“[I]t is essential to liberty that the government in general should have a common interest with the people, so it is particularly essential that [Congress] should have an immediate dependence on, and an intimate sympathy with, the people.”
James Madison
Federalist #52
Senatorial retirements along with Congressional retirements are beginning to add up as the 2010 off year campaigns are beginning. As these seats come open, I ask myself,”why are so many life long politicians leaving the “scene of the crime?”
Leaving the scene of a hit and run crime(especially with injuries/deaths) is a felony in every state of the union. Most if not all defendants receive long sentences.
Even though I am not legally able to take the houses of congress to court for hit and run crimes, I believe they have committed social crimes against our country over the many years of public service. I must say that all I have left, is the evidence of crimes against the population. Those crimes listed below should be enough to convict every congressman or senator that had their hands in the backpockets of the American taxpayers, and financially crippled the lives of future taxpayers, namely our children, and their children’s children.
What crimes pray tell? The national debt of 13 trillion dollars for one. This debt alone has endangered our financial sovereignty and discombobulated and endangered the future of our country’s fiscal policy.
The 74 Trillion dollar unfunded liability that Medicare should have in the bank right now to fund claims, along with the unfunded Social Security liability that our country is facing with an onslaught of mass retirements. These 2 programs have an unfunded liability of 107 trillion dollars and our elected leaders have knowingly allowed it.
The mother of all behemoths, a national health care reform bill that will surely fail the American people over the long term, yet cost them more of their precious hard earned income in taxes than all other social programs combined.
I am most cynical and skeptical of both parties in Washington DC. They have consistently put the interests of a few ahead of the interest of the masses. They have bought and sold votes on important legislation, like sailors trolling for whores on shore leave. Not to demean sailors, just a figure of speech.
They have passed laws for themselves that help them enjoy the trappings of their elected office paid for by the taxpayers of this country with indifference, and total disregard to costs.This has created an air of arrogance that stifles their sense of right and wrong and their inability to hear the call of the masses “enough is enough.”
The National Taxpayers union had this to say about the perks of our federal and national leaders..
Since the founding of the Republic, Americans have had a healthy skepticism of the concentration of power. The Framers of the Constitution understood the historical importance of maintaining a connection between government and the governed. Through the first three Articles of that document they established a framework of government that aimed to prevent the disproportionate accumulation of influence in one branch of government or one body of people.
A lesser-known but likewise important current in American political history has been the ongoing struggle to prevent the disproportionate accumulation of privilege in government. In no other area of our public sector has this battle taken more prisoners, inflicted more collateral damage on the public, or defied more attempts at “peaceful” resolution, than the United States Congress.
The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a “perquisite” as “something additional to regular profit or pay,” or a “gratuity,” or “something claimed as an exclusive right.” Through the years, lawmakers have employed any and all of these descriptions in various commentaries on their system of “perks.” Yet, the very nature of public office requires a somewhat more expansive definition, for reasons which this paper will outline and hopefully justify.
If I was serving in either house and saw this man made tsunami of problems that I had a hand in, I would be high tailing it out of Washington too. Maybe some of these lawmakers are leaving because of personal situations but I have a tendency to believe that most are leaving due to the screams of their voters and the mismangement of their elected duties.
Washington has, and still is, a cesspool of special interest, lobbyists, retired lawmakers, power brokers, money changers all witha sense of elitism and self importance that has caused a stench that would make a normal person’s gag reflex work overtime.
It is up to me, and you, and everyone else who cares more for this country as a whole, rather than the attitude “what’s in it for me,” to retake the country and help shore up the foundation on which this country was founded, and restore the shining light of hope and prosperity for all to see on the mountain top of freedom.
It may be too late, in some respects, for the water that has passed under this bridge, but it is never too late to vote the scoundrels out.
Related posts:
- Sen. Lincoln: Congress Can Force Americans to Buy Health Insurance Because Constitution ‘Charges Congress With the Health’ of the People
- Congress raises debt ceiling to almost $14 trillion
- Congress keeps their inside trading in stocks lawful
- Special Interest Cash has no Influence on Congress?
- Government ‘Can’t Continue To Exist’ With This ‘Irresponsible’ Federal Spending, Boehner Says