The corruption parade continues

In the last few weeks the media has reported on how DHS and the Pentagon cannot account for billions of dollars; of growing corruption scandals in DOD contracting; of the weakening of the Consumer Product Safety Commission at a moment when globalization has made keeping the American people safe a more complex job; and today the Times reports on more Bush era malfeasance, this time at Interior:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 — The Interior Department’s program to collect billions of dollars annually from oil and gas companies that drill on federal lands is troubled by mismanagement, ethical lapses and fears of retaliation against whistle-blowers, the department’s chief independent investigator has concluded.

The report, a result of a yearlong investigation, grew out of complaints by four auditors at the agency, who said that senior administration officials had blocked them from recovering money from oil companies that underpaid the government.

It is simply astonishing how hard it has been for the conservatives of the Bush era to act in the public interest, rather than their own interest or the interest of the rich and powerful.  The corruption has been systemic, across all branches of government, and not at all a "few bad apples."  It has been the way they have governed. 

I still think Congressional leaders need to confront the Bush Administration and the conservatives head on.  They should demand that Bush appoint an ethics czar responsible for ferretting out corruption and raising the ethical and legal performance of the government.  Inspector Generals need to be encouraged to do their work and report to Congress.  Additional staff need to be added to the Office of Public Integrity at Justice to pursue those who have betrayed the public trust. 

The President himself needs to be confronted by responsible members of Congress for all that has gone wrong in this era.  The odd hearing here and there, the demand for internal papers isn't really sufficient any more.  Something fundamental broke down in this era, and Congress has a responsibility to prevent it from ever happening again.