Category: insider corruption

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insider corruption

Arresting New Jersey

For the millions of people living in New Jersey, who’ve never been arrested on corruption charges, this one’s for you.

Recently, the FBI arrested 44 folks there, including two state legislators and three mayors. Big news, I guess, but hardly unusual by Jersey standards. The U.S. Attorney says the state’s politicians work in an “ethics-​free zone.”

Chris Christie, now the Republican candidate for governor in 2009, used to be the U.S. Attorney. In seven years, he prosecuted 130 state and local politicians and convicted every single one of them.

Unfortunately, reducing corruption will take more than building additional prisons to hold politicians. The trick is empowering voters to hold government accountable — thereby putting less unchecked power in any individual’s hands.

Christie believes voters need the power of ballot initiatives. But earlier this year he said, “I hesitated about proposing initiative and referendum because my party had been such a failure on initiative and referendum ten years ago …”

Republicans gained a majority in both legislative chambers in part on a promise to enact a statewide initiative. Once in power, Republicans took a dive.

Christie pledges to be different, and to campaign with shoe leather: “I will travel around the state to publicly campaign for [initiative and referendum] and try to get the citizens to put pressure on their legislators to vote for this.”

In a usually safe state for Democrats, the latest polls show Christie with a sizable lead over Democrat Governor Jon Corzine.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
initiative, referendum, and recall insider corruption

What Does Bloomberg Stand … Fore!

Hey! I’ve got something good to say about the anti-​democratic mayor of New York City.

It seems that Michael Bloomberg — who lately has become notorious for flouting the rules in the service of his personal power — plays by them religiously when the arena involves … uh … playing.

Turns out Bloomberg is a conscientious stickler when it comes to the sort of activity that doesn’t much matter. He’s not concerned about duly enacted electoral decisions to restrict the political power of city officials, mind you. But on the golf course — fore! He is the prince of fair play.

The mayor throws hissy fits when anybody dares question him about how he colluded with the city council to unilaterally undermine the city’s term limits law. At one impudent reporter, he barked, “You’re a disgrace!” But now data is emerging about how the mayor “is a stickler for obeying the golfer’s code of ethics.” 

According to his golf mates, he is scrupulous to a fault.

Daniel Menaker, a freelance writer, has a sassy piece online at the Huffington Post about Bloomberg’s chameleon sense of virtue. Menaker speculates that the golf course gives the mayor a way to “think that he is an ethical stickler. He may play hob with term limits, but he plays golf by the book.”

Great for the golf game, I guess. Not so great for governance.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
insider corruption local leaders

As Corrupt as the Feds

We are so shocked by the skyrocketing spending and taxes at the federal level — and by mammoth expansion of government control of our lives being attempted at the federal level — and by the nonstop huffing hubris of federally fumbling politicians eager to solve problems caused by past policy errors by repeating and multiplying and magnifying those errors.

So flummoxed by the insanity in DC, that, well, I fear we give short shrift to state- and local-​level insanity.

Yet there is more than enough lunacy to go around. And not just in the Northeast or California. For example, also in Wisconsin.

Just like the national players, Wisconsin lawmakers doubtless wish that their maleficent missteps could be perpetrated under cover of fog. Too bad for them that the MacIver Institute for Public Policy is on the case, providing detailed and often instant updates on every sordid twist and turn of the state’s budget process.

Bad-​faith secret dealing, back-​room scheming. Hectic hikes in income, capital gains, property, cigarette and phone taxes — just to make sure bad economic times grow worse. Huge new government debt, despite Wisconsin’s balanced budget requirement. And on and on.

Thanks to the diligent efforts of the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, though, Wisconsin politicians are getting the credit they deserve. Their conduct is just as crummy as that of the big boys in Washington.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
insider corruption term limits

Seven Hundred Terms in a Row?

Ya gotta love Lou Lang. Any public servant who can manage to exude vast indifference to the public’s disgust with endless political corruption has something going for him. 

As a state representative in Illinois, he has had a front-​row seat to the constant corruption sordidly and melodramatically symbolized by former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s taped attempt to sell Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.

Like the disgraced governor, Lang favors brazen cynicism in the face of criticism.

After Blago got the boot, the new governor, Pat Quinn, set up an Illinois Reform Commission to study the corruption problem. The reform proposals ranged from the dubious to the … modest.

For example, the commission proposed term limits to combat political monopoly. But it proposed term limits not for all lawmakers, only for legislative leaders. And the cap? A rather generous 14 years. 

Illinois voters won’t get even that, let alone a better deal, until they have the right of citizen initiative and can impose term limits themselves.

Yet even a 14-​year maximum is way too stringent for the likes of Mr. Lang. After the commission issued its report, Lang rushed to assure the beleaguered populace of Illinois that if House members “want to elect Mike Madigan for 700 terms in a row, that’s our business.” Yeah! Get lost, citizens! Mind your own business!

Gotta love him.

Okay, maybe not.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
initiative, referendum, and recall insider corruption term limits

Mass Corruption

Ah, these United States — which is most corrupt?

New Jersey’s a traditional favorite. Chris Christie, the Republican candidate for governor this year, built his reputation as a federal prosecutor convicting 130 state and local politicians of corruption.

But Illinois is a contender: Think ousted Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Now, make room for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

Recently, former House Speaker Sal DiMasi was indicted — along with several associates — for allegedly helping a software company obtain $20 million in state contracts in return for lots of cold, hard cash.

The previous speaker left office just before he was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice. The speaker before that had been pushed out after pleading guilty to federal income tax evasion.

This rather consistent level of corruption is a sign of too much power and not enough accountability. Frank Hynes, a Democrat who served in the legislature for 26 years, agrees. He says, “The speaker controls, basically, everything — where you sit, where you stand, how many aides you get, whether you get a good parking space.”

Obviously the Bay State needs term limits — DiMasi had been in office for 30 years. But years ago legislators blocked a term limits amendment just as they’ve blocked all but three citizen petitions for constitutional amendments during the last 90 years.

Massachusetts needs a new revolution, one that puts citizens in charge with an initiative process that politicians cannot ignore.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
insider corruption porkbarrel politics

If I’m Corrupt

John Murtha, a Pennsylvania congressman going on 36 years, may be today’s uncrowned “king of pork.” Recently, he told the Pittsburgh Post-​Gazette, “If I’m corrupt, it’s because I take care of my district.” 

Murtha was responding to questions about the FBI, which is now looking into his “pattern of steering millions in earmarks to defense contractors who give to his campaign and hire his allies as lobbyists.” 

In taking care of his district, Murtha takes care of himself, too. For instance, he has his own airport: the John Murtha Johnstown-​Cambria County Airport.

The airport has received over $200 million in federal tax money, most of it earmarked by Murtha. In addition to a big portrait of the congressman, the airport also has free parking and boasts “easy check-in.” 

Of course, the airport hosts only three flights a day — all going to Washington, DC. A recent Washington Post report mentioned that there were seven TSA personnel screening the four passengers boarding with their six pieces of luggage. 

Federal taxpayers also provided the airport an $8‑million radar system back in 2004 — a system that has never been used. 

In addition to Murtha’s numerous earmarks, the Murtha airport just got $800,000 in federal stimulus funds. Seems it was “shovel-​ready.”

Yes, one needs a shovel for all the … well, you know. 

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.