How embarrassing

My groan of the day. “My” congressman, Richard Pombo, took a $2,000 brib- er, contribution, from Chevron – one week after CNOOC slapped it’s $18.5B all-cash bid on the table trying to purchase Unocal. Read all about it.

I can just hear the conversation around the big glossy table at Chevron: “Damn! It’s a superior offer! I know, quick, cut a check to a few congressmen! They’ll know how to stamp it out!!”

Oh, how embarrassing. I mean, honestly people! Could we at least put a little time and distance between the issue at hand and the bribe? If I were in charge of bribes, there would be at least a 90 day gap between the issue and the bribe. For Pete’s sake, I wouldn’t cut a check while the issue was still being talked about even on the local news, which is usually too busy discussing the appalling state of the bus routes and how some guy is pissed off because a school is building a fence behind his house to deal with such heady matters as international business and oil drilling.

And let’s say it really wasn’t connected. It was just a standard check, written every June 29th whether a major deal is in peril or not. Hokay – but don’t you think somebody should have hesitated a second and said, “Hey, this might look kinda bad, don’t you think? Maybe, just maybe, we ought to rethink this particular check right now…?”

While I’m on the subject, could somebody please explain to me why it’s OK for a company to contribute to a politician in the first place? I know, I know, I’m being naïve and simplistic again. But can I just ask: why is the guy who is supposed to represent the people getting his largest donations from corporations?

Just askin’.

And, if I send him $25, do you think he could do something about the express lane at WalMart, which seems to always be clogged down with people bearing far more than the 11 items or less?