WOULD YOU HIRE THIS CONGRESS TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS?

http://www.newswithviews.com/Slagle/john11.htm

John W. Slagle
October 10, 2006
NewsWithViews.com

On August 19, 1999 Capital Hill Blue, a political news organization performed an in-depth study of the U.S. elected officials who formulate decisions for the nation in Washington DC.

As of 1999 when the study was done, Capital Hill Blue opened with their conclusion by stating the 535 men and women who make up the House and Senate of the United States include, at best, a collection of rogues, con artists, scofflaws and bad check artists. At worst, they comprise, as Mark Twain once observed, a distinct criminal class.

Capital Hill documented the following..

Members who avoided driver’s violations via Congressional immunity 217 (40.5%)
Members who filed bankruptcy on two or more businesses 117 (21.8%)
Members picked up for DUI, but were let go via Congressional immunity 84 (15.7%)
Members with bad credit, unable to get a credit card 71 (13.3%)
Members who can’t pass a Dept of Defense or DOE security clearance 53 (10%)
Members accused of spousal abuse 29 (5.4%)
Members with DUI records (despite congressional immunity) 27 (5%)
Members sued by personal creditors 21 (3.9%)
Members who write bad checks (3.5% even after closing the House Bank) 19
Members with drug related arrests 14 (2.6%)

Eight were arrested for shoplifting, seven for fraud, four for theft, three for assault and one for criminal trespass.

Sexual transgressions, immoral conduct involving minor pages, male and female prostitutes was news worthy for a brief moment and quickly forgotten.

Add to the list, members since 1999 who were sentenced to prison, 8 years or more for bribery, tax evasion, extortion, corruption, scandals, Special Interest payoffs and you have the best Government, money can buy. A one term limit on all elected officials might solve the problem. Honest politicians with true integrity that listen to constituents may be an oxymoron but there are still a few Republicans as well as Democrats that rarely compromise their oath of office or their Nation and believe in the Constitution of the United States of America. These people are true leaders worthy of respect and support far beyond election year nonsense. In Arizona the majority will has made proposition 200 a worthwhile experience.

Present a voter registration card and photo I.D.establishing proof of identity and any person can vote in our district with paper ballots marked with a pen. Simple directions in English and Spanish, and a person can “make a choice of politicos”. Darken the box of the name of the political hopeful and “ go to the next person seeking office. There are no complications and it’s very simple with a paper trail. Even an “X” in a block that is not completely” blocked” is a valid vote.

There is no electronic touch the wrong button confusion, no punch cards, hanging “chads or “flying flutters” that could be voter fraud depending on who or what tabulates the results of an election, but just making a valid mark.

Citizens of this nation vote every four years, with the vast majority unaware of current events or any elected official’s performance in State or National Government. Many people say they are so disgusted with politics in general, they will not bother to cast a ballot in 2006.

This nation needs the best qualified leaders with integrity, from state to state to represent the majority populace, not special interests. Politicians are civil servants with an oath of office to uphold, no different than law enforcement officers. If they violate their oath or engage in criminal activities, lack of trust or inability to do the job, they should be discharged or rightfully imprisoned. Corruption should not be tolerated at any level of the Federal Government. Voter apathy places many long serving “carpetbaggers” in power from both political parties. Votes placed Congressmen and Senators into public office and only votes can dislodge them from their personal “fiefdoms” in November 2006.