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Jesse
Jackson, of course, the ultimate media hound, has found himself at the
center of attention regarding his self-confessed immoral behavior in
having an extramarital affair. For the first time in three decades,
the reverend has decided to shy away from the press and spend more
time with his family. I wonder which family Jackson meant by that
statement. Jackson’s confession, of course, was precipitated by the
news that the tryst was coming out in the scandal sheet tabloids. It
was not a purging of his soul to the nation but rather a poor attempt
at damage control. The story, a wealth of delight to his detractors as
well as a damaging revelation to his supporters, will not go away
anytime soon. It seems ironic that a person notorious in riding a news
story to death himself will now meet the same criteria directed at his
own licentiousness.
Jackson
is a self-made man. A millionaire by everyone's accounts, he did it
the old-fashioned way; he earned it. The question always asked by
Jackson's detractors is the way he earned it. As the head of Operation
Push and The Rainbow Coalition, both nonprofit agencies, questions of
financial impropriety have followed Jackson for the past decade.
Americans don't begrudge self-made successes. They do begrudge and
have the right to ask if a person has lined his pockets with money
donated to be used in worthy causes, the least of which is paying to
have Jackson give his girlfriend a $345,000 house along with a $40,000
moving allowance.
For
years, media have attempted to obtain records revealing Jackson's
finances. Since they are derived from nonprofit agencies, the
finances, like the agencies themselves, are supposed to be open to
public scrutiny. For years Jackson has refused to disclose his
financial statements and has even received a pass from the Internal
Revenue Service in the information disclosed to them. Bill O'Reilly of
Fox News has been trying for two years to find out whether Jackson and
his operations are legitimately disbursing the donations of millions
of Americans, many of them poor. O' Reilly has run into the same brick
wall of fear to disclose, or even ask to disclose, that has made Jesse
Jackson a Teflon demagogue.
The
real question in this scandal should not be the affair, but, just like
with President Clinton, what Jackson did to cover up his immorality.
The nation already knows Jackson is a hypocrite, espousing morality
when he would have none of it himself. The nation has a right to know
if America's dominant African-American leader also is guilty of
financial malfeasance.
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Jackson
needs to understand how badly this situation has undermined the
efforts of civil rights leaders throughout America. Detractors not
only of Jackson but also of racial equality in this land have been
given a double-barreled shotgun to guard their bigoted beliefs that
black America is inferior to "morally superior" whites. All
the good that Jackson has done in his storied career has been removed
by a simple case of believing he was beyond the rules of morality that
he has played to death over the years.
The
story of how far Jackson will sink is to be played out in the months
ahead. What is more important is how does a damaged civil rights
movement forge ahead with a badly tarnished leader.
The
answer is simple. Have a new leader take the place of the now
forever-questionable Jackson.
That
replacement is the congressman from the 4th Congressional District in
Oklahoma, J.C. Watts (R).
Watts
has all the credentials to leap to the forefront as a role model for
all Americans, not just African-Americans. A former football star at
the University of Oklahoma and in the Canadian Football League, Watts
did the impossible by being elected in a heavily Democratic area of
his state. He was elected the old-fashioned way. He brought honesty
and integrity to his campaign. The 43-year-old Watts is bright,
articulate, and stresses family and religious values in his platform.
He also is on the Republican party fast track not only because of
these redeeming values but also, quite frankly, because he is a
Republican black leader in a country that considers African-Americans
and the Democratic party as synonymous.
Watts
showed his honesty this past week during an interview with Bill O’Reilly
of Fox News. When asked point-blank why Jackson has never been
investigated regarding questionable practices, Watts agreed with
O'Reilly that it is because of fear. The Democrats don't want to lose
the black vote. The Republicans don't want to be deemed racist. It
took only a minute, but Watts, with O'Reilly's help, finally told the
truth.
