Recently, political analyst Charlie Cook wrote an opinion article about the inability or unwillingness to address the ongoing and seemingly expanding problems House Democrats have in living by ethics guidelines in performing their duties.
Public service should be an honorable endeavor. When our public officials become tainted with corruption, they dishonor their office and disrespect those who elected them to represent us. The American people have grown tired of the same familiar names showing up in the headlines over and over while the House leadership ignores their corruption.
Charles Rangel, Chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee and his refusal to pay his own taxes.
John Murtha, Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee has mismanaged his committee to the point where Cook made this statement: “The Defense Appropriations Subcommittee smells like a cesspool, one that is threatening to foul the entire Democratic Congress. Several subcommittee members look as if they have been engaging in “pay to play,” with campaign contributions being accepted in exchange for earmarks and with government spending decisions linked to jobs or consulting deals for relatives and former staffers.”
The list is long and embarrassing for our nation. In 2006, Nancy Pelosi told us she was going to “drain the swamp” and clean up the ethics problems in Congress. It seems there were a few more gators in the swamp than Speaker Pelosi counted, as she seems unwilling to wade into the mess.
As embarrassing as it is to see members like Murtha and Rangel acting in this manner and thumbing their nose at the people, it is equally shameful that members such as Bart Gordon allow it to happen. Earlier this year, Gordon voted to condone Rangel’s ethical shortcomings, even as Rangel faces a criminal investigation for his failure to pay the taxes he expects you to hand over every April 15. Gordon voted to allow Rangel to continue to serve as Ways and Means Chairman, picking his political buddy over the people of Tennessee.
Tennesseans can do the job Nancy Pelosi and Bart Gordon won’t in November 2010. We can elect a Congressman who will stand up to these corrupt members and restore faith that our government is for the people, not the politicians.
