Washington’s top politicians make out in a cesspit of corruption

“The U.S. Constitution begins with the words ‘We, the people, ‘ and goes on to frame a government that is supposed to be their servant.  It’s time Washington was reminded of who serves who.” Editorial, ‘Washington conducts public business for private gain’, The  Examiner, November 20, 2011

For voters who keep their eyes open, this past fortnight has offered several reminders about the disease that plagues their capital city. The sewers are overflowing as the rats come out to play at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

On November 10, 2011, President Barack Obama was confronted with a choice between a decision that would quickly create at least 20,000 new domestic jobs or one that would ensure millions of dollars flowing into his already groaning campaign coffers. Which decision do you think that the Chief Rat made?  Right on! Campaign coffers massively outweigh this alpha rat’s concern for working Americans!  After all, he is the Godfather of the business of politics and must lead by example.

So, from the White House, President Obama rejected the opportunity to move forward with the $7 billion Keystone XL oil pipeline  prior to the 2012 elections. Almost certainly, the project is now terminated forever should Obama win that  re-election. In making the decision, Obama ignored the plea of his Canadian counterpart, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who of course, will play no (overt) role in America’s upcoming  elections.

Obama’s rent-protecting decision was met with wild enthusiasm from environmental lobbyists who support his clean energy  policies – who love windmills and the sun  and who have funded Obama generously in recent years.  One might have thought that the President had already tied up their votes and campaign monies with the $20 billion of  taxpayer hand-outs that he has brazenly sloshed their way since January 2009. The Chief Rat still feels the need to shore up that apparently fragile coalition.

Two past Speakers of the House of Representatives were also center-stage in the Washington sewers last week, as a result of revelations from Peter Schweizer’s book, Throw Them All Out. Democrat Speaker, Nancy Pelosi and her rent-seeking husband, cashed in big time by securing special access to an initial public offering of Visa stock, even as the House, under her leadership, refused to move forward with  important credit card industry reforms. One does not need to guess which direction that stock issue took when the good news came out of Congress.  

Similarly, Republican Speaker, Dennis Hastert bought a piece of land back home, then used an earmark to channel federal funds to build an adjacent highway. Hastert more than doubled his money when he sold the land shortly after the highway was completed. Of course, Hastert is not in the same league as the Pelosis. But then his surname does not end in a vowel.

The President and the Congress can prosper in the sewers to an extent not available to the People, because they operate above the law. They are exempt from many of the laws that the People must obey, including notably those governing insider trading. Former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, summed up the situation on November 18, 2011 writing in The Wall Street Journal:

“the corruption isn’t confined to one political party or just a few bad apples.  It’s an endemic problem encompassing leadership on both sides of the aisle.  It’s an entire system of public servants feathering their own nests.”

No wonder that there is no evident enthusiasm on either side of the political aisle for a Palin presidential campaign.  She has the temerity to rat out all the rats and to disclose the true extent of the Washington sewer system.

Tags: Barack Obama, dennis Hastert, environmental lobby, Keystone XL pipeline, land deals, Nancy Pelosi, political corruption, the People, Visa stock