Let me go even further. "The most stalwart of character are not in government. In fact, we elect the most corrupt, or most apt to do so."
Moses, acting upon the Godly advice of his father-in-law, Jethro, set forth the qualifications & appointment of those who would sit in authority over us, or as some would say, be in public service. Actually, it should be more completely stated, 'those who would be in Godly service to the public.'
'And you, Moses, shall seek out men of ability out of all the people, who fear God, men of truth, haters of unjust gain. And you place these over them as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. And it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, and every small matter they shall judge. And you make it easy on yourself, and let them bear this burden with you. If you do this thing, and God command you, you will be able to stand; and also this people will go in peace to their place.' And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and he did all that he had said. And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel and made them heads over the people; rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all times; the hard matters they brought to Moses, and every small matter they judged themselves."
Since our nation's democratic republic and Constitution are (were) most decidedly based on "Judeo- Christian" civil law tenets, it would be most beneficial if we really & truly knew what they are & mean:
"Seek out men of ability" - capable men, able to carry out the task. Men of steadfastness,
longevity, with a history of consistency, character, honor & duty.
"Men who fear GOD" - men who have a spiritual sense of our Creator. Who respect, love, give honor & praise to the Almighty for who He is. Men who pray & seek His Counsel, and submit to His Supreme authority above all else.
"Men of truth" - men who choose truth over expediency & comfort. Men who know YHVH
is truth. Men who know the Scriptures and discern accordingly. Men who know & show mercy and justice as our Heavenly Father does unto us.
"Haters of unjust gain" - those who hate & despise greed & covetousness, both in themselves and others, and strive to keep sin & the Adversary away from the doorstep. Men who know the difference between profit and undue advantage, selfishness versus service, Godliness versus carnality.
How many "public servants" in any government capacity, who fit this profile, can you name?
Hardly any.
Yet, here's some examples of our current most prominent "public servants":
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With his political career on the rocks after numerous controversies, Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd has become the poster boy for critics who say the inevitable ties between longtime members of Congress and special interests are undermining efforts to revive the economy.
Just two years ago, Christopher Dodd was a popular U.S. senator from Connecticut doing what ambitious lawmakers with long and distinguished careers in Congress have always done -- run for president.But now, with his political career on the rocks after numerous controversies, Dodd has become the poster boy for critics who say the inevitable ties between longtime members of Congress and special interests are undermining efforts to revive the economy.
"He literally thinks he's going to play a critical role from saving us from ourselves," Christopher Healy, the Republican Party chairman in Connecticut, said of the Democratic senator.
"It's like putting the arsonist in charge of the volunteer fire department. He knows where the fire is because he set it. But beyond that, he can't offer much help."
Dodd is now flailing to save his 35-year congressional career in the swirling wake of an amendment he authored in the $787 billion stimulus package. That amendment, signed into law by President Obama, grandfathered in bonuses that would have been cut off by the bill but had already been promised to employees of companies that received government bailout money.
The issue exploded when it became known that the American International Group had given $165 million in bonuses to its executives after being bailed out by the U.S. government.
Dodd initially denied last week that he had any role in crafting the exemption language, then changed his tune a day later, saying that Treasury officials pressured him to make the change to protect the government from potential lawsuits.
Dodd is closely linked with AIG, whose employees and political funds have donated $300,000 to his campaign fund over the last decade, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Julian Zelizer, a professor of history at Princeton University and an expert on congressional matters, said most politicians are entangled with conflicts of interest -- and they look bad when they're revealed.
"In terms of the financial bailout, this can bite," he said.
Healy acknowledged that conflicts of interest are not the domain of any one party. But he believes Dodd, who is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, should step aside because of his position.
"It wouldn't be so bad if he was in a harmless position," Healy said. "But now he's been thrust into the middle of the debate on the future of our economy."
But Zelizer said Dodd should not have to sideline himself unless there is clear evidence of wrongdoing.
"You have to penalize all of Congress if you started doing this," he said, adding that long-term reform is needed for a more efficient system.
Ross Baker, a politics professor at Rutgers University and a congressional scholar, said the ties between lawmakers and special interest groups have bothered him for a long time.
"No one leaves Congress living at the same level they came in," he told FOXNews.com.
"More than anything else, it's getting insider information, getting special deals that on the face are not illegal. But they're in a privileged position."
Baker said most lawmakers who have served as long as Dodd have had these carrots dangled in front of them.
"And most take advantage of it," he said. "It makes you wish more independently wealthy people ran" for office.
