thing here isn't who got paid what and where...it's the fact that the whole American System of Gov't is corrupt, on all sides...greed and special interest.

Canadian and American politics are quite similar.

Time for a REVOLUTION...quite honestly.


20 posted on 01/04/2006 3:39:41 PM PST by kajingawd (" happy with stone underhead, let Heaven and Earth go about their changes")
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