Corruptiest?

posted by The Vidiot @ 11:02 AM Permalink

TalkingPointsMemo.com is have a sort of back and forth with readers over which state is the most corrupt.

TPM Reader BB chimes in from the Big Easy ...

Look, if you want, the New Orleans bloggers can put together a comprehensive file for you. But you need to know it will be thick.

In the many categories that people argue for (cash involved, historical entrenchment, recent scandal, profile, fed/state/local), each of your wannabe states points out that the category they happen to be strongest in really matters the most. And that's why they're wannabes...they need special consideration.

Louisiana will let any state in the union pick the turf and the time. You want state level corruption? Local? Bring it. Historical tradition? Game on. Recent scandal? Easy money. You name the category, any category, and we'll have a big dog in that fight. And that is why Louisiana is the all time champ.

I have to tell you, the guy is right. I recently read a history of Louisiana from like the natives to now, and I can tell you, that state has a very deep, ingrained history of corruption. From the original dealings with the Spanish and the French all the way up to Rep. Jefferson's freezing wad 'o cash. There was even one time, for an election for governor, where it was David Duke, the known KKK guy and another guy I THINK was Edwin Edwards, who was so corrupt as to make your head spin, that the Edwards guy said, who are you going to vote for, a crook, or a racist?

And the crook won.

But I have to say, Louisiana is one of the freeist "feeling" states. I guess it's because everyone is so busy being corrupt that very little legislating ever gets done.

Labels: corruption, louisiana