I found this article, Grimes Staffers Suggest Kentucky Dem Lies About Coal Support, and I think it illustrates the problem with politics today.
Alison Grimes, along with her staff and volunteers, showcase what is inherently wrong with the system of politics in this country today. Project Veritas has a video that starts off with a TV commercial, where Alison Grimes is shown firing a shotgun, then she talks about "not being Barack Obama." She implies she is pro-gun and states she is pro-coal, both of which are make-or-break issues in Kentucky. The rest of the video shows her staff making statements in front of a hidden camera where they admit she has to lie about being pro-coal so she can get elected.
This is wrong on so many levels, primarily in the "Do the right things for the right reasons" category. Let's take this apart piece-by-piece.
First of all, the mindset. If you get elected to any office, you are supposed to be a servant and representative of the people from your district. A voice of their wants, needs and desires. You do not misrepresent yourself to get elected so you can enact your own agenda. You are there to do the work of the People, not yourself. During the process of running for office, a candidate is supposed to state what they truly believe in, their values and principles. You also state what you want to do, if you are elected. If your words convince a majority of the people you would represent to vote for you, then you get to represent them. Again, if you have to lie to get elected, you are not a representative of the people who elected you.
When this great country first enacted the present Constitution, the men who ran for public office saw this as a sacred trust. They were humbled and honored to be elected. They were all businessmen of one sort or another, who would do a few terms and then gracefully bow out and go back to their businesses. Today, this is a cash cow for those who get elected. Top of the line pay, easy work hours, big benefits, and lots of companies and organizations willing to donate to an officials "re-election campaign." Of course, if the official decides to retire, he gets his full pay for life, along with that top-tier medical care, and he (or she) gets to keep what is left over in their campaign funds. Not to mention they can then get a cushy “consulting” job at one of the lobbying organizations as well. I do not know what the mix is for the 535 members of Congress, but I am quite sure a lot of them have never had a significant career outside of the political world.
We are, unfortunately, in the era of “Professional Politicians.” Men and women who have created a government so bloated and complex that only they can understand and control it. And the People are all too happy to let it happen.
And who do we elect? People who think Guam will capsize if we put too many people on it, or think the Constitution is 400 years old. I think Patrick Henry said this very well: “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.” Here’s some of my suggestions:
- No member of Congress is eligible for re-election if a net deficit has occurred during the term of that Congress.
- A Congressperson receives ZERO pay for their work in Congress. They are issued a Food Stamp card like a regular family according to their family income and size along with a free apartment in the Congressional Apartment Building. It’s an 800 square foot studio type apartment. If they need to throw a party or something, there is a communal party area on the roof.
- Congress cannot exempt themselves from any law. Did you know they don’t pay Social Security taxes, as well as a host of other things we have to do that they don’t?
- They must obtain their healthcare through Healthcare.gov.
- They are free to raise as much as they want in re-election campaigns. At the end of every election cycle, any excess funds win-or-lose, are given to the Federal General Fund.
- Any Bills are to be read aloud by the sponsor and co-sponsor(s) when it is introduced. If any amendments or changes are made, the entire bill must be re-read.
- No business can be conducted outside of regular business hours (9 AM to 5 PM local time). This will end those “Midnight bill passing events.”
Those are my “reasonable” ideas. I personally think we should move Election Day to the day after tax day. I won’t specifically say April 16th because they would just change tax day to November.