Everyone who knows me knows that I am a hugely cynical person. I, unfortunately, am very rarely shocked by the bad behavior of politicians. But, it has happened.

The governor of Illinois brazenly put up for sale his appointment of Barack Obama’s successor in the United States Senate, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

In recorded conversations with advisers, the governor, Rod R. Blagojevich, seemed alternately boastful, flip and spiteful about the Senate choice, which he crassly likened at one point to that of a sports agent shopping around a free agent for the steepest price, a federal affidavit showed. At times, he even weighed aloud appointing himself to the job, the prosecutors said.

Now I am not shocked that a governor was selling a Senate seat, per se, but that he was doing it so blatantly. I mean, there is the implicit bribes. You might pick someone that will pay you back someday but to open up bidding? Ugh!

But I am not the only one that was shocked. All of this has made Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame) re-examine the whole idea that conspiracy theories could be plausible.

So in the light of the whole Senate buy off attempt, what conspiracies suddenly make more sense to you?