a concerned citizen

Today the Intramuralist shares an interesting observation.  I’ve noticed something.  Put away your partisan hats.  Squelch any innate motive to passionately pounce.  Follow me here…

 

Each of us likes to claim we are honest and full of integrity.  Most of us believe we actually are honest and full of integrity.  But even the person who is not will still stake such a claim.  Sometimes they are aware they are not but they know the claim looks good/sounds good/is good.  Sometimes they are not aware.  And friends, intelligence has zero to do with the awareness of integrity.  As oft repeated amidst these posts, wisdom and intelligence are not synonyms.  I have a son who has Down syndrome, and while he may not score as high on some intelligence tests, he has incredible wisdom.  Wisdom is by far more important.

 

So I continue to wonder why administration after administration stakes the claim that they will be the most ethical… most transparent… and most responsible executors of government.  And I continue to wonder why administration after administration is not the most ethical… most transparent… and most responsible executors of government.  Again, no partisan pouncing; “administration after administration” includes all parties.

 

I am currently concerned about the extent of the Dept. of Justice and IRS scandals.

 

The DOJ privately sought affidavits — signed off on by Eric Holder, the Attorney General  — claiming they needed secret access into phone lines and computers, citing the potential criminal behavior of reporters.  The Associated Press, CBS, and FOX News each reportedly (thus far) were tapped; one reporter’s parents’ phone records were seized; the DOJ cited the reporter as a flight risk.  But there was no criminal suspicion; there was no probable cause; the DOJ unjustly scrutinized them — secretly.   The DOJ acted illegally even though they are supposed to be the administrator of justice in the land.  Questions:  who will be next?  Where else will the Dept. of Justice unjustly act?  Will we know?  Who in the administration knew?  This is alarming.

 

What concerns me as much — and what should unsettle every citizen — even though the DOJ activity is alarming  —  is the overreach of the IRS.

 

After the rise of the Tea Party in 2010, the IRS intentionally targeted conservative groups associated with either the party or 2012 election.  The tax-exempt status of those organizations was either delayed or denied.  Existing group status was upheld.

 

If you are no Tea Party fan, perhaps the overreach concerns you little.  Perhaps quietly somewhere in the back of your mind you’ve thought somebody should keep those rebel-rousing patriots in place.  Therein lies the problem… the fact that some thought it was ok… that our federal government secretly used their power to squelch the citizens’ influence… and the conclusion —  just like the Justice Dept. — that if it’s a conservative group this time, there will be a next time… and it may not be a group you dislike.

 

Back, no less, to what looks good/sounds good/is good…

 

There is no positive way to spin these scandals.  In regard to the IRS, we know that the IRS and White House have known about this scandal for some time.  We know that the two toyed deliberately with how to break this story to the public.  We don’t know exactly who knew what when, as the answers continue to be ambiguous.  The former IRS chief, Douglas Shulman, can’t tell us how it happened…  “I can’t say that I know.”  The acting IRS commissioner, Steven Miller, doesn’t remember who was responsible… “I don’t remember, to be honest with you.”  And Lois Lerner, the director of the IRS division that actually singled out the groups, pleaded the 5th Amendment before Congress yesterday.  She said she didn’t do anything wrong; but then again, she refused to testify.

 

These are seemingly intelligent people, friends — in both the IRS and DOJ — but from our limited perspective, they have not acted wisely.  Their actions continue to be disturbing.  They are not being ethical, transparent, nor responsible.

 

Hence, more questions:  what other motives are in play?  Who or what are they trying to protect?  Are they still claiming to be honest and full of integrity?  Or do they even realize they are not?  “NOT” is the key word.

 

Respectfully,

AR