Breaking faith with the people and the constitution lies at the heart of the current corruption in Washington. The corruption centers on lies to the American people, and blatant quid pro quo horse-trading of votes.
A review of the 2008 presidential campaign promises requires a check of the actual record. Remember the vow that legislative debates would be completely transparent, televised on C-SPAN, and not held behind closed doors? Do you recall the vow of 72 hours for public review before congressional votes are taken? What about the vow to veto legislation containing pork barrel earmarks? The omnibus spending bill signed by the president contained thousands of pork barrel earmarks inserted by lawmakers for favored or politically connected special interests back home – spending not reviewed in any hearings.
Another vow – no new taxes on the middle class – did not last long. Health insurance legislation is replete with new taxes that directly affect the middle class. Another vow that lobbyists would not get jobs in the administration was broken right away. Seldom has the country been treated to such a graphic display of raw power and control wielded by national government.
To an astonishing degree, tax cheats populate the executive Cabinet as well as Congress. Failure to pay taxes and failure to list assets as required by law are regularly ignored by officials. When these transgressions are revealed to governing ethics agencies, the reports can languish for years with no action taken. Such a case in point is Congressman Charles Rangel, D-NY. Another is Senator Chris Dodd, D-CT, who was granted special low-interest mortgages not available to other Americans. Quid pro quo, anyone?
Lobbyist-financed vacations to the finest resorts in exotic locations are not unusual even though illegal. Washington politicians have found creative ways to get around such restrictions. Both Democrat and Republican members of Congress have accepted bribes in exchange for legislative favors. Those bent on cheating will always find a way.
Job loss and a poor economy remain priority issues for taxpayers, but Washington continues to focus on expanding government and its power. This administration and the current Congress are the mothers of all spenders. They routinely authorize more debt and print new money.
More taxes, higher costs and reduced services await Americans at every turn.
The health insurance legislation, unread and not understood by members of Congress or the president, is solidly opposed in polls of voters. The taxes therein will be collected for four years before any benefits kick in. This is blatantly political because it gets the 2012 election over with before taxpayers feel the pinch. What is the federal government going to do with four years of tax collections in advance of providing the “benefits”? They will spend it – that’s what they always do. That’s what they do with the FICA withholding tax supposedly collected for the Social Security Trust Fund. That is why Social Security is bankrupt. That’s also why government is running annual deficits exceeding $1 trillion.
Irresponsible spending and arrogant behavior in Washington make this a good year for challengers. Some incumbents see the writing on the wall and have announced they will not run for re-election. They will, however, land on their feet with a political appointment or high-paying job.
The historic debt thrust upon our country threatens the future of the Republic. Politicians who ignore this are designing a blueprint for disaster. Spending your country into bankruptcy is corrupt, immoral and eats away at individual liberty.
Politics should be a noble profession, and for many public officials it is. Others, however, choose to use their office for personal aggrandizement. Power and control are very seductive elements in politics, but voters can prevail. Vote against anyone who breaks promises, lies to you or ignores the constitution. Support those who tell the truth.
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