Republicans are turning a spotlight on Dodd's longtime friendship with Edward Downe Jr., a former director of the Bear Stearns investment firm who was snared in an insider trading scandal. Dodd owned a condo with Downe in a fashionable Washington neighborhood but bought out Downe's share in 1990 after learning Downe was under investigation. Downe eventually pleaded guilty to trading inside information.
During the final days of the Clinton administration, Dodd wrote a letter supporting a pardon for Downe.
"Mr. President, Ed Downe is a good person, who is truly sorry for the hurt he caused others," Dodd wrote. The pardon was granted.
Dodd, who spent six years in the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate in 1980, complained last week that the GOP is repackaging old stories.
"They're trying to weave things together that have been reported on widely over the years," Dodd said. "They are taking some items that are frankly, old news, routine transactions, and trying to make more out of it."
Dodd has acknowledged participating in a VIP program run by Countrywide Financial Corp., which was the nation's largest mortgage lender before its risky involvement in the subprime mortgage scandal forced it into the arms of Bank of America last year.
Dodd said he thought the VIP program referred to upgraded customer service. He denied asking for or receiving any special treatment when he refinanced his homes in Washington and East Haddam, Conn., with Countrywide in 2003.
"There was no sweetheart deal," he said.
Dodd faced criticism in his home state for not releasing details of his mortgages until several months after the controversy surfaced last summer.
He concedes his sluggish response was a mistake, but his critics have not been forgiving.
"He's a walking, talking ad for term limits," state GOP chairman Healy told FOXNews.com. "Thirty years is a long time.... If you hang around too long in sports, theater and politics, the customers speak. They either stop coming to the theater, the ballpark or showing up on Election Day."
The Countrywide controversy came after a failed presidential bid by Dodd that soured many Connecticut voters because he was out of state campaigning so much.
Dodd moved his family to Iowa for several weeks before the caucuses, adding to the home-state backlash.
Critics are seizing on that now, saying Dodd should have been paying more attention to red flags in the economy.
"He wasn't asleep at the switch," Baker said. "He wasn't even at the switch."
But Dodd is not ready to call it a career. He has hired a prominent campaign manager to run his 2010 re-election bid, a sign that he recognizes the challenge he faces against whoever the Republicans pick to run against him.
Baker said he respects Dodd for his intelligence and shrewdness, but he believes Dodd, like many longtime lawmakers, has lost touch with reality.
"I think what happens, when you're in the Senate a long time, you start to feel a presidential run is in the stars and you reach a point where age and experience almost ordains you to get the presidential nomination," he said, explaining that bubbles form around lawmakers who are surrounded by acolytes paid to adore them.
"Sometimes that leads senators to do things that are foolhardy," he added. "Not just the decision to seek the nomination but to move lock, stock and barrel to Iowa."
Chris Dodd, Kent Conrad Tied To Countrywide Scandal
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Hardly enough can be said or quoted about this despicable man. His lack of character & judgment make the nightly news nearly every day:
Barney Frank and the Male Prostitute – 1989
The era of sour feelings on Capitol Hill continued after House Speaker James. C. Wright's resignation and the smear campaign against his successor, Thomas S. Foley. In a third blockbuster scandal, Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Barney Frank admitted a lengthy relationship with a male hooker who ran a bisexual prostitution service out of Frank's apartment.
The story was broken by the conservative Washington Times newspaper, which trumpeted every juicy morsel with front-page hype. Though Frank was apparently ignorant of some of the prostitute's activities, his indiscretion was so great that his standing in Congress was greatly damaged and a House reprimand passed overwhelmingly in July 1990. His home district in Massachusetts was more forgiving, reelecting him easily the following November.
Media Mum on Barney Frank's Fannie Mae Love Connection Prominent Democrats ran Fannie Mae, the same government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) that donated campaign cash to top Democrats. And one of Fannie Mae’s main defenders in the House – Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., a recipient of more than $40,000 in campaign donations from Fannie since 1989 – was once romantically involved with a Fannie Mae executive. Frank has argued that family life “should be fair game for campaign discussion,” wrote the Associated Press on Sept. 2. The comment was in reference to GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her pregnant daughter. “They’re the ones that made an issue of her family,” the Massachusetts Democrat said to the AP. The news media have covered the relationship in the past, but there have been no mentions since 2005, according to Nexis and despite the collapse of Fannie Mae. The July 3, 1998, Reliable Source column in The Washington Post reported Frank, who is openly gay, had a relationship with Herb Moses, an executive for the now-government controlled Fannie Mae. The column revealed the two had split up at the time but also said Frank was referring to Moses as his “spouse.” Another Washington Post report said Frank called Moses his “lover” and that the two were “still friends” after the breakup.
Democratic House Financial Services Committee Chair promoted GSEs while former 'spouse' was Fannie Mae executive.
