The Hammer Speaks...

As most of you know, I've always been a big fan of ex-House majority Leader Tom DeLay and was disgusted by the cynical way he was manipulated out of politics by a combination of bogus court suits brought by a partisan DA and the cowardice of the Bush Administration and RNC chair Ken Melman, who pressured him not to run for re-election even though he had won the primary in his home district and was ahead of his Democrat challenger.

DeLay was one of the most effective legislators in the history of Congress, and is a prime example of one of the Bush Administration's biggest failings - a tendency to take for granted and grease out from under its friends while cosseting and accommodating its enemies.

DeLay has an illuminating article out called 'The criminalization of politics' in which he discusses one of the major problems facing our republic - the demonization of people in public life by any means necessary, with no holds barred.

DeLay, of course, experienced this first hand:

"Political leadership has always been tantamount to painting a target on your back, and this is even more the case in our media-driven, “inside story”-addicted generation. Only a fool would step on the public stage today without expecting every detail of his life to be exposed, debated, and criticized. This is simply the price of leadership in our time.

There is something else happening today, though, that must come to an end if this country is going to have serious leaders at its helm. Today it is not enough to defeat a man politically. It is not even enough to vilify him publicly. You have to carpet bomb his life. You have to make sure that he leaves office disgraced, bankrupt, and heading for jail. You have to ruin him in every way, and then dance on his grave. This is what the political left in this country has brought us, and this is why many of the best leaders in our land refuse to take public office. They are willing to be scarred in political battle, but they are not willing to subject themselves to total destruction."

DeLay goes on to detail how he was targeted, what it cost him, and how a superb and dedicated public servant was railroaded out of office.

DeLay is right on the money when he identifies the targeting and vilification of those in public office as a major issue that needs to be addressed if we're going to continue to have quality leaders in office.

As for DeLay himself....hopefully, he will take the stage in American politics again in the future.

We could use dedicated and courageous men like him in Washington.