Ethics and Government

On December 2, 2010, New York Representative Charles Rangel was censured by the House of Representatives.  He became the twenty third member of Congress to be so dishonored.  The last censure occurred thirty years ago.  It's not exactly the way the way the Harlem Democrat envisioned the end of  his forty year career.  It isn't clear when the elderly Rangel will finally decide to hang up his political fedora, but even his indictment prior to the November 2, elections did not seem to make much difference to his constituents who re elected him again. 

Mr. Rangel, was  the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee until this past March. This prestigious position  made him the chief tax writer in the country.  What many did not know was that Mr. Rangel himself was a tax cheat.  He was found guilty of not paying taxes on his  beachfront rental villa in the Dominican Republic, for seventeen years.  Rangel was also accused of using a rent controlled residential apartment at Lenox Terrace, which he used as office space for Rangel for Congress and National Leadership PAC.  Initially there were 13 charges against him, but one of the most egregious ones was the fact that he used government letterhead and staff to solicit contributions to the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York.


In other words the man who headed the committee  making important decisions affecting us, the taxpayers of America, was himself cheating the government, and all he got for it was a censure from his colleagues.  Had he been a common man, who simply couldn't pay his taxes, his punishment would have been much more severe. We're conditioned to believe that "you don't fool around with the IRS."


 Did no one ever think to audit Congressman Rangel?  Sister One and her husband who are nowhere near Mr. Rangel's economic league, have been audited two years in a row. We can  attest that it is a harrowing process gathering all the documentation to present to the IRS, yet,  it is followed by an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction to know that all is in order and all the proper taxes have been paid.


Had Mr. Rangel been a Republican, he would have been the butt of every comedian's jokes, and the media would have held on to that story like a dog with a bone.  Instead the  leftist media has decided to take pity upon Mr. Rangel and people like Joe Scarborough and Katie Couric have publicly lamented the fact that Mr. Rangel would be humiliated thusly.  Aw!


We feel no pity for Mr. Rangel.  As supporters of term limits we feel that Mr. Rangel was long overdue to retire.  Forty years of fleecing the government and getting rich at the public's expense is enough.  What is sad is that his constituents don't know the difference, and they keep sending him back for more.


The Rangel saga has been in the news for months.  Don't we elect men and women to go to Washington, D.C. to serve us, and to represent us?  What lessons in integrity are we teaching future generations when those who hold high office behave as criminals, and are singled out for misconduct and lacking in ethics?


Ethics and integrity in government are extremely important.  Perhaps as this new Congress convenes to legislate on such issues as health care reform, education reform, immigration reform, tax reform, and all other considerations on their agenda, they might think of adding ethics reform to the list.  Who knows, they might just set an example, put a stop to our moral decline, and make us a better country.  One can hope!


Readers can reach 2Sisters @ SisterOne46@yahoo.com

 

Don't Hold Back, John!

We are anxious to see John Boehmer sworn in as Speaker of the House.  The next two years promise to be exciting, especially with Boehmer in charge.  He is as candid and plain spoken as Nancy Pelosi is devious and rambling.  When Boehmer used the term "chicken crap" we thought some journalists would have apoplexy.  He called a spade a spade and no one has been able to credibly refute his statement.  The Democrats in the House are going to spend the entire month of December posturing and putting on a dog and pony show for voters.  In the end we know their actions are futile.  They simply don't have the numbers.

December 03, 2010

Boehner calls House tax vote 'chicken crap'
American Thinker Blog
Rick Moran


Mr. Boehner is being far too kind in his assessment. In a slap in the face to voters, the lame duck Democratic House passed a bill that would extend the Bush tax cuts for everyone - everyone, that is, except those who the liberals have designated as having enough money already:
The House voted 234-188 Thursday to pass legislation that would extend only some of the expiring Bush-era tax cuts, sending the bill to the Senate.


Twenty Democrats broke with their party and voted against the bill after 33 had defected in a previous test vote. Most of those who voted with Republicans on the first ballot were members of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, and many lost their bids to be reelected last month.


Speaker Pelosi gaveled the vote to a close herself, receiving a smattering of applause from Democratic members. The bill extends only the cuts for the middle-class, letting tax breaks end for families earning more than $250,000 per year and individuals making more than $200,000. Congress originally authorized the cuts in 2001 and 2003.


Three Republicans, Walter Jones (N.C.), Ron Paul (Texas) and John Duncan (Tenn.), voted with Democrats to renew only the middle-class cuts.


Senate Republicans have enough votes to filibuster the proposal, making it highly unlikely it will pass through the upper chamber and onto President Obama's desk.


Aside from the nutty idea of raising taxes on anybody in the middle of a recession, the bill would kill economic activity across a broad front. It appears that Democrats would rather play class warfare games than do what's best for the economy.
With the senate unlikely to act, it will be up to the new congress to extend the tax cuts for all. It appears that the GOP will compromise a bit and make the high bracket tax cut extension a temporary one, but that's better than allowing everyone's taxes to skyrocket next year.


There will be a chance to make them all permanent in 2012 - if the Republicans can take the White House and the senate.