By now, we all have heard that's all he was doing to prompt charges he had groped staff members. So at the very moment Democrats are groping for some way to pass health care reform, he bails, just when his expertise would be useful.

Now that he's a former member of Congress and before he goes into rehab, so he can run for re-election, he would be tremendously useful as a TV analyst. He could provide the insider's view on all the moves during the ticklish legislative process ahead and the naked politics in and out of the shower room.

Who knew there were so many Congressional emperors with no clothes on? Sort of makes one long for the days when we compared lawmaking and sausage. At least both would grind something out. Now things have ground to a halt.

Here's how we get things moving. How about a full fledged tickle fight in public. Let's invite C-Span in to see everything. We should place cameras everywhere, including the Capitol gyms.

We probably should assign one to simply follow Rahm Emanuel around to watch all of his moves and, just as important, listen to his every subtle persuasion. That way, we don't have to hear what he's thinking via his favored reporters. We can get it straight from the horse's...uh...mouth.

Naaah. Nobody can do so many things at once without the quality seriously suffering. And heaven knows, quality is already in short supply. But hey. If the TV executives don't care why should anyone else?

Another possibility: Since law enforcement has already blanketed the country we could just take the material from their surveillance. Perhaps we could also have access to the wiretaps of telephone calls between House members, and Senators and the lobbyists who control them by financing their campaigns.

Admit it: You thought this was going to be some silly rambling. Little did you know there were so many creative new ways to get the job done here in Washington, so many untried tactics that could very well break the cycle of failure, or at least alleviate the boredom. And these are just a few ideas. They barely scratch the surface. Or tickle it.

AND: At the very same time, they are sliming her for cleaning the swamp of some muck, Congressman Eric Massa.

Here's what's so strange: Even though he's a hated "D" just like Pelosi, Massa has still mastered the far right. The extremist commentators like Glenn Beck along with the other usual opportunists, have embraced him as a cruel sacrifice for the Speaker's cutthroat politics.

That's because he suddenly claimed his party's leaders forced him out of office simply because he was a vote against the President's health care reform, which is hanging by a thread.

Never mind that before Massa declared himself the victim of vile conduct he acknowledged he was the victimizer...engaging in vile conduct with a staffer. In fact, the Washington Post is now reporting this may be even more of an "EWWWWWW" story. The Post reports Massa might already be under investigation on charges he was groping male staffers from just about the moment he took office a year ago. And as the day has gone on, conservatives are bailing on him.

Given how timid the Democrats have been about their agenda, from the Obama White House to Pelosi and Harry Reid's Capitol, they should be wearing their enemies' charges of nasty politics as badges of honor. Spokesman Robert Gibbs sure took no time labeling as "ridiculous" Massa's charges he was done in because of his health care vote.

The guy may have given them just the opening they needed. There are many on the D side who have despaired. They have considered the President a Casper Milquetoast and his congressional leaders as floundering cat herders. Now that he and they are saying "No-More-Mr.Nice-Guys-And-This-Time-We-Mean-It" their allies might be muttering "It's about damned time".

Meanwhile Massa, can now join what's left of his crew on the USS Wacko and sail with them way off to the starboard side. He's right at home with their persecution delusions, now that he's declared himself a martyr for being cast out of the swamp. Until now, it looked more like quicksand for the Democrats. Maybe they'll stop sinking as a few of the worst opponents jump in.

AND: At the very same time, they are sliming her for cleaning the swamp of some muck, Congressman Eric Massa.

Here's what's so strange: Even though he's a hated "D" just like Pelosi, Massa has still mastered the far right. The extremist commentators like Beck and Limbaugh, along with the other usual opportunists, have embraced him as a cruel sacrifice for the Speaker's cutthroat politics.

They are there for him, loudly parroting his sudden claim his party's leaders forced him out of office simply because he was a vote against the President's health care reform, which is hanging by a thread.

Never mind that before Massa declared himself the victim of vile conduct he acknowledged he was the victimizer...engaging in vile conduct with a staffer.

So if Pelosi decided to "clean the swamp" of that slime, should she be slimed from the Right for it? Given the fact that, on her watch, Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel was forced to step aside after his Hands-In-The-Cookie-Jar allegations, she might deserve some slack, particularly since Rangel was a champion of the health care legislation.

