We could title this post “WHEN THE BEST INTENTIONS GO AWRY” but there is little humor here. The Founding Fathers worked carefully to craft a form of government that would last forever. The principles of fairness, equality, freedom, property ownership and other positive specifics became almost an obsession for the drafters of the US Constitution, its Amendments and the Bill of Rights. Fast forward to 2022. The three “separate but equal” branches of government concept is failing. Congress, the legislative branch, can pass laws that can be voided/changed by any judge in any jurisdiction. SCOTUS candidates can lie under oath to Congressional vetting committees and not be liable for their criminal perjury. We had a president impeached twice and the trials were a failure because several individuals refused Congressional subpoenas and refused to provide over 10,000 documents. They were not punished for ignoring the lawfully executed appearance demands. And we have basically 50-50 split in Congress–virtually guaranteeing that nothing is accomplished. This guarantee comes from the mouth of the minority leader in the Senate who stated that his entire purpose is to oppose ANY presidential initiative during the current presidency. Would it appear that taking an oath of office is really a waste of time? 250 years ago our Founding Fathers never anticipated these kinds of antics and so they never felt the need to establish specific procedural requirements and penalties for failure to comply. It seems that our ethical standards have slipped outside historical levels. Put another way, can you imagine Abraham Lincoln saying “I can shoot someone on 5th avenue in New York City and not be prosecuted”? Or John Kennedy asking “Can you just find me 11,700 more votes?” Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent, you should be concerned. When elected individuals prioritize self-interest over public interest any action is justifiable–in their opinion.
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