Oh, Schadenfreud, Mr. Souder!

I went through a long period of time where I did not enjoy revelling in the misery of others. Maybe I'm becoming an old man. Get off my lawn! See?

But today's news that 'Family Values' Republican Mark Souder, A US Representative from District 3 in Indiana, has me snickering. From Fox News:

Eight-term Rep. Mark Souder will announce his resignation Tuesday after it came to light that he was conducting an affair with a female aide who worked in his district office, Fox News has learned.

Multiple senior House sources indicated that the extent of the affair with the 45-year-old staffer would have landed Souder before the House Ethics Committee.

Elected as a family values conservative as part of the Republican revolution in 1994, Souder survived a tough re-election challenge in 2008 and survived a contested primary two weeks ago.

(Wait! This report came from 'Faux News'. It therefore cannot be true!!! Shouldn't we dismiss it out of hand?)

So why am I enjoying? Well, if you get elected on something I don't care for- legislating morality- you had better damn well be squeaky clean. I hate hypocrisy, from Al Gore's environmental crusade launched from a ginormous mansion via private jets, to this kind of thing. In and of itself, an affair is his personal problem, and in my opinion doesn't necessarily make one unfit to legislate. But I love the speed and finality that is apparently closing out this hypocrite's political career. It just makes me feel that there is some poetic justice in the world.

Now, if only Charlie Rangel had this kind of 'backdoor integrity'.

While the Republicans scramble to put somebody on the ballot, I'm pleased to note that Libertarian candidate Scott Wise is running. A former County Commissioner, he would serve northeast Indiana ably- and would NOT legislate morality.

Souder Begs Of Me?

I was fairly surprised to get a beg letter from Congressman Mark Souder, a Republican representing Indiana's District #3, covering the northeast corner of the state. Surprised, because I live in District #5, in the central part of the state.

The gist of the beg is that Souder is under attack by 'liberals', and that he is a good 'conservative'.

These terms are relative, of course. I consider myself a conservative in that I am to conserve the traditions of the Founders. This is not how most people portray conservatism today, although Souder's letter does site the Founders, so I'll hold him to it.

Souder describes himself as not a 'big spender'. Yet he votes consistently to fund Amtrak, voted to subsidize private health insurance, and votes in favor of farm subsidies- all hallmarks of big spending as far as I can tell. Source.

Mainly, I just don't trust a Republican who voted with George Bush on so many government growing budget items who then turns around and slams the Obama Administration for doing exactly the same things, only at a greater degree. I don't care to shade bad policy in terms of very bad and extremely bad. Bad is bad.

I'd be much happier to see Mark Souder replaced with a Libertarian- a conservative who meets my definitions of the word, conserving the actual principles of the Founders.