Given how timid the Democrats have been about their agenda, from the Obama White House to Pelosi and Harry Reid's Capitol, they should be wearing their enemies' charges of nasty politics as badges of honor.

There are many on the D side who have despaired. They have considered the President a Casper Milquetoast and his congressional leaders as floundering cat herders. Now that he and they are saying "No-More-Mr.Nice-Guys-And-This-Time-We-Mean-It" their allies might be muttering "It's about damned time".

Meanwhile Massa, can now join his new crew on the USS Extremist and sail with them way off to the starboard side. He's right at home with their persecution shanty, now that he's declared himself a martyr for being cast out of the swamp, which has looked more like quicksand for the Democrats. Up until now.

This split-up is happening right now with the disintegration of the Rahm Emanuel-David Axelrod marriage-of-convenience which is agonizingly playing out for all the world to see...at least those in the world who read the New York Times and Washington Post.

The Post went first...shamelessly turning into what could only be called the "Emanuel Manual". There was one article after another about how the beleaguered White House Chief-of-Staff had been done wrong.

Now it's the Times' turn. And sure enough, true to the spirit of competition, it has now become the Axelrod Almanac". There it was on the front page: a love feast called "White House Message Maven Finds Fingers Pointing at Him". Since we're talking Emanuel, as the adversary, it's easy to imagine which finger. But again, a digression.

For those who have tried to ignore this foolishness until now, a brief catch-up: Various Rahm Emanuel supporters have gone on background to complain things are not going well for the Obama presidency because Emanuel doesn't always get his way about how things are done.

The Emanuel people have had great success getting to Washington Post reporters with it, and as we've seen, these reporters had equal success getting to their editors and into the paper. Not once but twice. It was enough to make eve David Broder devote column to criticizing it and the Ombudsperson to write another one about it. In the Post!

Of course, Axelrod, in his New York Times puff piece uttered the ritualistic denial of any conflict at all, or as he put it, "fissure with my buddy Rahm". But part of this game is to declare something warm and cuddly like that, and keep a straight face while saying it. In Washington-speak, that is a clear cut way of declaring war or condemning and someone to fall into the "fissure" for eternity.

Once again we see this transparent intrigue being played out on the front pages of each pliant paper, although it would probably be more appropriately placed in the Entertainment sections. It is such great theater.

This soap opera might be called "The Unmaking of the President". At least it starting to look that way. What is so interesting about all the articles on both sides of the divide, is how little attention the narrative pays to Mr. Obama. It is his presidency, after all, that is fraying.

To avoid a full unraveling, he might want to make his presence felt by ending these behind-the-scenes games. It's clearly time for head knocking right out front, for everyone to see, maybe on television this time. In TV news, of course, nobody ever takes sides.

Put it another way: Has the personal ambition of too many individuals holding power and influenced consumed their ability to act for the common good? Does their shameless demagoguery that so poisons the atmosphere reason is smothered.

And while we're at it, have the never ending disclosures of financial and sex scandals worn down our system to the point it's too sick to get anything done. Speaking of sick, are we all too sick and tired of all this to rally around any constructive effort to change?

How sad these questions are. But how valid they are too. Let's take the money and the fooling around: Every day, we hear that one of our esteemed office holders is caught in the wrong pocket or the wrong pants. It's usually petty and pathetic, but it's cumulative. How sad it is we've come to accept it as inevitable which reinforces a pervasive disbelief in our system.

What's to believe in? Our lives have been badly damaged by those who caused a near crash with their greedy financial schemes. Most avoid prosecution simply by using small parts of their ill gotten gain to pay off those who make the laws.

So we are a disgusted nation, one where scared citizens can easily be whipped up by wild distortion. Agents for the obscenely profitable insurance companies find they can thwart any efforts at curbing their excesses by labeling Health Care Reform "Socialism". Modern day reactionaries can level accusations of terrorist sympathy against Justice Department officials who before they came into government, were only doing their time-honored job as lawyers representing detainees against the excesses of the previous administration.

We need dispose of all that toxic waste. At the top of the heap, those who have been given the public trust will have to continuously earn that trust. Or re-earn it since it has been tossed into the garbage.

For starters that means they must be scrupulously honest and conduct themselves personally in ways that are at least not an embarrassment.

Following that, they need to appeal to our best instincts, instead of our worst. All of us need to support those who do that, and shun those inside and on the periphery who deploy malicious sound bites as weapons of mass destruction. In the process, they obliterate any chance of the cooperation that is the lifeblood of the democracy we claim to be.

