Shovel Time

The Austin American-Statesman recommends that all Republicans grab a shovel and help dig their party out from under the pile of rotten garbage where Tom DeLay and his associates have buried them.

"Now the legal chickens are coming home to roost — and they're hatching indictments. Abramoff has pleaded guilty to fraud charges, DeLay is facing trial, former GOP Rep. Randy Cunningham has pleaded guilty to bribery, and that's just the beginning.

The GOP's new leaders should understand the level of national disgust with the corruption pervading Congress.

The next majority leader and whip had better focus on reform and changing the rotten culture that flourished under DeLay's leadership.

Otherwise, they could face a reckoning in November. The system is broken, and only they can fix it."

Dennis Hastert, Roy Blunt and John Boehner are so completely tainted by their association with DeLay and Abramoff that they can hardly say the word "reform" with a straight face. Good luck with the shovels boys.