Blind Pigs and Ratings

Every once in a while even some groups get it right. I am not a big fan of Public Citizen but in this case they hit the nail on the head. John Doolittle has been an embarassment first as a state senator and then as a congressman. Now Clean Up Washington has added him to their "Hall of Shame" for his shameless attraction to back room deals that would make most politicians blush a bit. Doolittle has made a career on cheap shot politics and back room deals. He parades as a straight up kind of guy but associated with all kinds of sleezes. For example he feathered his own nest on redistricting by cutting a deal in Sacramento with some of the lowest types of political types who are allied with liberal democrats at the expense of both other GOP members and also good government. His dealing with lobbyists is legendary - finally some of that has come to light with his highly questionable maneuvers with people like Jack Abramoff. He puffs and blusters but really does not get much stuff done. His substantive legislative record is lilliputian. When you compare his record over a long period of time with the efforts by his neighbor, Dan Lungren, it looks awfully pale. When the leadership battle in the House came down - Doolittle was defending current practice while Lungren said let's look at some better ways to do things. But Doolittle is in a very safe district so he can get away with these kinds of deals. Let's hope the voters wake up and finally look at this aptly named politician who certainly has done little except protect himself.