We should demand the very best from the custodians we temporarily elect, reward them for accomplishment with re-election, and throw them out when they get too caught up in partisanship and ideology to solve our problems.

Most of all, we must recognize and reject the attempt by the various hustlers whose confidence games sap our confidence and take us to the point where the President of the United States is challenging his government's, OUR government's "ability to solve problems". The first problem to solve is to be much more selective about choosing our problem solvers.

So:
It looks like Bunning has such a hatred for his own team’s quarterback, Mitch McConnell, that he tried to sack him. At the same time, he fumbled the ball and allowed the bitter rival team to score an easy touchdown.

He broke his own side’s serve, because he was way out of bounds. His power play failed miserably

It was a slam dunk for the Democrats, who have been complaining that, for over a year, his fellow Republicans have been doing nothing but trying to block their shots. Bunning committed a flagrant foul (basketball, not that other sport). Come to think of it, it was a technical non-foul because he was following the rules. Score one for those who think the Senate game needs to be changed.

The problem is there’s a decent reason for his solitary defense. While other sports have salary caps and other limits on spending this one sure does not. All the other Washington players spend massive amounts of money they don’t really have. That was what Bunning says he was trying to block as everyone around him trots out cliches like “Paygo”, Pay-As-You-Go or Pay-To-Play.

Until he forfeited, the losers weren’t on the playing field at all. They were the spectators…the desperate jobless whose paltry benefits were suddenly cut off, highway construction workers who were about the join the unemployed because the money to pay them dried up.

Bunning picked the wrong turf. There could definitely be spending discipline but the special teams of wealthy special interests make sure their cutbacks are blocked. This game is fixed. All that any of us can do is watch. And boo. While at the same time we cheer this complete absence of baseball metaphors.

It's the second piece in a couple weeks. As the often profane Emanuel might say "What the #@*! is THAT about?!!" When did the Post become the Emanuel Manual? Why is there a another piece that stoutly defends Rahmbo from the backstabbing and even front-stabbing that inevitably results when an administration stumbles.

The story-line is the same: If the rank amateurs in the White House would only have listened to him, they could have avoided the Laurel and Hardy comedy of errors that has left them in this fine mess. But noooooo...on signature issues they often moved wildly instead of wily, ignoring Emanuel's counsel.

So the administration is in deep @*#! on so many fronts; health care, civilian trials for terrorists and Guanatamo. By all appearances many of those responsible would like to dig out and shovel the @*#! onto Emanuel,. He is, after all, the man in charge of keeping up the Obama presidency's triumphant starting momentum. Aren't honeymoons supposed to last forever?

This one has not. Obviously. Just as obviously, Emanuel's momma didn't raise no fools. She raised some hard@## brawlers, but no fools. So, it would not be unreasonable to expect that Rahm is fighting back to save his @##. Nor is it unreasonable to expect that he would take advantage of his media-handling skills to get his message out (Full disclosure: Over time, I've dealt with him. He plays reporters as well as anyone).

Now we find out that the Post is still on the same channel...LRN, Love Rahm Network...counter-programming the DRG, the Dump Rahm Group. Back to that question: "What the #@*!..."

Actually, there is a much bigger question: What does President Obama think about all this and what is he going to do about it? After all, many could get the impression the President is not really the guy in charge, that he's controlled by top staff people ,and pulled in different directions by their constant tug of war for power.

He can't tolerate an image like that. He may be quite miffed... smoking in more ways than one. In fact, there may be a Desiree Rogers going on, as in deciding to send him packing and quietly look for a replacement Chief-of-Staff, now that the current one has #@**ed off the boss. That's how they did in the soon-to-be-departed White House Social Director.

It shouldn't be a surprise if there's another headline soon in the Post, "RAHM #@*!ed". Maybe he could get a job there, writing his own column, instead of getting others to do it for him.

By the way, I meant "FIREd". Whatever were you thinking?

As the man in "The Graduate" said to Dustin Hoffman's character "I've got one word for you." Except, unlike the movie, it's not "Plastic" although that still would describe a lot of our leaders.

The word is "Passion". The extremists have it, the moderates don't. Until they do, the "Silent Majority" will continue to be drowned out by "Noisy Minority".

