John Washington III Asks Why People Keep Following Politicians Who Don't Care About Them, and How Members of Congress Become Millionaires on a Public Salary
Presidential candidate John Washington III is telling voters to stop listening to what politicians say and start watching what they do - and asking where the money comes from when members of Congress earning $174,000 a year become millionaires in office.
"WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP FOLLOWING POLITICIANS WHO DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEM?" John Washington III wrote, opening a series of questions aimed at voters themselves. "WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY THINKS WHEN THAT SAME PERSON DOESN'T CARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOU?" he asked, arguing that politicians talk like they love the people while their actions tell a completely different story.
John Washington III said politicians tell voters what they want to hear, promise change and claim they are fighting for families - then, when decisions affecting voters' lives are made, campaign on one thing and vote for something completely different. He asked why people continue defending those politicians without even checking their voting records. "STOP LISTENING TO WHAT THEY SAY AND START PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY DO!" he wrote.
He then turned to money. "HOW DO SOME POLITICIANS BECOME MILLIONAIRES WHILE HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICE?" John Washington III asked, noting that most members of Congress receive an annual salary of $174,000. "WHERE IS ALL THE ADDITIONAL MONEY COMING FROM? IS IT INVESTMENTS? IS IT BUSINESSES? IS IT INHERITANCE? OR ARE THERE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND PAYMENTS THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT?" Having millions, he added, does not automatically mean somebody committed a crime - "BUT BEING A PUBLIC OFFICIAL SHOULD NEVER PUT YOU ABOVE FINANCIAL SCRUTINY!"
Members of Congress already have public financial disclosure requirements, John Washington III noted, so why shouldn't the American people examine those records - who is paying an official, who they are doing business with, and who benefits financially from their decisions. "ANY POLITICIAN WHO IS SECRETLY ACCEPTING ILLEGAL PAYMENTS IN EXCHANGE FOR POLITICAL FAVORS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED!" he wrote. "IF THE EVIDENCE PROVES CORRUPTION, THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!" The recorded statement ends there, mid-argument, and nothing beyond it is claimed here.
