How do we keep politicians accountable for their actions?

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 09:59:59 -0400

Rep Chaka Fattah was indicted on racketeering charges among other unethical and illegal activities. There are doubtless more politicians out there making ***y decisions regularly and not being held accountable.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/29/politics/congressman-chaka-fattah-indicted-racketeering/

How can we increase the moral fiber of our political bodies (as well as military leadership at the highest echelons)? Is this something that can be prevented or mitigated without upsetting a somewhat delicate balance already existing?

Rep. Fattah indicted in racketeering conspiracy - CNNPolitics.com

Rep. Chaka Fattah was indicted Wednesday on racketeering charges tied to a host of campaign finance schemes.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jul 30 at 2015 10:03 AM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:03:52 -0400

Good question? Stay on their ass!

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jul 30 at 2015 10:09 AM

CMSgt Mark Schubert — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:09:47 -0400

Vote them out when they fail - and don't vote them in without researching who they really are! Voting all REP/DEM across the board is a bad idea, but a LOT of people do it.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 30 at 2015 10:25 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:25:32 -0400

Always remember that we are not voting in the most qualified but the most popular, and sometimes not even the most popular, but the least objectionable.

The way to hold them accountable is to remove them from Office, however our system really doesn't do that. We instead "replace" people during the next cycle.

If each "Office of Public Trust" had the ability to petition the removal via 5% of the total population (causing a secondary election), you can bet there would be accountability.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 30 at 2015 10:29 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:29:46 -0400

Things is, many in power think they can get away with it. They often do. There are plenty of unethical but legal things that happen to repay cronies and campaign contributers every day.
We the people need to be vigilant and let them know we're watching when these things happen.

Remember when Congressman Jefferson got busted for bribery with all that money in his freezer? He got 13 years in prison.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 30 at 2015 10:51 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:51:16 -0400

They all seem to think they are above the law. Simple thoughts come to mind. Reduce salaries and make the job part time as the founders intended and term limit them. Don't let them get rich off public service.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 30 at 2015 11:22 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:22:45 -0400

I don't listen to politicians what say, I watch how they vote. If their record is politically expedient, I vote against them. Anything else would be insurrection, right? Only one problem, the political class seems to be more and more prone to corruption. At what point does one ask, are our votes actually making a difference?

Response by MSG Tim Gray made Jul 30 at 2015 11:27 AM

MSG Tim Gray — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:27:47 -0400

Fund their nemesis coffer

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 30 at 2015 1:18 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:18:52 -0400

A free democracy will always have the most corrupt government it will tolerate.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jul 30 at 2015 2:01 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 14:01:41 -0400

End gerrymandering, institute public financing of elections, and end the revolving door with lobbying firms. Otherwise, we're stuck with what we have. Some/all of those are politically unacceptable, depending on your political leanings, but they are all the root of our problems. Gerrymandering creates safe districts (tougher to vote them out), private funding of elections means politicians are mostly responsive to their donors (and not the voters), and no limits on post-government jobs means politicians can use their office to position themselves for follow-on careers (with their donors). Term limits can help too.

Response by PO2 Skip Kirkwood made Jul 30 at 2015 5:46 PM

PO2 Skip Kirkwood — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 17:46:33 -0400

Don't elect morons to office. Recall them if needed. Send them to jail. Get their colleagues to expel them from the House or Senate. Don't re-elect.

Not too hard - if Americans weren't such sheep, they would not keep re-electing these tools year after year.

Response by Sgt Mitchell Sporar made Jul 30 at 2015 8:19 PM

Sgt Mitchell Sporar — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 20:19:35 -0400

Easy ..

1. become educated voters
2. pay attention to the voting records of the Congressman in your districts
3. evaluate the impact of their votes

THEN .. make your decision on whether or not you want to see them re-elected (thus vote for them). Stop paying attention to the "R" or the "D" that follows their name and stop believing the hyperbolic bullshit and talking points that comes outta their mouths.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Jul 31 at 2015 1:41 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 13:41:22 -0400

You seriously want to improve politicians? Take the purse strings away. Take away the SUPERPACS, the MEGAPACS, the sponsoring corporations, and the massive single donations. If you have money and you're willing to give it to them, they are your best friend until the cash runs out. Get serious on term limits, ban former congressmen from becoming lobbyists, take away the instant retirement package they enjoy, and EDUCATE THE VOTERS!! The last one is the easiest yet the hardest of the bunch. We do name recognition rather than research for ourselves who this person is, are they really part of me and what I believe, and what is their track record. But we damn sure will know every bit of mud slinging that can be dug up and thrown about a candidate.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 1 at 2015 9:42 AM

PO1 John Miller — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 09:42:05 -0400

I say the first step would be to charge them for crimes if they have actually committed one, or if evidence indicates they may have committed one. If they are found guilty, sentence them to federal prison and not some BS "time already served" s--t...

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2016 8:04 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 May 2016 20:04:09 -0400

Publicize and vote no.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Apr 30 at 2019 12:08 AM

CW4 Craig Urban — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 00:08:46 -0400

Impossible. Look at the Clinton's?