Eric Massa... not funny

Sorry, gentle reader I have no humor for you today.

My friends, we have entered the age of the bad politician, politician. For about a year now it has been particularly annoying to me how bad most politicians are at well, being politicians. As my grandmother would say, "they lie when the truth will do," which often creates a mess that will not only destroy their lives but the lives of those around them. The latest in this lying league is (D) Eric Massa, (I'll table New York's current and most recent former governors for another rant...).

Massa will not seek re-election the headlines read. Here's a link if you have not heard: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34001.html He has had cancer a few times and his doc said in effect, "find some place and sit down." A few days later the headlines read that he is really resigning because he talked naughty to a boi. Now, I am to learn that he says he was really forced out because he was going to vote "No" on the health care thingy. Here's what the White house had to say about it: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthCare/white-house-eric-massas-charges-ridiculous/story?id=10048764

Hmmmm. I admit I wasn't there but, it seems to me that the bill is not up for a vote yet, therefore for Massa to suggest that he is some sort of tie-breaker is a bit premature. Here's what I think happened...

Massa got scared. The ethics committee found out about the naughty talk and Massa in an attempt to avoid that on coming train resigned. Never mind that others have weathered far greater storms. The entire "forced out" story, I do not buy. As a Democrat I am sure he faced pressure to vote with his party but, again, it is too early to tell if he mattered that much. The man just does not want to go home in disgrace. A martyr sounds a lot better. He was set up and railroaded because he held strong to his beliefs sounds better than isn't he that guy who tried to...

Further, I could spend all afternoon talking about what this means in terms of easily ignoring the commitment he made to the people of his region, this country. I believe the oath goes something like. "...and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God." So, after making that kind of a commitment he lies rather than fights? Fighting does not count after you've stepped aside.

Now, here's were the really bad politician comes into play. If the set up were remotely true and he really wanted to remain true to his oath, then I would think that "set up" would have been the first words out of his mouth. The storm would have easily subsided concerning the naughty words (given our attention span) and we would have moved on to another story. But, we are to believe that the first 2 "lies" are to be ignored and now believe the set up story? Pardon the reference but, that's a bit too hard to swallow.