Artless Graft

By George Neumayr
The American Spectator

Among the other indices of civilizational erosion in Louisiana is the decline in the quality of the state's political crooks. Even corruption isn't done well there anymore. Louisiana pols once prided themselves on the efficient, stylish, and subtle performance of graft. Historians note as an example of this the advice of Earl Long, Huey's brother: "Don't write anything you can phone. Don't phone anything you can talk. Don't talk anything you can whisper. Don't whisper anything you can smile. Don't smile anything you can nod. Don't nod anything you can wink."