I spent Thursday sick.  (That’s why there was no blog post.)  It was some sort of stomach bug that caught me off guard.

I think I’ve figured out exactly why I got sick.  My theory is that I contracted a somewhat rare, but fortunately short-lived political virus.  It was likely triggered by good ol’ Congressman Charlie Rangel’s Wednesday night birthday party.  (In reality, it was a fundraiser.  Rangel’s birthday is in June.)  Currently Rangel is facing some serious ethics charges, and likely a House trial.  But a little-bitty ethical concern isn’t going to stop a politician like Rangel from throwing a shin-dig.  Neither will it stop other politicians and supporters from paying big bucks to cozy up to him.  According to an August 11th New York Times article, here’s a short list of my “favorite” politicians who attended Rangel’s fundraiser:

• NY Senator Chuck Schumer.  (Just one of the nicest people you could meet on an airplane.)
• NY Governor David Paterson.  (No stranger to ethical lapses.)
• NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.  (He’s also the Democratic candidate for governor.)
• And my favorite politician, Mr. Intrusive Government himself:  NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg

So I figure that in some strange way, I spent Thursday sick to my stomach due to “Rangel-itis.”  I suppose though, it may have had more to do with cleaning up after my sick two-year old…  but I digress.

Just reading the story about the party/fundraiser definitely turns my stomach.  It shouldn’t surprise me that there are so many people out there that want to be close to political power, no matter how unethical. Personally, I’d much rather rub elbows with an Ordinary Citizen than a Rangel any day.

In all fairness, a number of politicians did not attend Rangel’s party. Apparently they did not want to be associated too closely with Rangel during the upcoming election.  According to the Times article:

The timing of Mr. Rangel’s party could not have been worse for many Democrats across the state: they face a brutal campaign climate. Many complained that the event, a few weeks before their party’s primary, had forced them to choose between their allegiance to a venerable colleague and their own shot at re-election this fall.

“Venerable colleague?”  Really?  I feel so sorry for them.

Aww great… now I feel sick again.