If it’s illegal everyplace else, except in Washington, when Washington politicians do it, is it REALLY “not illegal” there?

A number of feature articles and TV documentaries have exposed the insider deals, tax exemptions and liability waivers that politicians create for themselves at the expense of tax-payers and ethics.

Are our elected officials supposed to be giving themselves a hall-pass on morality? Why don’t the rules, that apply to everyone else, also apply to them? Why does Congress get a special waiver to engage in insider trading on lithium batteries, electric cars, Boeing stock and other deeply taxpayer funded efforts.
Let’s explore…

Todd

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This 60 Minutes piece, on one small part of the problem, provides an overview:

• No Washington Exemption Petition: Equal Treatment for All

  There should be no special treatment for Washington; indeed, as long as Congress and the President continue to implement the Affordable Care Act, they  …

  www.nowashingtonexemption.org – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• The Vail Spot: Congress’ Exempt Itself from Laws…

  May 27, 2011 … While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the … Congress shall not exempt itself from any laws of the United States of …

  thevailspot.blogspot.com/ 2011/ 05/ congress-exempt-itself-from–laws.html – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution …

  The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being … ” Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that …

  www.petition2congress.com/ 3093/ proposed-28th-amendment-to-united-states-constitution/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Tell Congress: “Live By Your Laws!” – Breitbart

  Nov 8, 2013 … Until 1995, Congress exempted itself from compliance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the civil rights laws of the 1960s, and …

  www.breitbart.com/ Big-Government/ 2013/ 11/ 08/ Tell-Congress-Live-By-Your-Laws – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Ohio politicians exempt themselves from petition prohibition …

  Sep 24, 2013 … What is it about politicians that they think they can pass laws for the … General Assembly exempted themselves, and all other candidates, from …

  www.watchdog.org/ 107335/ ohio-politicians–exempt–themselves-from-petition-prohibition/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Senator Ron Johnson Sues to Overturn Congress’ ObamaCare …

  Jan 7, 2014 … “This was the confidence-building covenant supporters of the law made … when members of Congress exempt themselves from the very laws …

  www.thenewamerican.com/ usnews/ health-care/ item/ 17339-senator-ron-johnson-sues-to-overturn-congress-obamacare-exempti on – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Political Speech & Non Profit Tax Issues | American Center for Law …

  Whether it is in the context of restrictions on political speech during elections or … The Supreme Court also noted in upholding tax exemptions for churches:.

  www.aclj.org/ churches-organizations-/ political-speech-non-profit-tax-issues – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congress: Trading stock on inside information? – CBS News

  If you are a member of Congress, those laws are deemed not to apply. … have long been considered exempt from insider trading laws, even though they have …

  www.cbsnews.com/news/congress-trading-stock-on-inside-information/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congress Quickly And Quietly Rolls Back Insider Trading Rules For …

  Apr 16, 2013 … According to the postings at the other site, Congress exempted a lot of ….. did NOT exempt themselves from the provisions of the STOCK law.

  www.techdirt.com/ articles/ 20130416/ 08344222725/ congress-quickly-quietly-rolls-back-insider-trading-rules-itself.shtm l – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congressional Insider Trading Revisited (But Don’t Tell Anyone …

  May 9, 2013 … Congress just made a law it never liked very difficult to enforce. … Also exempted from online disclosure are all congressional staffers. This is …

  www.rollcall.com/ news/ congressional_insider_trading_revisited_but_dont_tell_anyone_commenta ry-224674-1.html – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Do As We Say, Congress Says, Before Doing What It Wants – Truthdig

  Jan 31, 2013 … Did you know Congress is exempt from portions of a number of federal laws, including provisions that protect workers in the private sector but …

  https://www.truthdig.com/ report/ item/ do_as_we_say_congress_says_before_doing_what_it_wants_20130131 – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congress Isn’t Supposed to Be Above the Law: Stephen L. Carter …

  Dec 7, 2011 … It has become all too easy for members of Congress to grant themselves special privileges, among them exemption from many complex laws …

  www.bloombergview.com/ articles/ 2011-12-08/ congress-isn-t-supposed-to-be-above-the–law-commentary-by-stephen-car ter – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• How did politicians get exempted from Idaho’s weapons law?

