Congressional Ethics: What We Should Do

This is a question that has been debated more often in recent years as accusations of corruption in our governmental bodies filter to the general public. With the internet becoming such a powerful tool for the passing of information, it is hard to ignore the rumors. Especially when they become more than rumors.

In recent years, the focus of many has narrowed on our elected officials and found them wanting. Accusations of campaign contributions being taken and unreported. Accusations of lobbyists passing bribes and kickbacks to gain critical votes in Congress. Talks of general corruption in anything from business ventures gone bad to unpaid parking tickets and spousal abuse. With all of this going on, can we afford to allow nothing to be said?

These are our Representatives

We, the people, elected these men and women to office. We were the ones who said that, yes; they should be advocates for us in Congress. They had what it took to speak for the majority of their constituency and see that our will was done. We gave them the power to make our lives…and as a result…their lives better. So why is it that some people think we should just step back, say “Oh, well”, and do nothing when these representatives are doing things that are contrary to our will?

We, as citizens, have the right to fair representation in Congress. That does not mean that once the election is over, these people can simply go about their merry way and do whatever they feel like doing, to hell with the consequences. They are there by our leave. To listen to what we say. To know how we feel. They are not there to line their own pockets while the people are forgotten. They are not there to ignore us. They would not even be there if it wasn’t for us, and I believe that many of our Congressional representatives have forgotten that.

Historically, We are a Nation that Questions Authority

Before the United States was a nation, she was a land of colonies beholden to England. We lived under English rule, at the whims of an English monarch and Parliament. At that time, our government resided thousands of miles away, and didn’t rightly care that we had concerns of our own. We had problems that they could not comprehend since they did not know a thing about living in America. The American Colonies had no representation in Parliament to speak for us. It was not permitted; and yet we were taxed just like the rest of the English Empire.