235 years ago, today

 

September 17, 2022

Today we mark Constitution Day. On this day 235 years ago, the U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, establishing the framework for our democracy. This document is the one that our leaders swear to uphold. It not only established our system of government, but it also placed limits on the power of that government. It was and is, however, an imperfect document. The rights established in the early days of our republic were only meant to protect white men. It would be nearly 100 years before the Constitution would be amended to prohibit slavery and require equal protection. It would be another 100 years before the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection would begin to be meaningfully enforced. And yet, the full potential of our Constitution still has not been realized. The document is more a recitation of constraints on government power than it is a declaration of rights possessed by the governed. And this approach has left some core American rights vulnerable. So on this Constitution Day, we want to focus on the right to vote. An overlooked reality about the U.S. Constitution is that while it prohibits the government from stripping people of the right to vote due to their race or sex and age (18 and over), it does not include an affirmative right to vote for each and every citizen. And with a Supreme Court cutting away at the voting rights act, this gap has contributed to states’ ability to enact draconian measures that restrict access to the polls — restrictions that disproportionately impact low-income people and communities of color. Today we hope you think about the ways you can protect your fellow citizens’ right to cast their ballots this year, whether that’s by volunteering to serve as a poll worker or simply making sure that you, as well as members of your community, have a voting plan in November. Only with people power can we ensure that we have a truly representative democracy. NEW FROM POGO! The Bridge: POGO's Weekly Explainer Wade through the jargon and get straight to the key insights with POGO's Spurthi Kontham. Subscribe to the fresh approach now. POGO EVENTS The Nineteenth Annual Ridenhour Prizes Join The Ridenhour Prizes at its nineteenth annual celebration for an in-person and digital experience to recognize and amplify the stories of heroes who have persevered in acts of truth-telling. Register OP-ED Spending Unlimited Contractors cash in as Congress adds billions to the Pentagon budget. Read More on TomDispatch QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Congress is not living up to its mission of representing the people first and foremost.” Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Government Affairs Manager, in Business Insider OVERHEARD ONE LINERS “Congress needs to be a little bit clearer about requiring some reporting back from these agencies about unspent funds so that we can have ... a nice updated list of where the money is, is still sitting, and whether or not they then want to go in and quickly reappropriate.” Sean Moulton, Senior Policy Analyst, in Spectrum News   “The last administration didn't seem to care at all about ethics, but this one seems to approach ethics the way tax lawyers approach taxes, they look for loopholes, they look to do the bare technical minimum.” Walter Shaub, Senior Ethics Fellow, in Business Insider   “Pentagon leaders need to fundamentally change the way they do business by making more realistic decisions about the weapons they buy.” Dan Grazier, Senior Defense Policy Fellow, in Defense News   “Even if we can’t prove a criminal case of insider trading, the appearance of corruption is just as bad as actual corruption because it feeds into cynicism, it feeds into distrust.” Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Government Affairs Manager, on Scott Sloan Show   “I'm not surprised to hear this is Senator Merkley's position [on the stock trading bill]. ... He took control of the working group and slow-walked this thing for 223 days. It's a tragic lost opportunity and a shameful failure.” Walter Shaub, Senior Ethics Fellow, in Business Insider   “There are a lot of loopholes and contracting regulations that allow companies to withhold certified cost and pricing information from the Pentagon. The department isn’t able to ensure that they’re paying fair and reasonable prices.” Julia Gledhill, Analyst for the Center for Defense Information, in Federal News Network   “The public just does not trust that Congress and the government broadly is doing what it's supposed to be doing and is on the up-and-up, they think it's all corrupt. They think everyone's in it for themselves and for their cronies and for a special interest, and so Congress really needs to respond to that environment out there and they haven't done it so far.” Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Government Affairs Manager, in Sinclair Broadcast Group   “The conflict of interest law applied to [President Joe Biden’s adviser Anita Dunn] from the moment she entered government, so what in the world does she do all day if she’s recusing from all the things that could affect her many, many financial interests?” Walter Shaub, Senior Ethics Fellow, in Washington Examiner Enjoyed this weekend’s edition of the Weekly Spotlight? Forward to a friend. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Welcome! 👋 Subscribe here.   WANT MORE FROM POGO? 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pogo.org The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that investigates and exposes waste, corruption, abuse of power, and when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing. We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles.

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