Ethics

Both of our political parties in the Congress have been tainted by corruption and cronyism. The result has been growing cynicism on the part of American voters. The confidence of voters in the integrity and motivates of their elected leaders must be restored.

In January 2009 Congress must pass strong ethics legislation to identify and rout-out existing corruption.

• Establish a permanent House Ethics Committee with sufficient budget to oversee investigations of all alleged ethics violations by Members of the House of Representatives.
• Affirm the right and responsibility of all American citizens to bring allegations of ethics violations against any Member of the House of Representatives and to have their charges fully investigated by a Federal Law enforcement agency within 21 days.
• Require that the Ethics Committee act on all law enforcement recommendations by voice vote with a minimum of 51% of votes need to dispose the charges.

Rooting out existing corruption will not, alone, restore the confidence of the American people in their elected leaders. More must be done.

• Require greater transparency of elected officials including posting of their daily calendars so that constituents know who they meet , talk with, and learn from.
• Require legislators to post information concerning the employment of immediate family members by an lobbying organization or any PAC (political action committee).
• Abolish the use of earmarks – which are a back-door source of campaign funds and a “weapon” of incumbency.
• Publically fund campaigns so that the corrupting influence of both business lobbyists and labor union PACs are removed from the process.
• Require legislators to maintain their primary residence in their home district so that they (i.e. the representative) are continually reminded where they come from, what their responsibility is, and who sent them to Washington.