Pensions for having held elected office were never a part of the vision for America and President-elect Trump is emblematic of a return to the American citizen-servant
Demonstrating a lack of understanding of America’s founding principles, a murder (that’s a bunch of cackling crows, for those who don’t know) of philosophizing academics are recommending that President-elect Donald Trump divest himself of his fortune before taking office. Only ignorance of this nation’s founding could prompt individuals, who call themselves ethics experts, to make such a call.
Institutionalized politics has managed to destroy the original intent of anyone seeking to serve, and I emphasize the word, the People by attaining elected office. So twisted has the District of Columbia, and every statehouse or city council chambers become that the Founders’ concept of citizen servants has been wiped out and replaced by office occupiers.
These office occupiers are, in these days, expected to come to their seats as paupers, their campaigns bankrolled by moneyed backers who reward the victor with payback during and when they leave (if they leave) office. This is the opposite of how the Constitution was formulated and the representatives of the People were expected to serve. The Founders, themselves having fortunes of which they gave willingly for the privilege of serving, prepared the qualifications and terms of Congress to contribute to an elected official’s temporary occupation of office. After serving, representatives, senators, presidents and appointed officials were encouraged and expected to return to their professions, be it a teacher, farmer, brewer, publisher, or other order of business.
The “twisted” part of this compact as it now stands – keep in mind that ‘to attorn’ means ‘to twist’ – has so far changed direction that politicians have become a separate, elitist class that uses their office to amass fortunes, not make them through free enterprise. The utter irony of this mangling of the foundation of America is that the country was birthed to protect commerce. The Navy and Marines were built to defend commercial vessels plying the seas to sell their wares.
It was unjust taxation that sent the colonies into a paroxysm of revolt, which, had the Declaration of Independence been received as the lawfully submitted document that it was, the war would never have needed to be fought. But, as we see yet again, once a class has seated themselves comfortably in power they are loath to relinquish it and with the election of a non-politician in the usual sense, the political class is using every technique possible to undermine a president from the People’s class, i.e. an entrepreneur just as was originally intended.
So far has D.C. plunged back into the swamp from which it initially emerged, as the land upon which the capital was built was essentially marshland, that the reconfigured political class are insisting Trump divest himself of his assets in order to make him as vulnerable to cash buyouts as are they. Is there any wonder that the average, hard-working American dropped the so-called insiders to throw in their lot with a business mogul? They know how politicians have made a profession out of what was meant to be a temporary divergence from their usual career in order to serve… There’s that word again.
The real conflict of interest involves power and money-hungry politicians who sell their soul to get into office and to stay there. Recent examples are Obama’s ties to George Soros, the Clinton Foundation subservience to most every misogynistic, anti-Christian muslim nation, and Bernie Sanders who sells out for lakefront property. This is the face of corruption that has sold and instituted Marxism over the Founders’ belief in free enterprise. It is also why Trump insists on sidelining lobbyists in his administration; something Obama promised but reneged upon immediately.
By no means should President-elect Trump surrender his fortune to make himself servile to the rest of the money lobby. It is in his and our best interests for the general running of his empire to be entrusted to family and managerial agents during his tenure in the Oval Office rather than setting up some variety of financial wikiup divised by ethics wizards. For then, when he retires from official service, he will return to his home, his family and his business. Pensions for having held elected office were never a part of the vision for America and President-elect Trump is emblematic of a return to the American citizen-servant.
Final thought for retiring public officials? Get a real job.
Former newspaper publisher, A. Dru Kristenev, grew up in the publishing industry working every angle of a paper, from ad composition and sales, to personnel management, copy writing, and overseeing all editorial content. During her tenure as a news professional, Kristenev traveled internationally as a representative of the paper and, on separate occasions, non-profit organizations. Since 2007, Kristenev has authored five fact-filled political suspense novels, the Baron Series, and two non-fiction books, all available on Amazon. Carrying an M.S. degree and having taught at premier northwest universities, she is the trustee of Scribes’ College of Journalism, which mission is to train a new generation of journalists in biblical standards of reporting. More information about the college and how to support it can be obtained by contacting Kristenev at cw.o@earthlink.net.
ChangingWind (changingwind.org) is a solutions-centered Christian ministry.
