MILITARY AND POLITICAL OATHS

In an effort to clearly and accurately address a comparison between the Oath of Office taken by our Military and elected members of the State House of Representatives in both Indiana and Wisconsin each is detailed below.

MILITARY OATH

“I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

Members of State National Guard units take an Oath that is essentially the same, but it includes details relative to the specific State government.

INDIANA STATE REPRESENTATIVE OATH

“I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Indiana and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge my duties as a member of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana to the best of my ability, so help me God.”

WISCONSIN REPRESENTATIVES OATH

“I, (name), having been elected to the office of State Representative for the (name of District), swear that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of Wisconsin, and will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of said office to the best of my ability. So help me God.”

Having sworn to their Oath of Office, it is your Commander’s opinion that the Representatives of both the Indiana and Wisconsin House of Representatives abandoned their post when they fled to Illinois hotels so as to prevent a quorum in their State House. They blatantly failed to meet their sworn Oath of Office and have thus been absent without leave. Obviously the Representatives from Indiana and Wisconsin have violated the terms of their Oath when it comes to “will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of said office”. If any members of our military were to similarly abandon their post or assignment they would be considered A.W.O.L. and would be punished in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

It is further your Commander’s opinion that the absent Representatives should be held accountable for their actions and receive harsh punishment, just as members of our volunteer military would receive. To say that the actions of the Representatives in question are an act of petulant children is a total understatement. No party (Republicans or Democrats) should be permitted to abandon their elected posts just because they are not going to get their way on specific legislation.

Just imagine what would happen if our military personnel would depart the battlefield if they did not like their assignments. Fortunately our brave military personnel do not flee their sworn duties as our political servants have done time and time again.

Being a legally registered voter in the State of Indiana I have as of this date sent an email communication to those members of the House who fled to Urbana, Illinois and registered my strong disapproval of their action. If a similar sad development occurs in your state I would hope you would act aggressively as I have in addressing your position directly to the appropriate individuals. Indiana readers can easily get the email address of their Representatives at (www.state.in.us/legislative).

Your Commander certainly will not ignore my legislators’ actions when I have the next privilege to enter a voting booth. If those arrogant AWOL politicians have not already heard my voice, they will at the next election and they will be seeking other employment if I have any influence on this appalling assault on democratic government.

COMMANDER GRANGER