The big problem is that at first glance, "Passion" and "Moderate" appear to mutually exclusive concepts. But do they need to be?

Is it possible that someone might have an intense desire to improve society or is emotionally pumped by the Competition of Ideas"? Sure it is. Then why do those who enjoy the heat of intelligent jousting leave the battlefield to the simple-minded extremists?

What is so strange is how easily the huge Middle can be shoved to the sideline. Heat and light always trump substance. Reasoning together can be tedious.

So we watch as those in charge operate behind bunkers separated by barbed sound bites and shameless distortions from the fundamentalists on either side. Common sense is the No Man's Land (Yeah, I know, No PERSONS' Land).

We end up with ideological wars that always end in stalemate. They're not only INTER party battles but INTRA party. Democrats all claim to be "Progressives". Glenn Beck describes. Progressivism as a "cancer". But the sane, traditional definition is a movement that "favors or advocates change or reform". Progress.

Like health care reform. The desperate need for change has been made obvious, but even now, there is a huge question whether Democrats will move from their various all-or-nothing rigidities to settle on some less-than-satisfying accomplishment. Don't bet on it. Progress?

As for the Progressives' opposite numbers, the Conservatives, about all that unites them right now is stalemate. They are having great success blocking anything Obama.

Their militias have also formed a circular firing squad. They're arrayed in disarray. In both parties, the demands for purity are poison.

The shame of it is that the far out has tremendous value. That's usually where the most creative ideas originate which can evolve into genuine progress if they are nurtured into consensus.

But that would require cooperation instead of the divisiveness spouting from those who use cheap shots to prosper. Unless those in the middle rise up and assert themselves we will all continue to have one thing in common.

There is but one word for that: "Disgust"

Whatever. It was gripping TV. Chances are, though, there should be subtitles, because all of the contestants were talking in Washingtonspeak, an obsolete language, where most of the words translate into the exact opposite of what normal people think they mean.

This is just a small sample:

HUMANSPEAK. WASHINGTONSPEAK
Civility. Insincerity
Bipartisan. Obsolete
Discussion. Sound bites
Reconciliation. Irreconcilable Differences

That last one is the key. "Reconciliation" as in ramming Health Care through Congress using an arcane legislative process that allows Democrats, with their majority, to ignore the minority Republicans' squeals of outrage as they get steamrollered.
But before he can say "No More Mr. Nice Guy", Master-Of-Ceremonies Obama needed to be able to declare "Well I tried". Hence the Made-For-Tv-Stay-On-The-Script marathon.

Mindful of the public disgust over the political infection that paralyzes Washington, both sides needed to pretend they wanted to reason together. There are some obvious cures for what ails them, such as talking TO each other instead of AT but unfortunately, the "Competition of Ideas" is complicated. Simple minded phrase-mongering and gimmickry are scintillating so right now our leaders are sticking with "Bloodsport".

What fun it was to watch the polite give-and-take between actors and actresses masking their seething contempt for each other. There were actually moments where the participants gave hints that were not mere robots but for the most part, they were epitome of self-control. It's amazing how the real pros can be so deceptive and convincing. They didn't really need those masks. They seemed to thrive as they breathed in the toxic atmosphere and spewed out their own poison.

Actually we need to add to our list:

HUMANSPEAK. WASHINGTONSPEAK
"I welcome your input" "What a stupid comment"
"Interesting idea" "A crock"

The marathon accomplished what everyone hoped it would, which was nothing, unless more bridge burning is viewed as accomplishment.

It needs a title. How about "Charades", since that's a party game. Unfortunately, the parties are the Republicans and Democrats, so these days everyone seems to lose. That's because in this pantomime there is but one gesture. I don't need to tell you what it is.

As for the dialogue:

HUMANSPEAK WASHINGTONSPEAK
"Government". "Politics"

We apologize"

"Sorry". By now we're sorry we ever heard the word. From Tiger, to Toyota to even DC City Councilman, former Mayor and non-stop delinquent Marion Barry, they're all "sorry"

After rigidly controlling its corporate and product reputation for decades, Toyota is suddenly as out of control as their deadly cars. But now the lid has been wrenched off of their Pandora's box which is spewing vile revelations...the kind that cause many to believe the company values profits over human life

As for Barry, he continues to live down to his reputation. He's in more trouble for using government money to finance a girlfriend. A "mistake" he admits, but the authorities are once again investigating whether he broke the law. The man has spent so much of his adult (using the term loosely) life tip-toeing precariously close to more prison time. Think of it as government financed rehab.

