THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN WASHINGTON?

But first, who is the most effective person in Congress? In your Commander’s opinion, I suggest Congressman Jeff Flake R-AZ. He is in his fifth term in the House and has long been a champion in the crusade against PORK or EARMARK legislation. It has been reported that Congressman Flake has been penalized severely by not serving on preferred Committees because of his opposition to pork infested House Bills. Members of Flake’s own Republican Party have voted against his committee assignments and even withheld campaign funds from his re-election.

I believe that if there were more Congressmen like Jeff Flake, our Congress would be far more effective and efficient. Obviously there are few Congressional members who are as totally honest as Representative Flake; because we keep re-electing corrupt party hacks.

Now, regarding the subject of this commentary, where do we start when the potential list is so long? How about those elected officials who have committed criminal acts, like Sen. Ted Kennedy D-MA who left a companion to die in his water bound automobile, former Sen. Ted Stevens R-AK who was convicted of corruption, former Sen. Larry Craig R-ID who pleaded guilty to solicitation in the Minneapolis Airport, Rep. Charles Rangel D-NY who just “forgot” to pay his proper tax obligations, former Sen. Tom Daschle D-SD who missed paying taxes too, and the list goes on and on. Just look at some of the recent appointed Cabinet members (including Daschle) who had to step aside before facing the heat of the lights before congressional questioning.

Then there are Speaker Nancy Pelosi D-CA, and Senator Harry Reid D-NV who defy logic in their vicious partisanship leadership. Statements from these two are frequently beyond the pale. Included in my list are Congressman Barney Frank D-MA, and Senator Christopher Dodd D-Conn who in my judgment should be held accountable for the recent financial crisis since they and the committees they chair were negligent in their responsibilities and oversight.

Let’s face it folks, ethics and the Senate and House Ethics Committees are a total joke. There is one set of rules to be followed in Washington…theirs. That situation will not to change until we, the voters, get some objectivity and honesty in our election process. Again, and again we vote our pocketbooks and self-interests, and not the best interests of our fellow citizens. I fear what it will take to change this situation, but I do not think any of us would like the medicine it will require to improve it.

It is the Commander’s opinion that the most dangerous individual in Washington today is White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. He is of course an ex-Illinois Congressman, was closely associated with now ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich D-IL, ex-advisor to Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, a multi-millionaire ex-investment banker, ex-Director of Freddie Mac, ex-head of the Democrat Campaign Committee, and tax evader in two specific cases.

First, Emanuel and his wife, Amy Rule, created a family charitable foundation. They declared their home as the office location for the trust and as a result, they pay no property tax on it, according to the Illinois Review. The foundation makes donations to his synagogue and the private school his children attend, the Clinton Foundation, and garners income tax write-offs and free tuition for his kids’ private school. Adjacent neighbors to Emanuel’s home are reportedly paying $6,000 and $6,800 in property tax annually according to the Cook County Treasurer’s website.

Then there is the story that Emanuel has lived rent-free in a lower level apartment of a Connecticut Congresswomen’s Washington town house for a number of years. This Congresswomen’s husband owns a polling company hired to do work for both Emanuel and the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee. Here again Emanuel has not paid any taxes on his living arrangement. Why?

Lastly, and in my opinion most disturbing is the comment reported by the Wall Street Journal Digital Network that Emanuel stated outright his desire to make political hay with the ongoing travails of the U.S. and global economy. “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

This story was first reported way back on November 21, 2008 and it received very little main-street media coverage. Seton Motley, Director of Communications for the Media Research Center stated, “Where, oh where has the press’s righteous indignation at the use of national hardship for crass political gain gone?” Motley also stated that “the longer the crisis lingers, the more our economy tanks, the better it is for them” (the Obama Administration).

Just maybe Emanuel’s well known heavy hand, and theory is really behind President Obama’s frequent use of the word CRISIS in virtually every speech he has made since election.

I find these facts most troubling. Rahm Emanuel has long been reported as a “take no prisoners”, foul mouthed, hard nosed political operative. His reputation and record sure does not appear to be compatible with the theme of our president’s campaign pledges. Silly me or stupid me…do you suppose that the American People have been deceived?

COMMANDER GRANGER