On Auditing Capitol Hill

Whether about confirmations or a certain issue, Congressional hearings provide a chance for our lawmakers to exhibit the proverbial double standard. As committee members grill those in front of them with statements as “Just answer the question” or “I want to know”, these are the same people who forget the way they too do the dance-around-the-question 2-step when someone asks them specific questions, .

Since I’ve had enough, and in the spirit of what is good for the goose is also good for the gander, let’s set all 535 members on Capitol Hill on the witness stand … the witness stand to the public. I want the IRS to audit each of them … now! Pelosi, Boehner, Reid, McConnell, and all their lieutenants … You first … then the members of the Ethics Committee, and continuing all the way down to the newly-elected representative.

Tax issues got the best of Tom Daschle and Nancy Gillefer; meanwhile, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner escaped the hot seat – well, at least temporarily. Why should it stop with nominees? Should we simply trust them because they have been selected to be our public servants?

Since gifts, perks, honorariums, expenses, travel, and other dollars pass through these people all the time, they have ample opportunity for both mistakes and intentional deceptions. So why not the audit? Those with troubles will pay the IRS with penalties AND resign their position.

Auditing the high-and-mighty in the hallowed halls will help all of us identify those with the highest integrity. We deserve it! Oops I forgot … even with the public’s low approval rating of Congress, the majority of voters proclaim that those representing them are fine, thus it’s everyone else.