There
are so many problems in our government. They are based almost solely
on personal greed and the lust for power. These vices in the human
spirit have become pervasive in our society all the way down to a loss
of corporate conscience in business. A man like J.C. Watts can help
eradicate this type of "I rather than country" mentality. He
is the best man for the new leadership in racial equality. J.C. Watts
is a black man. But just listen and read what he says. You will find
out, as I have, that it doesn't matter if he is green. He is America’s
next "best" leader.
[Mike Fak]
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The
hub of all this bad press is centered in our state's capital,
Springfield.
The
first story is about the conclusions by the Illinois Supreme Court
that public bodies do not have to meet in public. Although contrary to
the state constitution, the court has ruled that only the newly
created ethics commission responsible for delving into questions of
impropriety among members of the General Assembly needs to have open
hearings. The other six ethics commissions responsible for the
governor and other statewide high officials need not be subject to
public scrutiny. The question, of course, is why not.
The
commissions were established last year to limit gifts as well as
financial remunerations from lobbyists to heads of state government.
The Supreme Court is now telling us that what the commissions are
told, suspect or find out to be valid grievances against public
officeholders is now none of our business. The Supreme Court has not
explained how these newly organized bureaucracies will be able to help
acquit parties found to be not guilty of charges against their good
names if the information is not made public. They also haven't
explained how the public will be made aware of governmental leaders
who are found to be in violation of the law. Will they all just keep
it a secret? Will we someday all just walk around Illinois wondering
whatever happened to so-and-so. One day they were in power in this
state; today they are gone.
The
Illinois Supreme Court has made an error in their ruling. Time and a
federal court will show their decision contradicts our constitution.
The
phrase "public service" is wearing thin with me. How about
you? The second bit of uncomplimentary press is Gov. Ryan’s huge
salary increases to his highly appointed best friends. The governor
this year, as he did last year, has made his decision to give 12
percent increases to his appointees on the basis that he wants to keep
their salaries in line with the private sector. That claim, of course,
is valid unless these politicians really meant the phrase "public
service" when they became involved in the state political
process.
Although
not a fan of our governor, I will begrudge him one point. I am certain
with his connections he could and would earn a great deal more money
in the private sector than he does as governor. Ryan has stated on
innumerable occasions that he is interested in helping make Illinois a
better state. I don't believe the man, but at least his viewpoint is
fairly close to the concept of being a public servant. I have to ask
the governor, why then does he feel the need to let his appointees off
the political hook.
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Of
course these people could earn more in the private sector. Just look
at what Reagan earned after he left office. Start counting President
Clinton's gold mine now that his presidency is over. I have to ask the
governor, if these people are so dedicated to "public
service," they must realize that they will not earn as much as
they might in the real world. That is part and parcel of being in the
hierarchy of the democratic process in this country. Representatives
and leaders are supposed to be dedicated to the common good, not to
keeping up with the Joneses.
With
all of these appointees well into the six-figure salaries along with
the many spiffs their offices hold, it isn't likely we will find them
in the breadline soon.
The
third story around the state is concerning our own Sen. Peter
Fitzgerald again bucking the political machine. Fitzgerald, a
personally wealthy man, seems to have somehow decided to represent his
constituents rather than himself once again. His actions in refusing
to sign a bipartisan wish list sent to new President Bush has caused
Fitzgerald another black eye in the war known as the federal
legislature. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) is upset that
Fitzgerald would not endorse the all-encompassing goodies list that
the Illinois delegation wanted to slip under President Bush's pillow.
Fitzgerald isn't against addressing many of the needs this delegation
has asked for presidential assistance on. He is against encompassing
noteworthy projects along with pet projects that his office has stated
created a "mega-hog letter." This system of slipping the
questionable into important bills is not new to Washington. Every day
a bill to assist the building of roads or increase school financial
aid has an addendum requesting a few million more for something that
is beyond any benefit to taxpayers.
It
seems that Fitzgerald is taking his role as "public servant"
seriously. Let's hope the Supreme Court of Illinois doesn't have a
chance to rule on his decision.
[Mike Fak]
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