A.R.M.: "Americans Reporting Malfeasance"

It is the duty of all citizens to be watchful of those elected into public office, from your local community all the way up to the federal level.

A GAO (Government Accounting Officer) report in July of 2007 estimated that “…corruptions, fraud, waste and abuse… amounts to more than $47 billion dollars averaged over the past five years…”

Two broad categories of Political Corruption are:

1. EXTRACTIVE POLITICAL CORRUPTION
   The first category includes cases of individual and group enrichment, i.e. the misuse of political power, mainly driven by self-indulgence and private wealth-maximizing incentives. These are ‘from the top’, first, self-enrichment by Presidents and Heads of State (including vice-presidents and president’s offices and inner cabinets), second, ruling parties and government/ cabinet ministers and finally military officials, top-level bureaucrats, parliamentarians and other senior power-holders.

2. POLITICAL CORRUPTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING POWER
   The second category includes cases of political corruption for the purpose of maintaining power, i.e. the use of political power and position by various power-holding groups (political parties) mainly driven by the incentives of maintaining and strengthening their hold on power. The means of downward political corruption include the distribution of financial and material benefits (inducements), and will usually take the form of favoritism.

   Examples are: the buying of individual politicians (co-optation) to build majorities and secure specific policy decisions; the manipulation of elections and buying of voters; and the manipulation of various institutions of checks and balances, oversight and control.

   NOTE: Thomas Phillip “Tip” O’Neill, Jr. (December 9, 1912 – January 5, 1994) was an American politician. O’Neill was an outspoken Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts of Massachusetts. He was the Speaker of the House from 1977 until his retirement in 1987, making him the second longest-serving Speaker in U.S. history after Sam Rayburn and the longest-serving Speaker without a break. He was also the last power broker of the FDR New Deal wing of the Democratic Party. He is well known for his statement that “All Politics Are Local”.

   United American Patriots strongly supports efforts to establish term limits for all elected officials. Term limits constitutionally apply to the President: why not all the others?

   “Power Corrupts… and Absolute Power Absolutely Corrupts”.

   mal•fea•sance [ mal féz'nss ] (plural mal•fea•sanc•es) noun

   Definition:

   1. misconduct: conduct by a public official that cannot be legally justified or that conflicts with the law.
   2. unlawful act: an act carried out by a public official that cannot be legally justified or that conflicts with the law.

   Be vigilant, be aware, be informed, and keep our politicians HONEST!

   If you know of any “malfeasance”, report it to us using this form.

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