This New England

This recalls corrupt U.S. Sen Ted Stevens's effort to derail the regulatory review process for Cape Wind and kill the project, with the aid of Alaska Congressman Don Young, whose ethics are also well known.

With Congress so corrupted by special interests and insider deals, it's about what you'd expect.

Now, at what seems to be the behest of Kennedy family valet Congressman William Delahunt and his boss, Sen. Edward Kennedy, who are fighting the Nantucket Sound wind farm with the support of a small and ruthless band of rich influence peddlers and buyers centered in two Osterville clubs, Congressman James Oberstar (D.-Minn.) is attempting to block the Federal Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to be released this month. That statement is expected to support the wind farm.

As chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Oberstar sent a letter to Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen this week ''requesting'' an extraordinary review of the Coast Guard's ruling that Cape Wind does not present any navigation hazards.

This is after the project has been studied and tortured for more than seven years, relentlessly hounded by arrogant people sometimes using mobster methods.

Oberstar's move, with its curious timing, may be yet another nail in the coffin of respect for the federal regulatory process in an age in which fat cats and their politician allies sweep all before them. I'll be interested to see the specifics of the quid pro quos in this particular episode. Somehow I expected more from Minnesota. (I am genetically half a Minnesotan.)

To see the results of such disdain for thoughtful and rigorous regulation look at America today, from Wall Street on out. You may have plenty of time to do so since you'll be out of a job.

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