While on a recent visit to Moscow, Vladimir, a good Russian friend of mine, and I were walking a block from Red Square. He abruptly stopped on the sidewalk near the State Duma building and spoke emphatically with a heavy accent and in broken English “In this house live most corrupt people in world. They care only about keeping their power, keeping their money and taking care of people who give them money. They care nothing about Russian people”.
What a moment of epiphany for me. It perfectly described the sad, un-American, situation pervasive throughout our government. We have come to this sorry state as a result of institutionalized corruption systemic in our political system, quite the opposite of that envisioned by the founding fathers. Vladimir was in disbelief when I corrected his statement and told him that “in the Duma, lives perhaps one of the two most corrupt groups in the world”. He responded, “But America is the democracy dream that we in the rest of the world wish for ourselves”. If he only knew!
The brilliant system designed by the founding fathers served “the people” fabulously for about 200 years. When John Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”, the citizens of this republic were in step with his philosophy. There was a spirit of the “common good” where individuals sacrificed in every-day life for the country while respecting a capitalist system that allowed each to achieve all he was willing to work for. Civic responsibility, neighbor helping neighbor and knowledgeable participation in the political system were the standard (as well as a civic responsibility). It certainly wasn’t perfect, but the government was truly of the people, by the people and for the people. In most cases, elected representatives served the interests of their constituents and the country at large.
Then sadly, a landmark shift happened a few decades ago. Our citizens awoke espousing self-centeredness and greed and the philosophy of the American Experiment turned upside down. Since then, a common theme has been everyone for himself with no responsible regard for the good of the country or the neighbor. Rather, ask what your country can do for you and then take it. Perhaps worst of all, there is no longer shame in unethical and irresponsible behavior. In Kennedy’s day, corruption and greed by the big guy as well as sponging the system by the little guy were rare. Why, because people contemplating such an act had to look their neighbor in the face and would be ostracized as dishonored and unpatriotic. Today, there is no shame. Rather, it seems that such a person is congratulated and even revered if they have devised a way to beat the system.
And so goes government but why would we expect a different result. The founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they could know that the remarkably-successful 200 years of the American Experiment had been so bastardized in the last thirty. That corruption of the American system has led to a steady decline of the wealth, power, ideology and hope of our nation since that fundamental change. When Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe on the table at the United Nations in the 1950’s and later proclaimed that “We will destroy you”, little could he imagine how correct he was, except for one detail. We ourselves are destroying it from within.
Today, Gallup reports that only 10 percent of the Arizona citizens believe that their elected leaders represent their interests. That is truly sad. What happened to serving the constituents? After all, isn’t that why it’s called “public service”? Rather, just as referenced by Vladimir, our entrenched system of government has become a beast of institutional corruption. Today, “professional” politicians embedded within and indebted to the political machines respond not to the best interests of “the people” but rather to the institutional power bases and mega special interests that provide the funding to keep the politicians in power. And that devil, who expects a return on his investment, receives his self-serving favor that likely has little regard for the best interests of the citizenry. In other words, many or most of today’s politicians respond primarily to the political dynasties that put them in power and the special interests that keep them there. In order to climb the ranks and ultimately be placed on the stage by the party, a politician must prove that he is a team player for the party establishment. Any well-intentioned politician willing to swim upstream would soon drown in the wave of power that would sweep over him.
So, if George Washington were here today, would he pick up his bat and ball and quit the game. Not likely. He would defeat the institutional system by going outside of the institution and working from a fresh untarnished position that is not indebted to or under the influence of the power bases. Today, the American citizenry is frustrated with the current political power system and terrified of the prospects for themselves and their descendents. More than once in recent times, Americans have hoped for change only to be disillusioned by the realization that promises were merely campaign rhetoric that was said to get elected, after which, it was merely business as usual with new lipstick on the old political power machines. Out of sheer frustration with the status quo and the inability to change it because of the entrenched power structures, today’s citizens are seeking a “fundamental change” in business as usual. That fundamental change being a return to the constitutional system and the civic responsibility that made this country great. And that can only come with fresh faces, indebted to no institutions and from outside the political powerhouses. There is simply no other way to get there!
Do I imply that all professional politicians are all bad people? Absolutely not, although there may be some who are there to achieve personal power and enrichment rather than for a sense of duty and civic responsibility. I’m sure that there are many very admirable professional politicians who have entered the arena with the best of intentions and may still have best of intentions. However, in order to get to the inner circle of a political party, become a cherished poster person and be placed on the stage as the face representing the party, the person accepts a great indebtedness. Not to demean any good people, but politicians that have passed the party indoctrination and risen into the spotlight have puppeteers pulling strings from behind the curtain. Ever wonder why legislative votes largely follow party lines, well, it isn’t just philosophical cohesion.
This candidate has absolutely no political indebtedness and can in no way be controlled by the current political power bases. Are you interested in an Arizona governor that is willing to truly serve “the people”, end divisive partisan politics by virtue of having no partisan affiliation, have no debt to special interests and bring the best and brightest of all political worlds to bear for the state? Do you want to end the paralyzing bickering, the political correctness and move outside the box of Arizona’s present sad situation by exerting genuine leadership? If so, congratulations, you have found your answer. Let the torch be passed. Please read on. |
