Lessons from Siegelman
We want and expect our politicians and public servants to be their very best, but we need systems of accountability in place for when they are not acting in the public’s best interest. I hope that is an obvious statement, but consider…
- Right now lobbyists may spend $250 per day on an Alabama legislator without reporting it, and the public will not know whose deep pockets are trying to influence legislation and public policy.
- Right now the source of campaign contributions can be hidden in PAC-to-PAC transfers, even contributions that would normally be illegal, and the public will not know who is trying to influence an Alabama election.
The system was in place to hold Siegelman accountable for his misdeeds that were not in the interests of good government. We need systems of accountability for these other ways in which special interests are regularly acting outside the public interest.
Right on, Danny, but also “right now” there’s not a snowball’s chance in Hades that we will ever have systems in place to change the situation as far as donations to legislators (either by lobbyists, or through PAC to PAC transfers) simply because it would be detrimental to the legislators who would have to pass the legislation to put those systems in place.
If voters want such systems, the first thing they must realize is that the only way to get them is to first unite and demand that their two legislators fight for, and give to them, Initiative and Referendum (I&R) as was proposed in HB325 in the last legislative session. Once I&R is obtained, then the voters can initiate the required legislation which would by-pass the legislature and the governor and be put on the ballot in a referendum.
That’s why I keep pounding away at that one issue, and until enough voters join me (@ www.doctoriq.com) we will continue having business as usual on Goat Hill, and Alabamians will have the government they deserve for being so apathetic.
Comment by Don — June 30, 2006 @ 9:58 am