  Nov 21, 2013 … There’s been a good deal of commentary questioning why Idaho exempts more than 3,000 elected officials from the rigors of the state’s …

  blogs.idahostatesman.com/ patterson-postscript-how-did-idaho-elected-officials-get-exempted-fro m-weapons-law/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• EDITORIAL: One law for us, another for you – Washington Times

  Jun 6, 2011 … The California state Senate voted 28-8 Wednesday to exempt itself from the … This is just one of many bills Golden State politicians used this …

  www.washingtontimes.com/ news/ 2011/ jun/ 6/ one-law-for-us-another-for-you/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Do As We Say, Congress Says, Then Does What It Wants – ProPublica

  Jan 31, 2013 … But Congress is still exempt from portions of a number of federal laws, including provisions that protect workers in the private sector but don’t …

  www.propublica.org/ article/ do-as-we-say-congress-says-then-does-what-it-wants – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Gerald Skoning: How Congress Puts Itself Above the Law – WSJ

  Apr 15, 2013 … In The Wall Street Journal, Gerald Skoning says that the only way to finally end the sorry tradition of congressional exemptions from some laws …

  online.wsj.com/ news/ articles/ SB10001424127887324504704578413182814140480 – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congress Exempt from Obamacare: The Latest Lie That Won’t Die …

  Aug 13, 2013 … Then they said the law would cover undocumented. … Obama gave Congress a special exemption, so that lawmakers and their staff members …

  www.newrepublic.com/ article/ 114284/ congress-exempt-obamacare-latest-lie-wont-die – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Lawmaker Loopholes? – FactCheck.org

  Jan 29, 2010 … Q: Is Congress exempt from “many” laws including one against sexual … A: No. The latest e-mail rant against Congress — proposing a “28th …

  www.factcheck.org/2010/01/lawmaker-loopholes/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• 2nd Amendment for Some: Feinstein’s Gun Control Bill Exempts …

  Hypo-cracy: the rule of political hypocrites. … “[T]he bill includes a number of exemptions: It exempts more than 2,200 hunting and sporting weapons; any gun  …

  www.ijreview.com/ 2013/ 01/ 32661-feinstein-gun-control-bill-to-exempt-government-officials/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Is Congress exempted from Obamacare? | Fact Checker – Blogs

  Sep 28, 2013 … “’The more that Congress experiences the laws we pass, the better the … had exempted Congress and its staff from “the full effect of the law.”.

  blogs.rgj.com/ factchecker/ 2013/ 09/ 28/ is-congress-exempted-from-obamacare/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congress exempt from several federal laws | Fox News

  Feb 3, 2012 … While Congress is moving to explicitly apply insider trading laws to its members, lawmakers are exempt from provisions of other federal laws.

  www.foxnews.com/ us/ 2012/ 02/ 03/ congress-exempt–from-several-federal-laws/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Did members of Congress exempt themselves from complying with …

  Jan 16, 2013 … Members of Congress “specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed, such as being exempt from any fear of …

  www.politifact.com/ ohio/ statements/ 2013/ jan/ 16/ chain-email/ did-members-congress-exempt–themselves-complying-h/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Did Obama exempt 1,200 groups, including Congress, from …

  Oct 16, 2013 … “The president has exempted over 1,200 groups, including members of Congress , from the health care law.” – Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), in an …

  www.washingtonpost.com/ blogs/ fact-checker/ wp/ 2013/ 10/ 16/ did-obama-exempt-1200-groups-including-congress-from-obamacare/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Congress’s Exemption from Obamacare | National Review Online

  Sep 16, 2013 … Senator David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, has demanded a floor vote on his bill to end an exemption that members of Congress and their …

  www.nationalreview.com/ article/ 358550/ congresss-exemption-obamacare-john-fund – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight

• Fact Check: Did President Obama exempt members of Congress …

  Oct 9, 2013 … Assertion President Obama exempted members of Congress from Obamacare. “ President … Fact: When Obamacare was passed into law, Sen.

  politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/ 2013/ 10/ 09/ fact-check-did-president-obama-exempt-members-of-congress-from-obamac are/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight