I'm really sick of corruption
Seriously, how could Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens not realize he was getting a deal on home improvements.
Looking at the photos, before and after, and tell me anyone would really believe all that could be done for so. Honestly. I went from a 1,200 square foot home to one encompassing 10 rooms and three baths.
For me it’s all disappointing. I want people in charge to put personal value in honesty and integrity, not selling themselves, and their constituents, short for more than $250,000 in free home renovations and other gifts.
I think it’s a safe bet to say Steven’s won’t win the reelection, even though he’s going to still take the time to further disgrace voters and continue campaigning. And, even though the Senate hasn’t ousted him, I really hope leaders start looking at what this kind of corruption looks like and how it further makes residents not believe in the system.
However, upon reading numerous articles on the senator’s recent conviction on seven corruption charges, I think the thing that shocked me the most is that we as a nation have a system that allows felons to be acting members of the Senate (well, maybe not allow, but a felony record doesn’t necessarily bar one either), and that fellow Senators have historically not voted a member out once convicted.
Come on now. Is this really how we want to be running our country? I think it’s time for us to start saying this sort of behavior is simply not OK, and start holding officials accountable, not just with the law, but also be taking away their power once they abuse it.
Stevens knew exactly what he was getting. He’s a crook, and it is symptomatic of a system in which corruption grows with each passing successful re-election campaign. Each time, elected officials get more and more comfortable skirting the rules because they convince themselves their presence in Washington is very much needed and worth the means to get there.
Power corrupts and as members of congress get more and more senior, the temptations get larger in direct proportion to that power.
We don’t hold officials accountable as long as they continue to “bring home the bacon.”
This will never change, and spending and its inherent corruption will continue to be out of control until we enact TERM LIMITS. Remove the chance for re-election and you remove most of the reasons politicians become corrupt.
Shorter, single-term service will mean better people there to serve the nation, not perpetuate their own delusions of grandeur. This line in your post says it all:
“…fellow Senators have historically not voted a member out once convicted.”
Why not? Because doing so only means they will suffer the same fate when their misdeeds are discovered. The Senate’s primary purpose these days is to protect the power, and the lifestyle, of being in the Senate. Even over partisan politics, this is job one. That’s why William Jefferson has never gotten the boot, or Ted Kennedy, or why Stevens probably won’t get the boot. No one wants to be on record as condemning bad behavior since they all are guilty of it. That is how they protect themselves from the charge of hypocrite. Not by being good, but by refusing to denounce bad.
Sick, isn’t it?
So NOw that it’s been determined that the charges against stevens were false…Would you two like to apologize for Assuming Guilt before the guy had a chance to defend himself?
Whatever happened to that Innocent until proven guilty Canard…
I would love for you to do the same column on the Democrats that created this Sham prosecution.
Seriously…Show some integrity.
Woot Woot. I will do that column.