In an article published in Townhall.com, the author decries the level of corruption in Congress, and attempts to explain it by a historical change in public funding from being largely controlled by state and local government, to infrastructure project monies now almost totally appropriated by the Federal Government.
The Attack of the Body Snatchers
In a classic 1956 film, Invasion of he Body Snatchers, normal people were transformed into creatures without feelings, yet, in all other ways, indistinguishable from normal human beings. This transformation occurred after being attacked by alien creatures from outer space. These transformed humans could only be recognized by a swelling on the back of the neck. This swelling resulted in naming these captured, dehumanized individuals, the label, “Pod People,” who I’ll simply call “PPs.”
We too, have our own very real PPs with whom we must contend. We call them sociopaths, psychopaths, or anti-social personalities. It has been estimated that from 1 to 4% of the U.S. Population is composed of sociopaths (almost entirely males). While there are many behavioral variants, the sociopath is recognized by his complete and total indifference to the effect of his actions on other people.
“… characteristic of the psychopath are shallow emotions, the utter absence of empathy, guilt, or remorse, glibness/superficial charm, manipulativeness, inconsistency, deceitfulness/lying and a grandiose sense of self-worth.
These very characteristics when coupled with high intelligence, a drive for success and personal power, point this individual to a successful career as a religious leader, business executive, elected official, or political appointee. Once having achieved initial success, the PP is quick to ensure continued success. If a member of Congress, he is reelected, becoming more secure and holding greater control in each successive term in office. At the same time he builds layer upon layer of protection allowing him to expand his predatory wealth and power building activity with complete impunity from either detection or consequences.
Of course, every so often, their actions catch up with them. William Jefferson and his money in the freezer, Ted Stevens and the current conflict of interest investigations, Tom Delay, Mark Foley and the page boys – the list goes on and on. Getting caught comes from a number of factors. In many instances, the scandal simply was too egregious to keep hidden or be ignored. FBI or other agency Informants often play a significant role.
This certainly was the case with Foley. He had been engaged in predatory behavior directed at underage boys for many years, while posing as a protector of children by sponsoring legislation designed to protect these same victims. When the scandal; came to light, there was no surprise; his colleagues not only knew what he was up to, but had covered up for him. The brotherhood of PPs take care of their own, but this one got just away from them. Those who knew had to run from him to protect themselves.
Consider your expectations when the results of the ’06 election came in. You expected that there would be a change in course in Iraq, some beginnings of limitation and control on the Bush/Cheney administration’s destruction of the Constitution and the rights granted by it, efforts at stopping the endless corruption in Congress. Have you seen any of progress on any of those things?
By no means is it to be inferred that all, or even a majority of Congress are PPs. Yet, because they have, over time, achieved positions of leadership, power, control, and influence, they systematically direct the legislative process to meet their own ends. Because any efforts at reform ultimately would require the assent and approval of these PPs, we have the classic problem of the “foxes guarding the chicken house.”
The Counterattack Begins
If reform cannot come from within, then how can it be accomplished? The solution lies with a concerted effort to replace the PPs with decent human beings. To accomplish this, several steps are essential to this process:
Identify targets for removal
There are plenty of warning flags available which can separate the PPs from the humans. One of the easiest way to do this is to look at the “Pork Score” achieved by each of the suspects.
As but one example, an examination of one of the leaders of the Anti-War, Troop Withdrawal movement, John Murtha, is well in the running for the “Pig of the Year” award.
"INDIANA, Pa. — In April 2004, Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) celebrated the groundbreaking for a gleaming new office building here, designed around its anchor tenant, a Rockville, Md.-based technology company called Aeptec Microsystems.
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