Sneaking Out the Back Door

Any coincidence that Tom DeLay is leaving Congress the same weekend that practically every progressive blogger in the world is otherwise indisposed? Well, yes.

But the transcript of his farewell speech to Congress is comical.

In preparing for today, I found that it is customary in speeches such as these to reminisce about the good old days of political harmony and across-the-aisle camaraderie, and to lament the bitter, divisive partisan rancor that supposedly now weakens our democracy.

Well, I can't do that because partisanship, Mr. Speaker, properly understood, is not a symptom of democracy's weakness but of its health and its strength, especially from the perspective of a political conservative.

Liberalism, after all, whatever you may think of its merits, is a political philosophy and a proud one with a great tradition in this country, with a voracious appetite for growth.

In any place or any time on any issue, what does liberalism ever seek, Mr. Speaker? More -- more government, more taxation, more control over people's lives and decisions and wallets. If conservatives don't stand up to liberalism, no one will. And for a long time around here, almost no one did.

Indeed, the common lament over the recent rise in political partisanship is often nothing more than a veiled complaint instead about the recent rise of political conservatism.

I should add here that I do not begrudge liberals their nostalgia for the days of a timid, docile and permanent Republican minority.

DELAY: If we Republicans had ever enjoyed that same luxury over the last 12 years, heck, I'd be nostalgic too.

(LAUGHTER)

Hahahahaha!!!!

Honestly, does anyone need a parting shot about evil libruls from the guy who's sneaking out the back door of Congress because he and half his staff will be in court and/or jail for the next 10 years?