By Jeff Poor, Business & Media Institute, 9/24/2008 4:00:57 PM
Taking stock of Nancy Pelosi's Conflicts of Interest
When the Neil Cavuto show called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week to respond to my column on her financial investments in T. Boone Pickens’ company, the Speaker’s office failed to respond. The Examiner has also asked her for comment and can’t get a comment either:
A search of Pelosi’s official web site found no announcement of the investment in the Pickens operation. A request to the Speaker’s official spokesman yesterday for information about the investment went unanswered. Coincidentally, Pelosi’s investment came the same month as the House passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which she hailed as making the Congress over which she helps preside “the most open and honest in history.” There are numerous ways Pelosi could provide assistance to CLNE and Pickens, including helping secure federal tax advantages. Pickens expects at least 15 percent profits on the wind farm and associated initiatives. At CLNE’s $14 per share value, Pelosi appears to own between 7,000 and 17,000 shares.
How did it happen that the only exemption offered in a bill to raise the minimum wage benefited Del Monte foods corporation tuna canning operation on American Samoa? Del Monte, whose corporate home is in the new House Speaker's San Francisco district?
Then, how about Pelosi’s role as an investor in a real estate investment entity called Presidio Partners. “The Presidio Trust, a group of well-connected citizens, was charged with stewardship of the new national park. The Trust made a big show of gathering public input, which it then ignored in favor of building the absurdly gargantuan Letterman Digital Arts Center.”
Source: http://www.fogcityjournal.com/news_in_brief/kirshenbaum_061029.shtml
The $100-million Digital Arts Center celebrated its official opening on June 26, 2005 with a smiling Pelosi, Senator Barbara Boxer and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in attendance.
Then came Pelosi’s role in the 500-acre Hunters Point Shipyard.
“The Hunters Point Shipyard redevelopment measures have been called the most corrupt legislative initiatives to pass successfully through San Francisco.” (www.seanhannity.com).
In order to speed up the process to have the lagging US Navy turn the property over to San Francisco, Pelosi used John Murtha, the powerful ranking Democrat on the House military appropriations subcommittee, who did her bidding to press to have the Navy sign a binding agreement for the deal on a specific date.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom met on March 31 in the Capitol offices of Pelosi. Pelosi is the aunt of Laurence Pelosi, Newsom’s cousin and campaign treasurer.________________
In the process, Reid did not disclose to Congress an earlier sale in which he transferred his land to a company created by a friend and took a financial stake in that company, according to records and interviews.
The Nevada Democrat's deal was engineered by Jay Brown, a longtime friend and former casino lawyer whose name surfaced in a major political bribery trial this summer and in other prior organized crime investigations. He's never been charged with wrongdoing _ except for a 1981 federal securities complaint that was settled out of court.
Land deeds obtained by The Associated Press during a review of Reid's business dealings show:
_The deal began in 1998 when Reid bought undeveloped residential property on Las Vegas' booming outskirts for about $400,000. Reid bought one lot outright, and a second parcel jointly with Brown. One of the sellers was a developer who was benefiting from a government land swap that Reid supported. The seller never talked to Reid.
_In 2001, Reid sold the land for the same price to a limited liability corporation created by Brown. The senator didn't disclose the sale on his annual public ethics report or tell Congress he had any stake in Brown's company. He continued to report to Congress that he personally owned the land.
_After getting local officials to rezone the property for a shopping center, Brown's company sold the land in 2004 to other developers and Reid took $1.1 million of the proceeds, nearly tripling the senator's investment. Reid reported it to Congress as a personal land sale.
The complex dealings allowed Reid to transfer ownership, legal liability and some tax consequences to Brown's company without public knowledge, but still collect a seven-figure payoff nearly three years later.
Reid hung up the phone when questioned about the deal during an AP interview last week.
Condo gifts
On October 17, 2006, John Solomon of the Associated Press reported that Reid had used campaign donations to pay for $3,300 in Christmas gifts to the staff at the condominium where he resides. Federal election law prohibits candidates from using political donations for personal use. Reid's staff stated that his attorneys had approved use of the funds in this manner but that he nonetheless would personally reimburse his campaign for the expenses. That action notwithstanding, the conservative group Citizens United announced it had filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission to investigate the matter.
Laughlin, Nevada, bridge project
Reid earmarked a spending bill to provide for building a bridge between Nevada & Arizona that would make land he owned more valuable. Reid called funding for construction of a bridge over the Colorado River, among other projects, 'incredibly good news for Nevada' in a news release after passage of the 2005 transportation bill. He owned 160 acres of land several miles from the proposed bridge site in Arizona. The bridge could add value to his real estate investment.
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