Richard Mellon Scaife, Influential U.S. Conservative, Dies at 82

[Divernan]

80. Exactly! But that didn't matter to Bill or Hillary Clinton.

I absolutely agree with you that the harm Scaife did, particularly in supporting Reagan's rise to power, far out weighed any good he did. The primary point I wished to make, was that both Bill and Hillary Clinton were easily able to ignore all that harm if it meant more political support for Hillary or more $$$ for Bill's foundation. I provided enough information in my post to hopefully trigger a discussion of what it meant to seek out Scaife's political endorsement/financial support, as opposed to his charitable support.

If the Clintons have accumulated enough wealth to become part of the one percent, and if their financial wealth and ongoing ambitions distort their perceptions of what it means to be Americans who have always been poor, or who find themselves falling out of middle class security, I can understand that. If they can milk their political power to negotiate huge fees for brief speeches/appearances? Well, that's what sports and entertainment celebrities do as well.

What is extremely alarming - in fact, beyond comprehension - to me, is that they would turn to Scaife for support, remembering the always present quid pro quo which comes with support to political figures. Because then there is no one whom, regardless of how much damage said person/corporation may have caused, the Clintons will not welcome into their circle of influence.

The question asked of Senator Joe McCarthy (namesake for McCarthyism for the younger readers) at the Army-McCarthy hearings was: "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

My question to those supporting HRC for 2016, is: If she will seek out support from Scaife, is there anyone, at long last, who is so politically indecent as to be unacceptable to her? To all those who excoriate Scaife on this thread, I say, the friend (HRC) of your enemy (Scaife) is your enemy as well.

As to the Trib-Review, I disagree with much of their editorial content. However, the long-time Democratic Pittsburgh Post-Gazette endorsed Tom Corbett for Governor, and strongly supports fracking, not only statewide, but even in areas immediately adjacent to local residential neighborhoods in the P-G's immediate vicinity. I don't feel we have any independent, let alone progressive, newspapers in Southwest PA. When it comes to public service, the Trib does not charge for on-line access, as compared to the P-G's monthly limit (10?) of articles. So when I need to check on local road closings, local news, weather emergencies, basic news - I do use the Trib, and save my 10 PG articles for editorials.

No disrespect to that ancient Chinese philosopher, but I for one am damn tired of living in such interesting times! Let's just get Wolf into the Governor's office in November, and Pennsylvania will have a fighting chance to get Corbett's policies turned around!