At least all of this has finally taken our eye off the Tiger. So he can go back to his own rehab...personal and/or image, and we can decide whether he's sincere. Or whether we care, in light of all the other shameful stuff.

Yeah right.

They' so contrite.

No they're not.

They just got caught.

After months of convoluted hand wringing a task force has finally decided, in effect, that as crazy as their logic seemed to be, punishing Yoo and Bybee would be inappropriate second guessing. A sub text is the contention that brutality is necessary when the nation's survival is at stake.

To sterilize things our propagandists come up with neutral terms in post 9/11 times like "Enhanced Interrogation" instead of "Torture" or the spooky "Termination with Extreme Prejudice" instead of "Murder". It becomes so much easier to stomach. It's all a James Bond movie. Or Maxwell Smart. Killing capers.

The latest one was taped in Dubai, with a hit squad about the size of a movie crew. Apparently they were successful, so don't be surprised if there's a sequel. There always is.

The television spectacular began last Friday, as we cringed while watching that golf automaton mechanically recite the contrite words and phrases his advisers had programmed into him. It was eerily amazing to see how human he almost seemed to be.

On Tuesday, we can observe Toyota's dynastic leader and the members of his court while they do the same kind of thing as they try and prove that their conduct has not been INhuman. In this instance the charges are that what Whooziz did to a few dozen groupies, Toyota did to millions of customers.

In between the ritual apologies worthy of Brenda Lee, we can be entertained by the chorus of sound bites, delivered by opportunistic members of the Congressional committees, with their twaddles flapping in full outrage.

They will probably drown out any real truth, such as explanations about newly revealed documents. There are memos that seem to illustrate how the company's government relations people could thwart meaningful regulatory action that might have prevented so many deaths in their careening out-of-control cars.

Even if little is accomplished, this is worth watching. It offers a good chance to witness how government works. Or doesn't.

An even better one will be the extravaganza where President Obama invites the Republicans to the White House for a beer Thursday. Actually, it's Blair House across the street, the guest mansion, and there won't be any beer this time. Chances are, though, this will be every bit as meaningful as that gimmick last summer.

Even though we're already sick-and-tired of hearing how the President is finally living up to his campaign promise and inviting C-Span into the health care deliberations, he's finally living up to his campaign promise and inviting C-Span into the health care deliberations. TV doesn't get any better than this.

Those who find political intrigue entertaining will love this situation comedy. Actually, it's also a game show, tightly scripted like most of them. Each wary contestant will read off of carefully prepared talking points about why the others' health care reform plans are either political obstructionism or godless communism, and nothing will be accomplished. But it will be great shtick, and isn't that what's important here?

Perhaps, after the lights have faded, all the performers, the whole sorry lot, can retire to some sort of rehab. Or maybe WE should, where we can learn how to do a better job of choosing those we believe in and discerning what little is real and what's made-for-television.

Have you ever sat through nine innings of inept baseball where both teams combine bad pitching and fielding errors to hand the lead back and forth?

Or the basketball game with airballs and traveling on both sides of the court? You get the idea. Bear with me, because as always, sports is an easy metaphor for that other team hot potato competition, Politiball. And I'm not even talking about Tiger Woods.

This is about the conservative comeback. Are you noticing how they've resumed a ferocious offense? This year's CPAC meeting is almost a celebration of the cheerleaders, as the old vets perform their old tricks.

There was Mitt Romney still trying to turn white bread into red meat. There was Dick Cheney, giving the same pro-torture, anti-Constitution speech. Add to the lineup the rookie, Marco Rubio, trying to outdo Cheney as he vies to become the new Senator from Guantanamo. All of them Palin comparison to Sarah, who wasn't there, but if she was paying attention she could learn a thing or two or more.

What a contrast to just a year ago when the liberals were running all over them, led by new President Barack Obama and his huge Democratic offensive line on Capitol Hill.

He and they made all their gains after the GOPs spent about four years showing how shoddy their team was, which was just the opportunity the Dems needed.

When Obama the quarterback called the health care play he was sacked completely unprotected from a blitz. Same thing with the economy, where even gains were a huge loss for him. He hasn't seemed able to get anything to work. Or anybody.

