The Real Culture Of Corruption

People need to wake up and start to get it in this country. If we don't, we are going to continue to get it from our politicians. Somehow, we all need to become better at not simply playing stakeholders in democracy, but stockholders in governance with the attention and subsequent demands stockholders exhibit everyday within the private sector.

Government does not manufacture, it does not produce, or earn wealth. The American people do. From that wealth, our wealth, a certain amount of it is invested into the institutions of governance resident in our state capitols - and most especially Washington, DC.

Without our accumulated hard-earned wealth to support and fund it, Washington has and would offer nothing as it stands alone. But look at how we are often treated? Time after time we read headlines on politicians who behave as though they stand above us somehow. Laws and regulations we are forced to abide by often times don't even apply to them.

The all but permanent professional class of politicians we are encumbered with today was never in a million years what the Founders had in mind. Between splitting us apart on issues and telling us government is too complex for the layperson to understand, we are lulled into a false sense of inferiority. Yet like dutiful little worker bees, we continue to produce incredibly well, only to see an almost ruling elite dictate how much and how often they take what is rightfully ours away.

We're victims of our own success in many ways. Our standard of living is beyond compare and the comfort so many of us live in makes it easy to just go along. That trend has now gotten to a point where vast numbers of Americans don't even pay attention to what it is they are going along with. Like somewhat well paid servants of government, they just go blindly about their way.

Public service? I don't know. Increasingly it is looking like the politicians of both parties are the public and it is we who are serving them. Somehow we are going to have to find a way to take this country back from the professional politicians, or we are going to completely lose the from the bottom up dynamic of democratic governance which has always made America great.

Tapscott has more, with the details and the names.

Comments

[Otis]

One name stands proud as an anti-porker, and that is Russ Feingold. Feingold is a true American hero.

[CitizenDick]

This is something to be said for immediate execution of certain types of criminals...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/05/04/annoyed.juror.ap/index.html

[Go Air Force!]

Otis, I agree about Feingold. I'm conservative, and while socially he and I would not get along, there is little else to dislike about him as far as his attitudes towards government go.

Citzen Dick: I know you're joking, but you are of course wrong. While it would be an utter shame if Ryan walked on the basis of this, immediate execution is a wrong, unfair, and bad idea unless you're rapidly tryiing to extinguish a political movement. It was right after WWII, but wrong in the trial of a corrupt American governor.

[Amen]

Great commentary. You told it like it is. Now, if only we the people will do something about it.

[IMHERE]

Term limits and pension caps.

[Bill]

First step:

Go read this in its entirety: www.rapeoftheconstitution.com

Then pick up a nice clean copy of the Constitution and all the writings listed in the above and read them. Then sit back and critically evaluate what you have learned and get your butt in gear doing something.

Term limits = never vote for an incumbent!

[Bill]

First step:

Go read this in its entirety: www.rapeoftheconstitution.com

Then pick up a nice clean copy of the Constitution and all the writings listed in the above and read them. Then sit back and critically evaluate what you have learned and get your butt in gear doing something.

Term limits = never vote for an incumbent!

[Bryce]

Very timely post given the Porter Goss resignation today.

[Annie]

Goss is a scum bag:

Ken Silverstein reports at Harper's blog on the spreading Cunningham-Wade-Wilkes prostitute scandal. He says more lawmakers, past and present, are being investigated. Sounds like he thinks House Intel Chair-turned-CIA Director Porter Goss is one of them

[annie]

Don't know who this 'Annie' is, but it aint me!!