In Ga., Abramoff Scandal Threatens a Political Ascendancy

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 16, 2006; Page A01

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Ralph Reed, candidate for lieutenant governor, had just finished his opening statement to the Dawson County Republican Party when retired pulp paper executive Gary Pichon sprang from his seat with a question that cut to the chase:

“Did you accept any gifts, commissions or other payments of any kind from Mr. Abramoff, and are you likely to be a party in the unfolding investigation?”

I have cut back drastically on the amount of political outrage ranting I was doing in latter 2004/early 2005. My most choice words always came in response to things re: the Religious Right. Well, Reed was the early figure in the early risings of the Religious Right in the 80’s. It seems that much of this is all of a piece, and I might say, signs of a rather disturbing cynical usage of the energies of the Religious Right by manipulating the political machinery to garner the support of the morally outraged. It’s not that I don’t think this “Kind of thing” hasn’t always gone on, but the amount of widespread , almost “I dare you to catch me” kind of hubris with which it is carried out, is scary. I hope that some of this begins to bring about a dawning of realization by the unwittingly manipulated that they have woefully misplaced their trust. (Of course, the “opposition party” has somewhat lost its way as well. Perhaps this might bring about some widespread realization of the problems of this country’s political system)