DOES MONEY GROW ON TREES?

The June 6th edition of the Wall Street Journal carried a very revealing article titled “Democrats’ Rainmaker Aims To Hold Virginia.” After reading this report, I have come to the conclusion that our politicians believe money grows on trees and it is there for them to indiscriminately consume. While this material covers only the State of Virginia the theme will no doubt apply to any State in the Union.

As of May 27th the Virginia Public Access Project released a study of Old Dominion Dollars specifying the amounts of money in millions raised and spent by candidates for the Virginia’s Governor’s office. The results are absolutely astounding:

CANDIDATE / SPENT / TOTAL RAISED

Terry McAuliffe (D) / $5.8 / $7.0

Brian Moran (D) / $3.3 / $3.8

Creigh Deeds (D) /$2.3 / $2.8

Bob McDonnell (R) /$4.0 / $8.9

According to my calculations these four candidates have thus far spent $15.4 million, and the three Democrats have spent $11.3 million to date. The four candidates in Virginia have raised a staggering $22.5 million dollars to attain the Governor’s Office and the Primary Election has not even taken place! Obviously these individual politicians believe that Virginia’s Governorship is worth that kind of money.

After the Primary it is apparent that the Republicans are well financed to meet the spending of Terry McAuliffe’s campaign. In the unlikely event that he does not win the Primary, the Democrat’s are in for a difficult election race. McAuliffe has a long record of attack politics and nothing will prevent him from attaining his objective, just look at his nasty record running Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign, and his tenure as the Chairman of the Democrat National Committee.

The point I am attempting to raise is as follows: Is it morally and ethically appropriate to spend this staggering amount of money for the Governorship of the State of Virginia? A total of $22.5 million has been raised in an attempt to win nomination and there is nearly 18 months until the General Election! How much more will be raised once the two major candidates are named? The same question is applicable for all elections in our country today.

With record numbers of our citizens unemployed and fellow Americans going without appropriate health care coverage, should we be spending these unbelievable amounts of money for jobs that are supposed to be public service, well compensated, leadership roles established for the greater good? Your Commander did not just get off the train from the middle of nowhere, so don’t tell me that these politicians are not totally obligated to individuals, unions, corporations, or the special interests that contributed these vast sums. Here we go again with "PAY FOR PLAY."

Just consider how many civil ills could be resolved with the $22.5 million raised thus far. Would it not be better if qualified candidates were granted a stipend from the State government to run for office, and the individuals would not be permitted to raise any money? Sure I am a dreamer, but would this not be a good way to address corruption, and hopefully attract honest office seekers?

Your Commander is certain that hell will freeze over before any of our current political figures vote to really clean up our election process. Until there is real reform I believe we will continue to have growing treasury deficits, and wide spread political corruption.

How can the American public or our government expect other nations to look upon our policies and find them to be nothing short of hypocritical? Personal self-serving greed and self-preservation by our political leadership again has overwhelmed ethical and moral considerations. Our political clowns should stand in a lead-lined enclosure when they take their Oath of Office, so they are not hit by the Lord’s lightening that is sure to eventually come their way.

COMMANDER GRANGER