Appropriate DeLays

The House Republicans are intent on handing Dems campaign issues for '06. If they can't make something of this type of cynical behavior -- and, likewise, the voters (since, contrary to Beltway C.W., voters do have means of making decisions that are distinct from politicians' campaign rhetoric), then the Dems deserve to lose and the voters are, indeed, "human-animal hybrids."

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (AP) — Representative Tom DeLay, forced to step down as the No. 2 Republican in the House after being indicted in Texas on campaign fund-raising charges, was rewarded by party leaders Wednesday with a seat on the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. DeLay, who was a member of the powerful committee until becoming majority leader in 2003, was able to rejoin the panel because of a vacancy created after the resignation of Representative Randy Cunningham, Republican of California. Mr. Cunningham pleaded guilty in November to charges relating to accepting $2.4 million in bribes for government business and other favors.

Mr. DeLay was also given a seat on the subcommittee overseeing the Justice Department, which is investigating an influence-peddling scandal involving the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his dealings with lawmakers. The subcommittee also has responsibility over NASA, a top priority for Mr. DeLay because the Johnson Space Center in Houston is in his district.

"Allowing Tom DeLay to sit on a committee in charge of giving out money is like putting Michael Brown back in charge of FEMA," said Bill Burton, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, referring to the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency who resigned after the flawed federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Burton added, "Republicans in Congress just can't seem to resist standing by their man."

In light of this, Chris Bowers may be on to something with his deceptively simple plan.