The US Congress has become dysfunctional and corrupt. It is rife with unethical practices, and the two major parties work together in resisting any efforts for reform or transparency. Even Members who don't engage in these practices or condone them are far too lax in their efforts to eliminate them. This book is focused on examining these specific questionable practices and ethical issues. It is not about the political issues of the day, such as the Affordable Care Act, immigration, tax reform, or foreign affairs. Nor is it about the processes and procedures, such as cloture votes, filibusters, or partial government shutdowns. The issues described in this book fall into four general categories: earmarks, gerrymandering of political districts, extortion and misuse of campaign funds, and insider trading. It attempts to describe or reference many of these issues and offers solutions, or partial solutions, to some of them. These issues are not new, and many individuals and organizations have been working to eliminate them. This book draws from those efforts and attempts to add to the public discourse. In doing so, it relies on several sources, including books, reports and commentaries from the media, and research from political watchdog organizations. This book cites these references in particular: Throw Them All Out and Extortion by Peter Schweizer, and the reports and commentaries from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). Chapter 10 offers 18 reforms to reduce or eliminate these unethical practices. These proposed reforms need to be studied, improved upon, if needed, and further elevated into the national debate. These reforms can only be accomplished by the US Congress itself, due to the separation of powers clause in the Constitution. This makes it imperative that each American supports only incumbents or candidates who will work to eliminate these corrupt practices. It is time for you to become more informed and to let your Senators and Representative know your views on corruption in Congress. The purpose of this website and book is to motivate you to take action. If you read all this, but the only reaction is that you become angry and frustrated, and vent your emotions to family and friends (as I often do), this effort will fail. You must take action. Congress will not enact any of these reforms on their own. Citizens must act to influence them and to elect or re-elect only those willing to commit to these reforms.
About the Author: C. Dudley Bourne has had careers in both the private and public sectors. He received a B.S. Degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1969. He served in the US Air Force as an aeronautical engineer and as a pilot. In later years, he served in the US Navy civil service as an aircraft maintenance scheduler. He founded, owned, and managed a small commuter airline for eleven years. He and his wife Janet are both retired and are living in Oro valley, Arizona. This is his first book.