Webster's Dictionary defines integrity as "the firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values." Other definitions refer to wholeness and completeness, especially of a device or a concept. Stated in other words, integrity is what we normally associate with continual adherence to truth and conduct befitting the role a person is filling. We expect a doctor to have integrity in treating a patient to the best of his or her ability regardless of personal feelings towards that patient; and we expect an elected representative to act on behalf of the majority of his or her constituencies and not according to any narrow personal purpose or ambition. Most of us, if not all, would accept the first example as valid and true to life. On the other hand, most of us would question the second example. Do our elected representatives in the local, state, and federal governmental bodies truly represent their constituencies? Do they, on the other hand, really place reelection as the first priority over all else?
It must be remembered that the members of the Continental Congress were elected to serve in that capacity. The results of their deliberations were and are magnificent. The concept they created of a separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial at the federal level has stood the test of over two centuries of time, and is a model for all those who study the various forms of government, especially democratic government, around the world.
Mores, communication channels, funding requirements, and pressures upon elected representatives have dramatically changed since the time of the Continental Congress. Today, public approval of Congress is at an all time low. Various polls indicate this approval rating as something under 20% of the population. Powerful members of Congress have gone to jail for crimes associated with misappropriation of public funds; members of Congress have been reprimanded by the ethics committees of both houses; and the news media is replete with stories of questionable ethics and actions that raise serious questions concerning the behavior and motivation of these elected representatives. Earmarks, or special congressional funding requests, are regularly attached to the funding bills to operate the government. Billions of dollars of public money are diverted to meet the requests of individual representatives and senators. One wonders why such funding requests are not part of the normal budgets of government departments; and if not, why the members of Congress who advance specific earmarks could not try to include them as parts of the government budget procedure. Perhaps it is linked to the anonymity of government budgets as opposed to the personal credit associated with an earmark. On the other hand, an earmark might be approved that would be rejected in the budget process. One further wonders how some earmarks get approved. Indeed, to what extent, do our representatives engage in bartering their pet earmarks for support of those proposed by others?
Integrity demands adherence to a set of rules. In the case of our government, these rules are included in our Constitution and in the various bills enacted at the federal, state, and local level. Ethical issues, to some extent, are considered and included in such legislation. It would behoove the citizens of our great nation to insist on a more rigid set of rules for the ethical performance of the representatives of the people. After all, as Lincoln so aptly stated in the Gettysburg Address, this is "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Dr. Rocco Leonard Martino is the author of the novel "Cancel Christmas!" which portrays power running amok to use taxpayer money for private profit making purposes. A modern-day Scrooge plans to use financial pressure to sway the will of elected representatives to win his way. Humor and a budding romance enliven the clash. Dr. Martino has years of experience advising clients globally on finance, computer systems, and management. His book is destined to become a modern day 'Christmas Carol'. His web sitehttp://www.cancelchristmas.us provides details on the book and how to acquire a copy. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Rocco_Martino |
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