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Is Anyone on Capitol Hill
Looking Out for the Voters?
Government/Frank
Salvato, Managing Editor |
June 24, 2005
- When US Representative Henry Hyde spoke about the
bill that would penalize the United Nations half the dues it extorts from
the US annually for not embracing reform he included as shocking a statement
that has ever been uttered on Capitol Hill. He alluded to the fact that
those who represent us in Washington DC need to be "good stewards of the
people’s money.” Of course, for this statement of common sense to have any
meaning those in Washington would first have to understand that the money
they "appropriate” isn’t theirs, it’s ours, and that they work for us.
I like Henry Hyde. Some on the left still insist on blaming him for Bill
Clinton’s self-inflicted problems. Clinton’s visits to Monica Lewinski’s "cigaritorium,”
understand the strict interpretation of the law, were Hyde’s thankless
responsibility to investigate and prosecute. He has consistently proven to
be a man driven by common sense, patriotism and the notion that elected
officials should first and foremost look out for their constituency. After
all, the title is that of "public servant,” not political peer of the realm.
Sadly, Henry Hyde is a dying breed. Mr. Hyde is retiring and that will leave
Washington DC with one less reasonable voice committed to representing the
folks back home. He will be missed.
Today’s elected official is working less for those who voted him into office
than he is for his political organization. Both sides of the aisle are
guilty although it is perhaps more prevalent on the side that marches from
the center toward the left onto oblivion. Most of today’s elected
representatives have completely forgotten for whom it is they work.
When the Founding Fathers came up with their "great experiment” they
envisioned those who would populate the halls of Congress as "everymen.”
Serving as an elected official is supposed to be a civic duty. Being elected
to office obligates one to serve the citizenry of one’s state or district,
not a political party or organization.
Increasingly the allure of power has corrupted the men and women on Capitol
Hill. While absolute power corrupts absolutely, the allure of power poisons
clear vision and destroys common sense while pandering to the weakness in
those of little strength. Judging from many of the actions emanating from
Congress, today a great many of our elected officials are ignoring their
duty to their constituents in favor of fulfilling their own ambitions and
over riding concerns.
Instead of being dedicated to appointing judges who are the most
knowledgeable of the law – those who would be the best stewards of the US
Constitution – many in the Senate has chosen to twist the judicial
confirmation hearings of first rate judges into a litmus test favoring
activist rights. The fact that these judges have been given the highest
ratings by their peers and in most cases have been elected by an
overwhelming majority of their constituents is seemingly inconsequential.
Discounting qualified candidates is the mark of a poor constitutional
steward.
The idea of righting the wrong that is the Ponzi scheme of Social Security
has been derailed by those on the left too hell-bent on opposing each and
every idea coming out of George W. Bush’s administration. Calling a plan
that allows for ownership of one’s own hard earned money "risky” and
painting a voluntary investment plan as a "privatization of Social Security”
is hardly being honest with the American people. Quite to the contrary, it
is literally lying to the American people while looking out for powerful
political special interests.
Perhaps the most egregious abuse of the public trust comes in the form of
those in Congress, starved for power, who charge that the President of the
United States "lied” to the American people about the reasons for engaging
in an "illegal war.” The first reason given by President Bush to the United
Nations supporting his move to military use was Hussein’s acts of genocide.
Couple that Hussein’s routine violation of the 1991 cease-fire agreement and
any question of legality for military action becomes moot. Yet their
appetite for power is so overwhelming they would sell out their own country
– and constituents – in their quest to attain it.
Sadly, there are many Americans who are completely fooled by their rhetoric.
As Harry Reid bloviates about being a champion for the minority and Dick
Durbin chokes out a quasi-apology through crocodile tears for equating our
troops with those of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot, we all must ask ourselves a
serious question. Who are these political elitists really working for? You?
Your kids? The men and women protecting us from another September 11th? Or
are they solely working for their political parties and special interest
groups? One phone call to one of their offices to talk about the issues
should answer the question.
Power-hungry ideologues may say they are securing a voice for the minority
in government but what matters most to those so pathetically keen on
attaining power are the rights of the monetarily well-endowed, minority
special interests who show up to political fund raisers with their
checkbooks.
When political parties and special interests are nourished at the expense of
the electorate a representative form of government ceases to exist.
A call for revolution rang out across the land in the mid 1700’s. "No
taxation without representation,” was the cry. Then we were governed by an
aristocracy. If today’s elected representatives are placing the concerns of
their constituents second to those of their political parties I see little
difference between then and now.
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