Category: Accountability

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Accountability Common Sense First Amendment rights initiative, referendum, and recall insider corruption

Constitutionally Unsuited for the Job

You can’t answer every random fallacy uttered by fierce foes of facts and logic.

Can’t always ignore them either. Like, when your polemical adversary is trying to jail you for ten years. I refer to Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who indicted me and two others for abetting democracy in Oklahoma.

Before our recent arraignment, I attended a news conference at which a number of concerned citizens, legislators and leaders of taxpayer and voter groups spoke out against this politically motivated travesty. I noted that we, the Oklahoma 3, acted in good faith to follow Oklahoma’s regulation requiring petition circulators to be state residents. Even though the regulation has been challenged in court as a violation of the First Amendment.

But Mr. Edmondson told reporters, “This is not a First Amendment issue.” Then, admitting the opposite was true, he added, “If the courts determine that the state’s process violates the First Amendment, so be it.”

First, he pretends to be oblivious to the First Amendment issue. Then, he acts as if he can do whatever he pleases, Constitution or not, unless a court steps in to stop him.

As someone observed at FreePaulJacob.com, Edmondson’s cavalier disregard for the Constitution, the very highest law, doesn’t square with his own official responsibilities. It’s just not consistent with his oath of office.

He’s sworn to uphold the Oklahoma constitution and the U.S. Constitution. Not prosecute those of us who take both very seriously.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Accountability judiciary national politics & policies

Broken Contract

Politicians say Social Security is a solemn contract between government and the people. Well, a contract is enforceable in court. And in our litigious society it’s not surprising that someone did take the government to court to get what he said he was owed from Social Security.

The case, Flemming v. Nestor, went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. After paying in year after year, care to guess what the High Court says you are entitled to from Social Security? Is it (a) a set monthly payment, (b) at least 10 percent of what you’ve paid in, (c) whatever is behind door #3, or (d) whatever Congress says you get? The court’s answer was (d) whatever Congress says you get. Some contract.

The politicians are charging us over 15 percent of our income, but not guaranteeing us any specific benefit. You could die without ever getting back a dime, and your family wouldn’t get a dime either. Politicians have broken the contract on Social Security. They admit we must fix the System, but do nothing. They’ll simply wait until the money runs dry, blame others and then raise your taxes, slash benefits, or both.

Term-limited Representative Mark Sanford has a different plan. He says take Social Security out of the hands of politicians and let Americans control their own financial futures. Sometimes tough problems have pretty easy solutions.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Accountability national politics & policies

Character

George W. Bush seems a likeable guy. Some politicians aren’t exactly the kind of people you’d want to spend time with casually. But I’d have no fear stuck next to Mr. Bush on a long flight. He’d be fun.

I like that, but it isn’t enough by itself to qualify him to be president. In a president, and in any elected official, the most important quality is character. Not “a character” we get our share of those. As Will Rogers said, “The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected.”

No, I mean real character. With character comes the courage to fight for one’s beliefs. The courage to have beliefs in the first place. With character comes integrity. Bush has talked about character and restoring dignity to the office of president.

But his actions in campaigning for two Republicans Tillie Fowler of Florida and George Nethercutt of Washington State fall short. At issue are their term limits vows to step down from Congress after this term. Bush not only campaigned for them, he encouraged them to break their word to the voters.

Mr. Bush, don’t look the other way at dishonesty; don’t promote your party and its politicians “right or wrong.” Be for what’s right, for keeping promises. Tell Fowler and Nethercutt that you stand for character and integrity and that they should too.

If it’s okay with you for Republicans in Congress to break their pledges to voters, how can we trust your word? Character counts. Especially in a president.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.