Collins: Lousy Leaders & How to Get Rid of Them

Monday, 8 October 2007, 10:19 pm
Opinion: Michael Collins

Hey, hold on there! Who says we have lousy leaders? Just about everybody. Between 40% and 60% of voting age citizens stay away form the polls in just about every election. In 2004, there were 221 million voting age citizens and 44 % of them, 98 million people, chose not to vote. Of the 226 million potential voters in 2006, a whopping 62%, 141 million people, stayed home.

When you ask why they chose not to vote, the common answer is “it makes no difference, they’re all a bunch of crooks.” If “no difference” were a candidate, he or she would win every election.

Why don’t we hear more about this huge voting block, “no difference?” Because an open discussion of the year in and year out refusal of half of those 18 and older to participate throws cold water on the legitimacy of every president and elected representative that we have.

No matter who they are, the elected consistently lack the endorsement of around half the population that stayed home plus somewhat less than half of those who voted since those voters chose another candidate. The right to govern is consistently granted by around 25% of the voting age citizens in presidential elections and 20% or less in off year elections.

It’s obvious. The Money Party doesn’t want us to vote. Its members, those few individuals and corporations who control most of the wealth, fund, elect, and control candidates who act in ways that cause people to say: “Forget about it. There’s no difference between any of them, they’re all a bunch of crooks.”

Let’s take a look at what happened after the 2006 elections.

We have a president and a co-president who are on record as saying that they don’t care what we think and a Congress that gave these politically deaf, dangerous men the same authority to attack Iran that was given to attack Iraq. Come on down Bush-Cheney, here’s your blank check for a brand new war!

What a strange elixir power is, a drug that apparently intoxicates and transforms those elected as they’re sworn into federal office. We, “the little people,” matter not to the few who cruise the corridors of power.

Leaders who fail to respond to the obvious sentiment of the public are lousy leaders, plain and simple. Their inadequacy is even more obvious when they fail to do much of anything that benefits the general public, all the while adding to the incomes of the corporations and individual donors who placed them in power. Even as the corporate media continue to prop up the government by down playing the real news, the general public knows that they have a tyrant at the top and enablers in supporting roles.

Citizens made to feel helpless are the essential ingredient needed to maintain the sham governments we get, the lousy leaders who shamelessly ignore the general welfare while diligently filling the public trough for their patrons in The Money Party.

Citizens who become outraged when lied to are the essential ingredient needed to retire the money party and take control of their own destinies.

What can we do about this?

How about this? Make them all sign an employment contract. We’ve forgotten that they’re our “public servants.” Let’s get everybody voting, including the powerful “no difference” block.

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A Contract with the Citizens United States of America

Required for every elected official without exception.

In order to serve in public office, I _____________________ agree to the following:

1) I will provide a designated independent auditing agency with a list that includes: all of my campaign contributors; all of my present and past business associates; all of my relatives and close friends; and anyone or any entity (company, union, etc.) that might approach me with a proposal for legislation, regulation, or other action that would result in the use of my influence and position for their benefit. I will continuously update this list and I agree that it will be made public.

2) I agree that any specific action I take requested by and for the benefit of any of the named individuals and entities or others is an instance of undue influence and betrayal of the public trust. Further, I agree that taking a job with or taking direct or indirect payment from any of those listed after leaving office is an instance of undue influence and betrayal of the public trust.

3) I will provide an itemized detail of any and all communication of any type that involves those listed in clause one or those who should have been listed as determined by the independent auditing agency should it be requested. I agree that all of these records will be made public.

4) I authorize any of those involved in any investigation to turn over any records concerning me if questions arise about undue influence due to my relationship with them. I also agree to fully open my records and staff, paid and unpaid, to interrogation by the auditing agency. I will not interfere in this process in any way whatsoever. I understand that any interference by me in the investigation is also an instance of undue influence and betrayal of the public trust.

5) If the independent auditing agency determines that I should be tried for “undue influence and betrayal of the public trust,” I agree that I will stand trial before a randomly selected, representative body of citizens and abide by their decision on my guilt of innocence. I further agree that this trial will last no more than one business day, eight hours, and that it will be televised on C-Span and any other network that chooses to air all or part of it.

6) I agree that I will resign and never seek public office again if the citizen panel determines that I am guilty of undue influence and betrayal of the public trust. I will also pay whatever fine is determined by the citizen jury. If the offense occurs after I leave office, I agree to an immediate period of two continuous years of service overseas in the Peace Corps and that I will never again seek public office and pay the fine levied. I further agree that I will not appeal the decision to any outside authority after the citizens make their decision.

This I swear:

____________________________________
Candidate for Public Office / Office Holder

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This is just common sense. Elected office is a critically important trust. Those who serve have a major impact on all citizens. We all have to sign some sort of employment contract or work under rules that are, in essence, a contract. Why not the same deal for those who seek the honor of serving in elected office? Why not put them to the test when they say “we vote our conscience and not the interests of our contributors”? Why not make them truly accountable to us? How many insincere politicians would sign up for this type of scrutiny? How many would survive it?

Put the people back in charge through real accountability on the part of elected officials and provide clear consequences for undue influence that betrays the public trust.

ENDS

Image Credit: 2politicaljunkiies.blogspot.com

Previously: The Money Party (1). The Essence of our Political Troubles

Note: The Republic of Venice had a similar contract (promissione) for their leaders. It was a very serious pledge since a violation meant the leader would be banished from Venice, by far the wealthiest, most advanced, and tolerant nation-state for several hundred years. It worked and most everybody did very well most of the time which is why Venice was called The Most Serene Republic.

Permission to reprint this article in whole or part with a link to the original article in Scoop Independent News and attribution of authorship to Michael Collins.

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