It has to be quite the thrill ride to be a Republican these days. I'm not talking fun-filled, exciting, blow your top, throw your hands in the air amusement park coaster. I'm talking, nauseating, I'm going to throw up, Jane, get me off this crazy thing treadmill. The scandals are mounting. Every day it seems a new story comes out about some sort of malfeasance or other involving top level officials, congressmen and lobbyists. Libby, Abramoff, Scanlon, Rove, Frist, DeLay. And it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Today Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who represents my buddy Peter in Rancho Santa Fe near San Diego, plead guilty to among other things accepting 2.4 million dollars in bribes. 2,400,000 dollars. Get your head around that figure. That's just what the Feds found out about and he admitted to. For those playing at home, here's the plea agreement, here are the charges against the congressman, here's his statement on resigning, and you can see video of him here. Here's his official website. No mention of any wrong doing or resignation. It won't be long for this world, at least outside of Google Archives and the Way Back Machine, so check it out while you can.

Here's what the Dukster has to say for himself:

When I announced several months ago that I would not seek re-election, I publicly declared my innocence because I was not strong enough to face the truth. So, I misled my family, staff, friends, colleagues, the public -- even myself. For all of this, I am deeply sorry.

The truth is -- I broke the law, concealed my conduct, and disgraced my high office. I know that I will forfeit my freedom, my reputation, my worldly possessions, and most importantly, the trust of my friends and family.

I suspect this will become a common refrain (can't blame a partisan prosecutor because he was being investigated by Bush's Justice Department) as investigations into the wrongdoings of other reps and senators, such as Bob Ney of Ohio and Conrad Burns of Montana, not to mention Katherine Harris of Florida and god knows who else will get caught up in the dragnet, have to face the music and admit guilt in the most humiliatingly public way. And then serve time.

Hopefully all the guilty parties, even Democrats, especially Democrats (are you listening William Jefferson?) will be brought to justice. Not that I think it's going to do much to stop the corruption that is our national government, but at least it might out the breaks on it for while as heretofore untouchable legislators watch their colleagues being marched off to the federal pen.