Tuesday, August 26, 2008

How do Americans feel about crooked politicians?

Just for the fun of it, let's take a look at a handful of articles and posts across the nation recommending potential solutions for ending corruption in politics.

Brad Carver, a humor therapy consultant over at Ezine, tells readers, "Why do we sit idly by and let politicians run our country and our lives into the ground? Why do we sit and watch them sell off our country to foreign trade? Why do they do it? Don’t they care at all about the people who voted for them? The answer to that question is a resounding NO. They only care about themselves and nothing more. And the reason we sit and watch them do it is because we don’t know what to do, and they know it. They know that once they’re elected we will go on back to our lives and not keep up with what they’re doing in Washington, so they can get away with murder." Carver has some interesting observations on why people cast ballots for candidates.

He's a strong advocate for adopting a "voter exam" to ensure that voters got it together before they cast their ballots: Check out his article at http://ezinearticles.com/?Crooked-Politicians&id=673895

Tony Phyrillas is the city editor and political columnist for The Mercury, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper in Pottstown, Pa. He recently posted the following warning to wayward politicians on his blogs: "Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman has announced the formation of a public corruption unit within her office.The goal is to investigate allegations of malfeasance on the part of public officials.The unit will probe complaints from the public regarding elected officials or people in positions of trust who may have violated the public trust for their own financial benefit or simply for power." http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/pottstown/TonyAP/2008/08/crooked-politicians-beware.html Original "DA creates corruption unit" article can be read here: http://www.timesherald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19904050&BRD=1672&PAG=461&dept_id=33380&rfi=6

Utne reader has a different approach: "Say your elected official is exposed for corruption. What’s a community to do? Demand repeated tearful apologies? Procure a tough conviction, only to see it quietly reduced to a negligible fee once the cameras are off? Even challenging a crooked pol in an election can be surprisingly difficult."

Simon Graves, a Miami pastor, has a more original idea: Require corrupt officials to take a seat on a dunking stool, and sell tickets to help replace the money their mischief cost the public. http://www.utne.com/2008-01-16/Politics/Washing-Away-the-Sins-of-Crooked-Politicians.aspx?blogid=30

Hmm, Mayor Kilpatrick of Detroit is under investigation for perjury and obstruction of justice in a whistle blower suit that cost Detroit taxpayers $8.4 million dollars. I wonder, just how many "dunks" Mayor Kilpatrick would have to take to replace the money his mischief cost the public...

:)




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