Progressive Ponderings: Young Turks

12/03/2005

by Joe Mayer
Dec. 3, 2005

“...to restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives.” Thus ends the first sentence of the Republican Contract with America signed by the newly elected “young Turks” in 1994 as the republicans became a majority in the House.  Eleven years later this “bonds of trust” has turned into an ethics fiasco.

The most recent example of this trust involves “buy-a-Congressman” Randy Cunningham, Republican from California.  The charges which led to a guilty plea and Cunningham’s resignation were from the Department of Justice.  House republicans have continually emphasized to us that they have a self-policing Ethics Committee to ensure ethical and legal compliance.  News accounts of Cunningham’s shady dealings caused no alarms among Ethics Committee members. Maybe that’s because the Ethics Committee has been basically non-existent this past year.

When the multiple unethical and illegal dealings of House Majority leader Tom DeLay - who boasted “I am the Federal government” - became public, the Ethics Committee was shamed into at least saying they would investigate.  “Law-unto-himself” DeLay proceeded to disband the committee, and then reorganized it with members who were indebted to him for helping them with political and campaign favors.  That didn’t work for him in the State of Texas where he didn’t have complete control.  When indicted in Texas he threw one of his mature tantrums of being “picked on” because of politics.  The House Ethics Committee is still in limbo.

Cunningham’s problem is that he personally and immediately benefited by selling his vote and by directing government contracts to his constituents who then paid him for these favors.  Although we “proud to be Americans” know deep down that our democracy has been up for sale for a long time, we deceive ourselves in believing that whatever our government does is democracy.  The Cunningham, DeLay, Frist, Libby scandals jolt us only because of their boldness.  We allow ourselves to be convinced it’s only a “few bad apples” when the whole system is “for sale” before our very eyes.

Going back a year or so, Billy Tauzin, Rep., La., and Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, guided the* Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit *legislation to fruition.  Congress and the American public were lied to about the cost; later we learned that pharmaceutical companies benefit more than seniors because it forbids bargaining for the lowest price.  Tauzin then left the House and took the head lobbyist position for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a position rumored to pay him $2 million a year.  This whole procedure is LEGAL.  In the eyes of the “trust seeking” young Turks it must be ethical since they offered no comments, possibly seeing $2 million in their futures.

VP Dick Cheney’s career went from drafts deferments to legislator to work in the administrative branch to CEO of Halliburton (millions per year) to VP in charge of energy company profits.  Again, all legal.  This government to lobbyist to government to corporate executive merry-go-round and the dollars involved is beyond the comprehension of most citizens.

Cronyism has always been a part of our system but today it has reached a stature that threatens our democratic system.  Those involved have no shame. They throw it in our face.  They dare us to do anything about it.

Cunningham, DeLay, Frist, Libby, Tauzin, Cheney barely represent the depth of the problem.  MONEY has corrupted the whole system.  And we supposedly will save the world by peddling our democracy.  The world sees through our “democracy” even if we don’t.  And they’re not buying.

No, Cunningham isn’t the real problem.  The whole ethical process, that it is necessary to even require an Ethics Committee at all, is the scandal.