I am now wondering just how many have illegitimate children some place in their past and even if they know. First, there was Burton, a Republican from Indiana that was forced to confess due to the story breaking less than a week from his admission.

Now, to add to President Clinton’s woes, it has been alledged that he might have fathered a child while governor and - with a hooker.

We all know that prostitution is one of Washington’s biggest businesses, besides that business which reaps the bountiful harvest of money to our ‘honorable’ members of Congress. Of course, I refer to the never-ending dumping of funds in the name of campaign funding.

Never is there a sting operation of hookers in Washington - or, at least there has never been one I have heard of. No doubt millions are involved and quite probable, at the 'taxpayers’ expense.

Isn’t it rather strange the capitol of this nation, supposedly the center of role model righteousness, condones prostitution? Why is that?

Do you think that maybe, just maybe, it is because Congress and its members make extensive use of the profession, that maybe they think it is a good thing to ‘give’ some visiting VIP the use of professional 'call' or 'escort' girls during their visits.

In greater and greater numbers we find out another politician who has campaigned on family values and lambasted another for immoral behaviors, has also had illicit affairs, whether with a member of the opposite sex (or the same sex in some cases). When will it end?

And what damage is being done to the youth of this nation? Nearly all of Congress will have as their platforms something about their opponents not being “good” role models during their campaigning for getting elected again.

And, just as likely, when the day is done, they will have had an affair, lied to their constituencies, made a deal with some big business, misused campaign funds, possibly committed two or three misdemeanors, mislead the American public about their own characters, and all of this while they felt they were so far above the law as to ignore the civil laws that should govern us all.

We simply do not have believable positive role models for our youth in the capitol, not the national nor any state. What we have are the most negative that might be possible. I suspect if you asked 10,000 teens if they trust politicians that 9,999 would answer “NO!” How can we expect youth to behave morally, ethically, and within the boundaries of civil laws when the people most in the news, our representatives, behave in every manner except the above?

How can we expect youth to recognize marriage as a life-long commitment when the leaders of our nation act as if marriage is just an interlude or politically important in their lives while behaving more as if they are rutting dogs?

How can we expect youth to honor our laws and behave within the confines of the laws when our people in Washington, DC, do not?

How many of our representatives determine legislation that affects each and every one of us while nearly, or completely, intoxicated? How many would deny it while holding a drink in hand or having just knocked a drink off? There were times when I, for one, thought T. Kennedy might fall out of his chair. But, maybe it was just the way he looks the majority of the time, as if he is a besotted lush.

What of campaign lies and the many deceits practiced regularly by members of Congress? I mean, let’s not just focus on Clinton. Let’s focus on all the members of our government. Sure, Clinton has brought many to the forefront and, yes, he is proving to not be the type that is much of a positive role model but --- who can you name with certainty that is a positive role model?

I maintain now, and always will, that if Clinton is impeached, then every member of Congress who has done the same thing, including lying under oath when they take their oath to office, or lie to their constituencies, or behave in less than a moral manner, likewise be impeached.

We must, if we are to speak of family values as being important, if we truly value character, being ethical, staying within the laws of the land, clean house in our capitol.

I am really tired of being ashamed to have them representing me and, at this point, I am not sure any meet even my own personal standards which I admit freely have been quite low in the past. (This is only in reference to morality. I have always been ethical and behaved with a high degree of integrity.)

But, then again, I am not running for any office nor I am a member of Congress nor do many youth know me or hear me spouting what has been proven time and time again to be hogwash, such as talking about my great character and how virtuous I am in comparison to my opponents in my own party or the opposition party.

They do not hear me talking about ethics and family values to find out later I taken graft, misused public funds, done what is best for my special interest groups while ignoring the needs of the many, the liberties of the individual, and behave immorally whenever the chance arises.

Simply put, I am a nobody from the Midwest, not a leader who has the eyes of the world on him or her.

I say this to the people responsible for our governing - if you care to see those most responsible for the moral, ethical decay of this nation, take a look in the mirror and remember the old saying of being true to one’s self. Or, maybe you are too accustomed to lying to even recognize lying to yourself.

I wonder.

Having My Say
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