Murtha

While I admired Murtha's outspoken opposition to our involvement in the Iraqi civil war, I am not comfortable with him as majority leader. He's just too dirty.

I don't like his love of earmarks or his involvement in Abscam, but could probably get past both those objections. No one in congress is 'earmark free'.

But if this is true, Murtha's got to go,

In an excellent but little-noticed piece last month, the New York Times brought us up to speed:

In the last year, Democratic and Republican floor watchers say, Mr. Murtha has helped Republicans round up enough Democratic votes to narrowly block a host of Democratic proposals: to investigate federal contracting fraud in Iraq, to reform lobbying laws, to increase financing for flood control, to add $150 million for veterans' health care and job training, and to exempt middle-class families from the alternative minimum tax.

As Murtha put it, "deal making is what Congress is all about." Yessir -- blocking fraud investigations, stonewalling lobbying reform. That's what Congress is all about, isn't it?