Corruption

Corruption is what did in Democrats in the Congress in the early 90s, and with good reason, as Jim Wright and others forgot themselves, didn't play by the rules, and they paid for it at the ballot box. 2006 is shaping up to be 1994 redux, with the familiar stench of corruption engulfing the ruling party. Witness the latest, not DeLay, not Coingate in Ohio, but this gem from out in San Diego:

SAN DIEGO - A defense contractor bought Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's Del Mar home in November 2003 and sold it nearly nine months later at a $700,000 loss, it was reported today.

At the time, the Republican congressman was supporting Mitchell Wade and his firm MZM Inc. in efforts to win Pentagon contracts, The San Diego Union- Tribune reported.

Some would say that the defense contractor simply made a bad land deal (bet they could gin up an 8-year investigation off of that scrap of information), and the money-for-favors element doesn't logically follow. But consider that as soon as Wade bought the house, his defense business went through the roof, and he was awarded millions in contracts, making him a Top 100 federal contractor virtually overnight. And consider that Wade put the house on the market within a month after he bought it. And consider that Wade's company is a major contributor to Rep. Cunningham. And consider... never mind, you're done considering.

You just should not, as a congressman, do business with someone who you're in a position to help. Simple axiom, right? Nonpartisan one, too. But one that escaped Mr. Cunningham.

Corruption is already the theme of the 2006 elections. Democrats need to run on a platform, true, but nobody ever got sick in a campaign talking about the other guy.