Americans Have Become The Public Servants Of Congress

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has just asked Congress to increase the $12.1 trillion debt limit as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office announced that the federal government's budget deficit reached $1.3 trillion through the first ten months of fiscal 2009, on track to reach a record high of $1.8 trillion for the 12-month period.

Despite this huge deficit and our national financial crisis, taxpayer-funded travel for Congress is booming again this year. Last year, legislators and their aides spent about $13 million on overseas trips. Many of these trips were taken by the entire family of the Representative to witness the effects of global warming in exotic locations. In fact, Congressional travel at taxpayer expense has jumped nearly 10-fold since 1995.

Now, after effectively bankrupting the country through out of control spending, and enjoying the benefit of annual exotic family vacations, Members of the United States Congress are in a rush to legislate a dubious national health care plan for the country that they can refuse to join.

And who can blame them when you look at their existing generous health care benefits. The current Congressional health program offers an assortment of private plans from which to choose, including fee-for-service, point-of-service, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In addition, Congressional members can also insure their spouses and their dependents. The government using taxpayer money pays up to 75 percent of the premium.

Not only does Congress get to choose from a wide range of health plans, but there’s no waiting period. There are no precondition clauses and members and their families are not denied coverage because of any preconditions. As a result, Senators and Representatives and their families are covered no matter what and there is no waiting period.

In addition, Members of Congress have their own pharmacy in the Capitol. They also have a team of doctors, technicians and nurses standing by in case something unfortunate happens. They can even get a physical exam, an X-ray or an electrocardiogram, without even leaving work."

Spending the money of 46 million taxpayers who do not have basic health coverage on their own lavish health care coverage should make every American question the concept of the elected official as a public servant.

So, how do our elected Congressional leadership respond to the public outcry in Town Hall meetings over the huge federal deficit, spending requests on private Congressional jets, exotic family vacations at taxpayer expense, and the haste to change the benefits of healthcare for everyone but themselves?

In an opinion piece in USA Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, contend that the disruptions at town hall meetings by an enraged public are "un-American".

One result of this political arrogance by Congressional leaders can be seen in the latest public opinion polls. Just 14% of likely voters give Congress good or excellent ratings this month, ( according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey).

The tea parties and the disruptions in the town hall meetings are a sign of political frustration with the soaring national deficit, Congressional perks, political corruption, and the arrogance of elected career politicians of both political parties.

It is evident that the only way to change the politics inside the Washington Beltway is to change the current Congressional representation at the ballot box in the fall of 2010. Americans should think long and hard before casting a vote for any incumbent of either party in the next Congressional election.

Sadly, Americans have become the public servants of an ineffective Congress. Since there are no Congressional term limits, proper use of the voting booth is the only way to make public servants reappear and career politicians disappear.

http://www.eworldvu.com