By Bob Giuda

While he was a U.S. Senator, John F. Kennedy wrote a book titled “Profiles in Courage.” In it, he chronicled acts of personal courage by sometimes unsung heroes who did the right thing regardless of personal cost. In every case, the people profiled in JFK’s book were faced with difficult decisions framed in the context of conflict. Sometimes the conflicts were the result of the perpetual struggle between right and wrong. Sometimes their struggles were the result of having to define what is right and what is wrong.  

Times have certainly changed since the publication of President Kennedy’s book. The struggles in Congress are no longer to define what is right, or even to do what is right. In Congress, the struggle has become how each member can best feather his or her political nest at our expense. 

As our nation careens down the road towards socialism, propelled by a Congress that continues to ignore the will of the American people, we are treated to a never-ending succession of examples of pervasive corruption. Pork-barrel projects, bribery, tax evasion, special deals, the “Cornhusker Kickback” (Sen. Nelson), the “Louisiana Purchase” (Sen. Landrieu) and flagrant tolerance of corruption a la Charlie Rangel are incensing more and more Americans. But Congress isn’t listening. After all, they are the ruling class – the political class.