The Republican Party has always masked its greed for money and power with morality tales, from Lincoln's "higher law" as an excuse for ignoring the Constitution (a phrase that Hitler also used)to its "moral" crusade against drugs (the actual effects of the war on drugs be damned)and its "holy" crusade to "democratize" the Middle East (the costs of war be damned).
A good look at just how "moral" our morally superior rulers really are can be found in a Los Angeles Times wire story today entitled "Bush 'shocked' by ex-aid's arrest."
"WASHINGTON * President Bush expressed disappointment, sadness and shock Saturday over the arrest of his former domestic policy adviser, Claude Allen, who resigned in February . . . "
"Allen, 45, was arrested in suburban Maryland on Thursday for allegedly stealing from Target and other stores in a scheme that lasted months and netted him more than $5,000 in goods that ranged from a Bose home theater system to $2.50 trinkets, police said."
"The arrest marks an Icarus-like fall for Allen, a conservative star and born-again father of four . . . Bush twice nominated him to a federal appeals court seat . . . ."
"According to the Montgomery County police, the manager of a Target store saw Allen strolling the aisles on Jan. 2 with an empty Target bag in his shopping cart. The manager watched as Allen selected items, placed them in the bag, then went to guest services and presented a receipt to receive a refund for those items. After receiving the refund, he allegedly left the store without paying for the other merchandise . . ."
Maybe he needed the money for gambling trips to Vegas with that other self-appointed Keeper of Virtue, Blackjack Bill Bennett.
