USA Today's harsh words for unethical Members of Congress
By Kirstin Ellison
Posted on Wed Oct 18, 2006 at 03:58:17 PM EST
Like most Americans whose names don't rhyme with Back Sabamoff, USA Today is disgusted with the state of politicians' "shameless money schemes."
Congress is supposed to be a body of public servants -- people who pass up more lucrative professions for a chance to influence policy and improve constituents' lives.
These days, however, it is getting harder to see the sacrifice in congressional service. An extraordinary number of representatives and senators -- well beyond the proverbial few bad apples -- are devising schemes to supplement their annual $165,200 benefit-rich pay packages.
The schemes, often entered into with a breathtaking audacity and sense of personal entitlement, are corrosive to democracy, injurious to the reputations of the many honest and diligent lawmakers, and illustrative of the adage that power corrupts.
They go on to classify some of the tactics used in these dishonest practices: nepotism, as symbolized by Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA), undisclosed land or investment incentives, as represented by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Harry Reid (D-NV) - to which list I would add Sen. George Allen (R-VA) - and direct action taken by the likes of Reps. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) and Charles Taylor (R-NC) to steer favorable legislation towards endeavors that they directly benefit from.
And that's not even getting started on Jefferson, Cunningham, and Ney. As USA Today points out:
Some of these schemes are legal, but members of Congress shouldn't be operating under the standard that anything short of an indictable offense is acceptable...
...Members need to refocus their efforts on the big issues of government, rather than micromanaging what firms win what minor contracts and which individuals benefit as a result. And for those who seem to have forgotten the difference between right and wrong, voters will have an opportunity in three weeks to remind them.
Cheers to that sentiment.
Tags: Ethics in Government, USA Today, Robert Menendez, Harry Reid, George Allen, Alan Mollohan, Charles Taylor, William Jefferson, Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, Curt Weldon, bribery, scandal, nepotism (all tags)
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