Anita from Torrance asks……It seems to me that the very workings of Congress push even those who come with great ideals and ideas toward corruption.  I have come to the point where I consider all politicians corrupt. The money and power seem to affect everyone.  How do you think this can be dealt with?

Everyone knows the old addage “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”.  I think the core of the problem is our system of career politicians. Our Founding Fathers envisioned a system where one would go to Congress to serve our nation, do their service, and go home to go back to work.  When we have members serving in Congress for 16 years like Jane Harman, or even worse, the tenures of Kennedy, Murtha, Watson, etc.  This “I will always be here” attitude clouds judgement and allows the special interests to sieze control.  So how do we solve this is the real question.  We as the citizens of this great nation need to be the one’s in control.  The power is afforded to the people and contrary to what they think in Washington, not the other way around.  It is up to us to elect candidates who will not be career politicians, who have a proven record of principaled governance, and then we must hold them accountable.  I will use just one of many examples to show you that I have the back bone to stand up for what is right, and not cowtow to the pressure of the special interests or other members of the government.  This past November the City of Redondo Beach attempted to levy a tax on one company that amounted to double taxation of this company. As you can imagine, I would naturally oppose such an idea. So in helping lead the opposition, we did phone calling, precinct walking, and direct mail to oppose this tax and we ultimately  defeated the measure at the ballot box.  My “punishment” was for the City Council to remove me from being Chair of the Budget and Finance Commission.  I must tell you that despite the consequences, I would oppose it again and again because it was the right thing to do.  That is the kind of leadership we need in Washington. We must elect candidates with the conservative American values of our Founding Fathers and then hold them accountable.  This is  why I ask for your support and ask you to also keep me accountable.  The voters will always have access to me as my campaign slogan says “Pete works for you”.  We must return to a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.