Political Corruption

[fieldmarshaldj]

That's okay... I remember when Strom was still alive and I'd cover the Senate Armed Services Committee. That was early 1990s. Even at that age, he wasn't afraid to flirt. It was amazing to see a guy at that age light up with a pretty girl around.

I was trying to find this classic photo of Strom either on his 98th or 99th birthday where Trent Lott brought in these young attractive women, and Strom got so excited his eyes bugged out of his head like an old Tex Avery cartoon. Some Republicans got mad since he might've gotten so worked up he could've dropped dead of a heart attack on the spot... but I'm sure Strom wouldn't have minded to have gone like that.

[Clobber]

The problem is the way you get elected almost requires hypocrisy, and the way to "fit in" in the beltway requires collusion, with the other party and the lobbyists in an unseemly three-way, at the expense of the taxpayers' interests.

To get elected, you usually have to go through a primary, meaning winning the minds and hearts of the extremists who tend to dominate both parties. So you're extremely right or left and get selected. Then, you go to the general election, and have to appeal to the average, moderate voter. Before you're even in office for one day, you're already a hypocrite on at least on issue, if not many more.

Once you get elected, you have to represent. From the pork side, this means getting your constituents their share. If not, it's not like that share is returned to the taxpayers. It goes to another state. "Returning it to the taxpayers" is not an option to check off.

Another problem is decisions are diluted by the number of people making them. You can't blame any one person for the result of a vote. So every rep is shielded from the moral severity that might weigh down an individual decision. Each rep that votes for a bill that on the net whole hurts the nation, and each rep that votes against a bill that on the net whole benefits the nation, can point to a rider, or a provision, that he can claim explains that vote.

This is why I would like to see a reduced national government, and an increased local government. The government requires supervision by the people. It requires accountability to its shareholders. Without it, abuse of power and corruption, and just plain wasteful spending will persist. Oversight is near impossible for most Americans because of where DC is. Bring many government functions back to the states, to the cities even, where it's more convenient for citizens to monitor.

I am concerned if that's not accomplished, there might be a disbanded national government. Not necessarily in my lifetime or anytime soon. But a breaking point in the tension between the myopic beltway vacuum and the general population will appear eventually; on some issues, it has already appeared.