by Kerry Thomas
January 26, 2006
“People are not happy with the status quo. People want honest government.” - President George W. Bush, January 26, 2006
Across America and throughout the world, People, just plain common everyday folks, are waking up to find their political leaders embroiled in corruption. And they’re saying “Enough already.”
The status quo just isn’t good enough any more.
At one time America’s politicians held themselves to a high standard. Ah, for the good old days. Today’s career politicians have succumbed to the lustful lure of power and money. Principles and leadership be damned when enough dollars are dangled in front of so many.
Such temptations are not limited to any single political party. The professionals on both sides of the political aisle continue to play this corrupt game, telling us we have to accept it, because that’s the way it’s done.
Baloney!
President George Washington warned America about the dangers posed by a professional political class in society. He knew the best leaders would be people who would bring some of their real world experiences to elected office, serve for a limited time, then return to their private lives. Washington set such an example himself, by leaving elected office and returning to the private sector, an example he hoped future generations would emulate.
Sadly, for too many of our politicians today, their pursuit of power has led them far off this course.
Right here in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District, the official Republican Party has anointed John Gard as their candidate of choice, before a single vote has been cast. The Republican Party of Wisconsin, the National Republican Congressional Committee, even outgoing Congressman Mark Green, have all combined their energies, and their money, to anoint Gard as their candidate of choice. This little back room maneuver flies in the face of the Party’s stated policy of non-endorsement of a candidate before a primary election, where the voters choose their candidate.
Some might consider such actions as influence pedaling. It certainly fits the definition. But, no, Republicans wouldn’t do such a thing. They stand for principle.
It took the American voters 40 years to realize just how arrogant the Democrats had become while in power. It’s only been 11 years since the Republicans took control in Congress, but they’re doing a good job of entrenching their version of the status quo. It continues to be business as usual in Washington, and the business is politics.
The House of Representative is often referred to as “the People’s House.” But just what kind of people do we want representing us there?
John Gard and his cronies have been busy, raking in as much special interest cash as they can. It’s so bad the Republicans had to invoke a special rule just to allow Gard to collect even more money from these groups. But that’s nothing new for Gard.
It’s funny that John Gard has not spent one dollar of his own money on his last three campaigns. But he’s not shy about spending other people’s money to advance his own career.
A look through campaign finance reports shows that in his last three Assembly races, John Gard has relied heavily on big money donations from outside his district. At least 92% of the donations of $100 or more to his campaigns have come from outside his district. And those donations of $100 or more make up at least 72% of his donations. In his last race, those donations of $100 or more made up more than 91% of his donations, and more than 95% of those came from outside his district.
It makes you wonder just who he’s been representing?
John Gard claims residency in Peshtigo, in the 89th Assembly District, even though most people know he makes his home in Sun Prairie, a Madison suburb.
Old habits are hard to break. Now, John Gard wants to advance his professional political career, and move to the People’s House. He’s relying heavily on his insider’s connections and the money he’s accumulating from interest groups outside the 8th District in his bid to become our next Congressman.
His qualifications? He’s been a professional politician since October 1987. Before that, he served as a legislative aide to Representative David Prosser. He’s spent his entire professional career sheltered under the protective dome of the Capitol. He’s spent all that time spending other people’s money for them. Gard’s the epitome of a Republican in name only.
Is your vote for sale? If John Gard gets to Congress, just who do you suppose he’ll be representing there?
Technically, John Gard and his cronies haven’t done anything illegal. They’re just playing by the rules of the game they set up. It’s the status quo, business as usual, power money and influence. But if you ask me, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, smells like, well, duck drippings might be more like it.
Quack quack.