Impeachment or removal from office is rarely implemented without serious criminal conduct backing it and huge changes in voter confidence. Some local politicians might be removed from office at great expense and tramma if the voters have withdrawn their confidence.
Our current climate is rant with ethical breaches but because of partisan loyalties it is very difficult to hold the system at large accountable. Many individuals behave in a wildly unethical manner while being buffered by partisan loyalties, and financial support that is deeply entrenched. Unless systematic changes are made, we are hopelessly stuck with a vengeful system of chaotic infighting that is counter productive to change and renewal.
”I've never looked at the question before but I would imagine that impeachment and removal are available remedies for most offices now.”
I am arguing for a law that makes betrayal of trust by an elected representative, a crime, punishable by removal from office.
The violation framework so far looks like this:
OK I will start the list....
Abuse of official authority.
Violating an oath of office.
Making a deliberate false statement or knowing failure to disclose a fact in the performance of one's role.
Employing deceptive or misleading tactics in campaigns for office and in the promotion of political issues.
It seems to me that under the current political climate, partisans are likely to rally around a representative who is found in such breach, in order to obscure the issues and maintain some political advantage. The likelihood of removal from office when the time comes for re-election is remote, due to the intrenchement of political alliances, committee responsibilities, financial support, lobbyists, etc. On a case-by-case basis, it seems unfair to make it a big issue but when you look at the big picture ... well take a look. Because of the injustice of picking on one bad apple and the unlikelihood for reasons I’ve already mentioned, I am proposing a change would be to legislate some protections on a broad non-partisan scale. Unlikely, given that the foxes guarding the chicken house would have to approve it. |
