Well, considering that the Ethics Committee is the one House committee where there is no majority - effectively giving both sides an equal and ever-present veto - this "deal" is NOT an encouraging sign for Republicans.
The fact of the matter is irrespective of its outcome, a trial is just what the doctor ordered for the GOP. It's disheartening that the Republican members would take that off the table, unless of course they've secured Rangel's resignation, which of course seems HIGHLY unlikely.
The Ethics Committee, and any other committee that investigates and has authority to punish Congresspersons, shall have no present or former Congresspersons... preferably no members with any party affiliation, past or present.
Some of my others:
Term Limits,
Congressional Budget spending caps (both as a percentage of the previous budget, and as a percentage of the previous year's revenues... and make that percentage under 100 for the first decade)
Slowly but assuredly withdrawing from obvious violations of the Tenth Amendment (Education, Healthcare, Housing, etc), where the states can and should have the final word
Massive controls and oversight over lobbyists
Simple anti-gerrymandering rules (eg, a simple mathematical ration of area-to-perimeter eliminates the really ugly ones that guarantee party affiliation)
Reversing every election rule that favors the current two major parties over smaller parties
Lowering taxes across the board, at every income level that actually pays taxes.
Limit Congressional staff, as well as Executive staff (eg, including no more unaccountable czars).
But that's just me. I'm a racist extremist who wants the elderly to die in the streets so that CEO's can make more profits or something like that.
All it takes is one yellow bellied RINO.