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Opinion

Want balances with those checks?

Nick Somarakis
Opinion Columnist

Congressman Tom DeLay, R-Sugarland, will resign his position in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to Time Magazine.

His resignation comes on the heels of his former deputy chief of staff and his former press secretary pleading guilty to taking money and gifts in exchange for helping to get legislation passed for former republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty for conspiracy to bribe public officials, tax evasion and fraud. Abramoff has been sentenced to prison.

The Republican Party has been corrupted all across the United States. Former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., pleaded guilty for receiving more than $2 million in bribes from Abramoff. 

U.S. Rep Jim Ryun, R-Kan., is fighting charges that he purchased a home from a charity that had ties to Abramoff and was given a "sweet real estate deal." Ryun paid less than the charity did when it originally bought the house -- at a time when prices for homes in that area skyrocketed. 

This republican corruption must not stand. They've pushed legislation through for campaign contributions, political favors and, now, out-and-out bribery.

Time after time, Republicans have participated in illegal, immoral and un-American activities. They invade a country, and then offer no-bid contracts to campaign contributors.

They create laws that are actually written by credit card companies -- laws that hurt American citizens and help increase the bottom line for big lending companies.

They appoint unqualified people to important positions such as the head of FEMA -- because they are political supporters.

These are examples of how an unchecked Republican Party with control of both houses of Congress, the presidency and the Supreme Court has led to their success as a party, and a great deal of corruption.

DeLay is only one of the many Republican legislators who have helped change the focus of government from working for the people to working for self-preservation. Government is no longer protecting the American people. It is dominating us.

DeLay's resignation is just the beginning of what must occur to help protect our freedom and the integrity of government. The Democrats must take control of at least one house of Congress to be able to check the actions of the Republican Party.

British historian Lord Acton once said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The Republicans must not retain absolute power in the U.S. government.

There must be a check on Republican power to ensure that any corruption that exists in government may be purged. 

Democrats and Republicans must fight over power in the two houses so that all elected officials work toward the benefit of citizens rather than themselves or a political party. The best way to prevent corruption is to have checks and balances between branches of government. Right now, there is no check on Republican power.

Somarakis, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at nick_som1@hotmail.com.