So, now that they've come roaring back, the big question with Republicans is how far to the right do they want to go. There are those conservatives who have a game plan that's, uh, conservative, that is careful, with hints of good sportsmanship, which is called "bi-partisanship" in Politiball.

They are being pushed off the team by the purist conservatives, as in against everything, for nothing. In fact they insist they're not even a team even though they operate now out of a Tea formation.

They play before huge crowds of spectators, the American people, who have gotten so disgusted they don't root for either side. Why would they, since there are no winners, just losers? The two teams and the rest of us too.

Is it only now that Evan Bayh has seen the light of our darkness? He has spent his whole life in this mud pit. His father, Birch Bayh, was a Senate legend who was unseated by Dan Quayle, for crying out loud. So the kid has always known what he got into.

Fairly, or unfairly, Quayle was viewed as a lightweight, who not only knocked out a heavyweight, but went on to be Vice President.

Anybody who believes Sarah Palin could never be elected President should remember Dan Quayle, who was a heartbeat away. In fact, bitter Democrats point another “Son Of”, George Bush, the 2nd.

So don’t rule P
alin out, no matter how many think she’s an unqualified bubble head. Bayh, meanwhile, seems to have ruled himself out.

Imagine his frustration: He has always been a bit charisma-challenged. So he chose to cast himself as someone who moved deliberately. That simply doesn’t hack it. We live in a media-charged world where instant gratification is the only gratification,

Some have been slightly offended at comparisons between Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. The truth is though, that both enjoyed success largely based on the force of their personalities.

Obviously the two are very different. He is very thoughtful, clearly she is not. But these days thoughtless dominates, substance doesn’t matter. In fact it is something to cover up in stage presence.

That’s what killed health care reform. It’s too complex. We have become so flabby as a nation that most of us don’t want to do the hard work necessary to understand important issues. The result is we become fair game for the demagogues who concoct their distortions and rise to the top while our country goes down the tubes.

What seems to be happening now, is that some other disillusioned members of Congress, like Bayh, who emotionally invested in their naive belief the system could accomplish something good, have decided to cut their losses. They’re climbing out of the pit, deciding it’s not worth the hassle.

Reason is being drowned out by the angry din. It’s the age of the T-Party. Fear and ignorance rule inflamed by opportunistic manipulators. They’re on to something with their politics of resentment. What’s not to resent? We are asked to believe in a setup that doesn’t work.

What’s surprising it took Evan Bayh this long to discover that. But now that he has, he’s packing it in and leaving things to the next Dan Quayle. Or Sarah Palin

Their salvation through destruction is camouflaged in expressions like "Efficiencies" and "Synergies" and "Workforce Reductions" and "Belt Tightening" and "Outsourcing" and "Consolidations" and a big one, "Mergers", where companies get larger and smaller at the same time.

They exact a terrible human price for their greed every time they toss millions into the rubble with one layoff after another. In the process, their once-successful businesses are ground into failure as their product and reputation earned over decades are frittered away leaving empt shells. .

The shell game is hardly unique to the US. It's played all over the world. The latest case in point is Toyota. It's still unclear when the auto manufacturer's legendary quality became a myth...a fiction that persisted as the reality of deterioration was obscured in the haze of image management.

Bigger Bigger Bigger" became the Toyota plan instead of "Better Better Better". The company kept spreading out and spreading thin, until it reached the breaking point. "Breaking Point" means being found out, inevitably getting caught when shoddiness and deception can no longer be hidden and come crashing down on the carefully cultivated "brand"

As for the consumers, so many companies in effect tell them to "Like it or lump it". Their claims of support for customers are bogus.

While "Cut Costs at All Costs" is the article of faith, it's not an absolute. There's no cost-cutting for those at the top, who stay there even as their operations crumble beneath them. And they continue to receive their millions in salary from the money they've squeezed out by choking the companies. .

In the process they have done serious damage to them, as well as the millions who depended on them for employment and the security of knowing they could pay for food and medical care and a roof over their heads.

Where no expense is spared is what it takes to keep Washington at bay. Spreading a few bucks around to all the willing politicians works wonders at keeping the United States from reordering corporate policy and regulation.

As for the shells of those one-proud businesses, it's on to new mergers, new cutbacks new layoffs. Finally, there's nothing left. It doesn't matter how big a hulk is when it's empty. It's like the expression "Cut at all Costs" when there's nothing left to cut.