Pickin’ Charlie Clean

Maybe it's the memories I have of citizens and government workers being grilled by pontificating politicians (formerly referred to as "public servants") mercilessly, because I have no sympathy at all for people like Congressman Charlie Rangel who thought either the rules didn't apply to him, OR we were all stupid and fearful to apply those rules to him.

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Charlie Rangel's getting right with the taxman. It's a start. But only a start. The veteran Harlem pol on Friday dispatched $10,800 to the IRS and the state tax department, according to his office. Not covered was rental income from his Dominican Republic villa - and heaven only knows what else.

As as the digging continues, Rangel will scream even louder (if such is even possible) that those mean ol' Republicans are trying to scalp him. I must admit enjoying watching Rangel's comeuppance. People like him gleefully tore citizens and officials new assholes. People like him gleefully humiliated citizens in front of the world on C-SPAN and national television. People like him imposed sanctions and fines on citizens purely for grandstanding purposes, and I'd love to be a fly on the wall in homes of those very citizens who were attacked by an over-zealous Rangel, now watching his world crash around him. And the best he can come up with is this "'guerrilla war' being waged by the Republican Party and various newspapers." Neither the Republican Party or various newspapers had control of his finances or properties. Congressman Charles Rangel alone decided to skirt the very tax code he presides over, and now that he's been busted, he well deserves the scrutiny and humiliation he happily distributed on others for decades. And remember, Rangel is supposed to be part of that "most ethical" House and Senate in US History. Glee, no. Revenge, no. Satisfaction… maybe.