Who's Representing Whom Here?

Bertrand de Jouvenal somewhere quotes what he says is an old French adage:

There is more difference between two Socialists, one of whom is a deputy and the other of whom is not, than there is between two deputies, one of whom is a Socialist and the other of whom is not.

Uh, let me think. Okay, click, right, I got it. Now this:

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed three Miami congressional candidates after two House Democrats from South Florida refused to because of their friendships with the Republican incumbents.

In letters, Pelosi and four other top House Democrats congratulate each of the challengers for a "strong start'' and say they look forward to helping each "become our newest Democratic partner for change in Washington.''

The letters came after Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meek said they wouldn't actively campaign for their fellow Democrats because of they didn't want to risk their personal and professional ties to Republican Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Well, bully for Pelosi. And as for the rest of the crowd--well, strictly speaking, I know exactly zilch about politics in south Florida. Maybe the three Republicans deserve to be reelected; maybe I would even vote for them. But on the face of things, isn't this pretty clear evidence for the proposition that Congress has more interest in preserving itself in office than it does in small-d accountability?

And wasn't it Mark Twain who said that the United States has no permanent criminal class--except Congress?