By Greg Tafel
Follow the money. This was the advice given to Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward by their FBI source when they were investigating Watergate. Using this phrase as their mantra, they were able to get to the bottom of the story and helped bring about the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
Follow the money. “The Swamp” is an HBO documentary about fundraising within our House of Representatives. At a time when the approval rating for the legislative branch runs at a dismal 25%, it provides a scary look into why Congress seems so ineffective. It chronicles the activities of three Republican congressmen: Matt Gaetz (Fla.) Thomas Massie (Ky.), and our own Ken Buck (Colo.). Gaetz is an engaging, outspoken, media savvy participant who revels in this quagmire where, according to the filmmakers, House committee chairmanships and placements are determined by the amount of funds raised by each position seeker. You learn that these posts are assigned to the highest bidder. Since 1995 both parties have been employing this practice. Massie prides himself on ranking 435th out of 435 representatives in the amount of money he raises and refuses to participate in the lobbyist circus. While Buck has never won my vote in his tenure, his stance concerning the power of the special interests has earned my respect. He is wearying of the fight to bring a saner fiscal policy to our government.
Follow the money. The present state of affairs with our Congress requires a swift and drastic overhaul. How is it possible that when surveys show that the general public supports issues such as gun control, universal health care, fair immigration reform (DACA), funding for the U.S. Postal Service, and measures addressing climate change at a minimum 70% rate, laws are not passed reflecting these preferences? I believe it is because these desires run contrary to those of the special interests who value profits over people. Congress has become “The Swamp.”
Follow the money. Make America Great Again wasn’t the only slogan used by the Trump campaign in 2016. He also promised to “drain the swamp!” His four years in office tell a different story. Many of his closest advisers and appointees come from the very heart of “The Swamp.” Their primary qualification for these jobs was their ability and willingness to donate large sums of money to Republican causes. These include Gordon Sondland (ambassador to the European Union) who donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee; Betsy DeVos, the worst secretary of Education in history, who was a large donor to Trump’s campaign; and our new Postal Service chief, donor Louis DeJoy, who not only is dismantling the USPS in a blatant attempt to hinder mail-in balloting but also owns a $30 million stake in a company (XPO Logistics) that is a USPS competitor and possible benefactor if the post office goes under. Other examples abound.
Follow the money. What can be done to nullify these practices? I have a few suggestions:
1) Publicly fund all national political campaigns. By taking the dark money out of politics and making each representative/senator more accountable to constituents and less influenced by lobbyists, our elected officials can focus on needed legislation.
2) Institute term limits for Congress. Our Founding Fathers did not intend to create career politicians. Fresh ideas, new perspectives, and service to our country are not bad concepts. Currently, 35 states have term limits for their governors and legislatures while 23 states have limited congressional terms.
3) Reform archaic Senate rules. Eliminate the filibuster as a method for the minority to disrupt the majority. Respect must be paid to minority views and rules need to exist that try to guarantee fairness but the filibuster is outdated and unnecessary.
These are only a few steps that might lead us to a return to the meaning behind Lincoln’s memorable words: “that the government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Follow the money.
Greg Tafel is a retired St. Vrain Valley Social Studies Teacher/Coach
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Greg Tafel: Follow the money - Longmont Times-Call
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