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I spent a bit of time plodding through the news articles and dispatches this morning, and I am truly struck by the sheer amount of idiocy, corruption, lawbreaking, and bizzaro crap piling up on the Republican side of the fence.  Truly, when you look at all of it at one time, you have to ask yourself — what in the hell is going on?  While I’d like to think of it as one big, fat dose of karma, I’m honestly wondering how it is that this many chickens have decided to come home to roost at the same time.

And then it hit me that the number of news items might have some correlation to the sheer number of bad acts committed that have yet to be found out by  the public – and so, perhaps, we are only looking at the tip of a very ugly iceberg.  But before I begin some sort of long, drawn-out schadenfruede hotline call, let me just show you what I mean (and this is only a little snapshot — it is by no means a full round-up, since I don’t have the time to do a full catalogue today):

On the foreign policy (or lack thereof) side of things:

– 11,000 terrorist attacks across the globe kill more than 14,500 people in 2005.

– Taliban?  Not gone yet and still fighting in Afghanistan.

– We’re now blaming our detention of innocent people at Gitmo on potential abuse from their own governments if we release them.  (Because, you know, the US is powerless to negotiate a third-party placement among our many allies for a political refugee.  Uh huh.)  They did finally get around to charging an officer in the Abu Ghraib mess, but I’d note that Gen. Miller’s name hasn’t come up yet for his work at Gitmo, Bagram and Abu Ghraib.

– Iran strategy?  Think Cold War.  Oh yeah, I’m feeling much safer now that I know we’re using the Nitze maneuver, aren’t you?

– US troops think those Iraqi forces we are training are actually collaborating with insurgents.  Gee, that’s working out swell, isn’t it? 

– Remember the Parsons Group contract to build hospitals in Iraq that wasn’t going well?  They finished about 20 of their proposed 150 clinics and hospitals, and now they are done and being paid.  Nice to know, isn’t it?  Your tax dollars going to big GOP donors at work.  Sweeeeet.  (Oh, and still no word on those missing billions in spending in Iraq.  Will let you know if they are found, ASAP.)

– Darfur — still no peace deal.  Just fyi.  (American Prospect has more.)

On the GOP indictments, pending indictments and federal investigations front:

– Bob Ney?  Not having a good weekend — the Feds are widening their inquiry on his relationship with Jack Abramoff and pals, instead of sticking to a more narrow bribery question.  (Wonder if this means that other investigative avenues are widening as well after Tony Rudy cut a deal?  Et tu, DeLay?)

– Rush Limbaugh?  Plea deal on his drug charges (which has yet to be accepted by the presiding judge, just fyi.)

– Forni-Gate?  Widening.  And a little tidbit in the WaPo article that needs further investigation:

The Homeland Security Department said it awarded Shirlington Limousine, one of three bidders, another one-year contract for $21.2 million in October.

Homeland Security spokesman Larry Orluskie said the department does not routinely conduct background checks on its contractors. Instead, it relies on a list the government keeps of vendors who have had serious problems with federal contracts, he said.

In Shirlington Limousine’s case, only the drivers were subject to criminal background checks, he said. (emphasis mine)

So the DHS doesn’t do background checks on its contractors? Oh yeah, I’m feeling much safer. Heckuva job again, Chertoff.

– Josh is reporting that the FBI is now investigating Roy Blunt’s son Matt, governor of Missouri.

– Former FDA Chief Lester Crawford is being investigated by a federal grand jury.

– Haley Barbour apparently provided funding to the phone jamming company in NH.

– Have I mentioned Karl Rove’s fifth appearance before a federal grand jury?  Nope?  Well, that can’t make for a fun weekend, now can it?

Domestic political oopsies for Bushie and the GOP: 

– Ethics reforms?  hahahahahaha

– SusanG at DKos caught some problems at the VA.

– Gas prices?  Still rising.  (How’s that middle eastern instability working for ya?)

– Disaster preparedness changes?  Years away, at best.  Lovely, since hurricane season is upon us.  I’m sure all those still-homeless Gulf Coast residents are feeling much better now.  (Oh, and Bay Buchanon?  STFU.  What we are tired of is you posing as a compassionate conservative.)

– US budget deficit?  Still increasing.

Whew — and that’s just a sampling.  It’s enough to make Republican pundits start asking what has happened to the GOP’s moral compass.  I’ll tell you what — how about some accountability?  Had enough?  Vote for a Democrat.

Speaking of Democrats, Nancy Pelosi’s got a diary up at DKos discussing what the Dems are doing to hold the GOP accountable.  Refreshing, isn’t it?  I, for one, am happy to see a bit of internal accountability

PS — Weekends are a nice time for the lurkers among us to step out and say howdy.  It’s a lovely day to chime in — everyone can play in the FDL pool.

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