|
Members of
the US Congress, as a class, now constitute the most failed
institution in government.
Each member applies for a well paying job that pays an
excellent salary with superb benefits. Once
hired each takes an oath promising to faithfully serve the
interests of his or her constituents by honoring, protecting,
and defending the Constitution... which is to say, by
maintaining integrity in every government function for the
benefit of ordinary citizens and their country.
But once they are
hired, which is to say, elected, these same members of Congress
blatantly turn around and sell their loyalty to corporations,
to their Party, or to other private special interest groups who offer them
or threaten them with the
highest amount or most convenient form of bribe or blackmail,
usually related to campaign contributions or political party
access to information and influence.
The money or
influence they receive buys favors for these
undeserving and corrupt entities at the expense of ordinary
citizens and at the expense of integrity in government… and to add insult to injury they then use the
graft they receive to hoodwink their constituents into
rehiring them again and again.
Not
only does this activity end up misallocating resources, it
takes an inordinate amount of time
and keeps members of Congress from doing useful, thoughtful,
courageous, or honest work.
It is a system of unparalleled dishonesty and corruption
that has all but destroyed the Constitution, our economy, the
future well-being, and indeed the hopes and dreams of our
progeny... and perhaps even the aspirations of all
mankind for generations to come.
This villainy, cowardice, and/or stupidity, perpetuated by most
members of Congress, is only matched
by the ignorance, lethargy, and foolishness of the people who
keep reelecting them.
It is a sorry commentary on our society and our
educational system, that the honor of being given the opportunity
to serve one's country with distinction that we offer those we
elect, (hoping that they might
actually turn out to be our best and brightest), is squandered so
willingly by them.
Of course
this blanket description of Congress is not universal. There are still a few members who aspire to fulfill
their duty, but it appears to this
observer, that those who do are a diminishing breed.
These
representatives send our children off to war, expecting them
to serve, bleed, and die with courage as they face bombs and
bullets, while they themselves seem unable to muster enough courage
to end or distance themselves from the corrupt culture that
permeates their workplace as they are called upon to do the People's
business where they face very little risk to life or limb.
One must
conclude that members of Congress consider themselves, their institution
and their constituents worthy of contempt. Our
representatives have apparently decided that they can do
without the personal satisfaction of knowing that they've done
a job well; and they seem content to do without the self-respect
that comes with being able to maintain one's integrity in the face of,
admittedly, significant temptation. What can one say?
Apparently
this is the way it will remain until we as citizens value our
own freedom and our own need for self respect. I suppose
if we keep voting for people who are set on betraying
themselves and us, we deserve what we get.
___________
Notes:
Suggestions
concerning what every
Congressperson could do that they are not now doing...
1.
Insist that members of present and former administrations be
investigated, and if appropriate, prosecuted, for the high crimes
and misdemeanors they commit.
As long as some people are above the law, the Constitution is
a damaged and uninspiring commodity. The Constitution
has been desecrated and it needs to be restored.
2.
Insist that the public be made aware of illegitimate systems and procedures in place in Congress.
It doesn't work that some members of Congress are given more
access to information, more power to influence legislation, or
more power to set budgets or determine foreign policy
than other members. All members have the same
responsibility to constituents and the country. What we
have now undermines our democracy. It doesn't make sense
that some members have higher security clearance than
others. Many thousands of people have top security
clearance and yet some of our elected lawmakers who have
oversight responsibility are denied access to information they
need to do their jobs. Who has the right to say that some
representatives are more qualified than others to know what
their government is up to as they do the People's
business. That only means that some communities are
better represented than others and that some representatives
have more power than others because of some secret and
hidden processes determined by individuals who are
unaccountable and un-elected by the people. It doesn't
make sense in a legitimate democracy for this to
continue.
3.
Insist that there be an appropriate accounting for monies
spent by all government agencies and departments. Every
government agency ought to be subject to audit using the most
stringent accounting procedures possible. How the People's
money is spent must not be a secret, save for a very limited
amount dealing with legitimate national security purposes.
4.
Insist that an independent truth commission be formed to fully
bring to light the crimes and
improper conduct of our troops, government officials, and
private contractors particularly as they relate to the instigation and
implementation of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
5. Insist
that a permanent independent study group or department of
government be formed to report to the People as to what
government processes are damaging our republic and what steps
might be taken to correct them. Government itself ought
to have a formal process by which it is engaged in self
awareness, the process and results of which, to be broadcast
and published for all to see and hear. Members of our
government are answerable to us. We need to know what
they are doing, how they are doing it, and what needs to be
done to put our house in order. They seem to be totally
incapable of doing it themselves.
6. Work
diligently to promote and ratify the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights to have it incorporated into
US law.
On Citizenship
Simple, not
easy
Return to
Commentaries
|