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Roll Call: Yes, yes, yes to ethics enforcement

By Josh Zaharoff
Posted on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 03:46:50 PM EST

Roll Call (subscription req'd) editorialized in support of the independent ethics office today:

After months of study and a parliamentary balk last week, House ethics reform -- specifically, creation of an independent Office of Congressional Ethics -- could hit the House floor this week. We hope it passes.
In that same issue, Norm Ornstein echoed the ethics call in a column titled, "Boehner's Objections to Ethics Proposal Just a Smokescreen"
The Capuano plan is real reform, and the Boehner objections are a smokescreen.  The idea that having an independent arm of Congress to initiate investigations of ethics violations would be an obstacle to investigations by the FBI is particularly smoke-filled.

And here's Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA).

It is too late to just make cosmetic changes to the current system....  It is time to bring independency and transparency to the ethics enforcement process.


Tags: ethics, ethics in government (all tags)


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Roll Call: Yes, yes, yes to ethics enforcement :: 2 Comments

government coruption

We now realize that supply side economics failed, as the corruption trickled down farther and faster than the money. However, that is what has historically always happened when governments get to large and why socialistic policies seldom work for a prolonged period of time.

Some say HR 895 might be a way in which to defray some government corruption with a Congressional oversight Committee. I don't see a system where only a few can manipulate a judicial process solving this problem. I think we need a system in which private citizens at some level of mass numbers can sign affidavits, kept under privacy that the justice department must take  action against any government officials. Sort of like a massive grand jury. I don't think HR 895 is the answer. It would be just another "independent" government manipulated group.  

Recently the group "We The People" where told by a 3 person appeals court, that the government did not have to respond to a formal Redress of Greivence. Must we settle for this  plutocracy with the king being the Commander and Chief?

There are solutions, but do we have the will to correct the problems?        

by skiprob on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 05:30:33 PM EST


Everybody's Organized But The People

That's a John Gardner saying from back in the early days of Common Cause.  It's still true, given how much special interests have grown in their influence.

The answer to this ethics problem, and all the other problems we face, is for more people to get involved in a mass citizens' movement like Common Cause.  We've proven in the past, time and time again -including Santa Fe, NM just yesterday, that it works.

Join Common Cause and add your voice and your action.

by Ian Storrar on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 05:43:00 PM EST
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