A political flyer was left on my porch in September. It seems that Lillian Kauffer of Snohomish had tossed her hat in the ring as a candidate from Washingtons 44th District. The flyer said that Kauffer operated a small business and is a mother of two, but not knowing whether the business prospered or failed or if her kids were well-mannered or run wild, she was just another candidate.
Nevertheless, I didnt write her off. Heres why: Ive watched the chest-thumping old-boys club screw up politics and diminish the substance of our nation for long enough. Its possible that, if in control, women would become no better than the men they oust, but even if they did fall to the same temptations that extract integrity from males, it would likely take some years to entirely strip them of idealism.
Not that the fairer sex is perfect. There are too many real life examples of Meryl Streepes role in The Devil Wears Prada. When granted power, Herodias daughter demanded John the Baptists head. Lucretia Borgia, powerful illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander IV, retained her position by poisoning detractors. Over the 15 centuries separating those notable female villains, not a year passed that wasnt marked by evils committed by a procession of spectacularly flawed males. Though divorce attorneys might disagree, it does seem we might have less to fear from females.
This political theorizing about women grew from research intended to build a case proving that Democrats follow rules better than Republicans. To my dismay, I found that between 1850 and 1975 almost twice as many Democrats were brought up on charges as Republicans. To be sure, the GOP is working overtime to even the score but what matters is that the entire Body Politic is shot through with rascals, most of them males.
Well then, if I cant charge the GOP for being worse low-lifers than Democrats then maybe both parties, historically led by men, could be upset by an attack from female America. Look at Hillary and Nancy Pellosi. Look at our census figures. Females outnumber males. Off with the aprons, girls. Get out there and register for office. No matter that Lillian Kauffer dropped off my screen. Whoever and whatever she is, she was a female attempting to unseat a male.
Official records tell us that only 1.5 percent of the 11,700 males who have served in Congress have been censured or otherwise brought up on charges. To be precise, thats the percentage that was caught, tried and punished. Read the papers to get a better grasp on the rather larger proportion that continues to feather its nest at our expense.
In their defense, elected male officials might claim that the rules they work under dont specifically prohibit dalliances with young interns or cozying up to lobbyists. They might say the rules are so general that, You just try to bust one of us for venturing into the gray areas between legal and illegal. See how far you get.
Granted, the supermajority of elected male officials is straight or almost straight, but it seems there arent enough of the good ones to effectively clean house. Critical issues like term limits, campaign financing, a reasonable level of gun control, environmental protection, a national energy policy and a return to real diplomacy have been either perverted or buried by the Old Boys Club. One way or another, it is time for a change.
The Congressional oath of office says this: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose or evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. Evasion has been the operative word here.
Add the House Code of Official Conduct, Rule 23: A Member of the House shall conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the house. Notice that it was written to males. I dont think female representatives have danced around that call for good behavior as adroitly as men.
We all have our pet peeves but The Washington D.C. Old Boys Club indulges in three practices that especially irk me. First, once in office they take on politics as a career. Second, they vote themselves COLAs and medical and retirement plans that outsiders could only dream of. Third, they buy into the notion that politics has rights of its own, as though political parties should enjoy the legal protection of citizens or corporate entities. That was brought to bear locally when the GOP brought suit against the State of Washington to repeal the open primary. Parties should not have the legal standing to bring suit. Would women allow such stuff if they ran the show?
Not that all women in government are perfect. The names Oakar, Brown, Collins and Waldholtz identify indicted female representatives and senators. But when a female politician gets busted, it is more likely because of something she did on her own rather than as part of a web of deceit. It would take decades in office for a female majority to muster the chutzpah necessary to come up with blatant racketeering on the scale of the Abramoff scandal.
As with pollution-control and emergency preparedness, we Washingtonians are ahead of the nation on the issue of electing women: A woman governor, a legislature with a higher percentage of women than Congress including two female U.S. Senators. Way to go, girls.
Does this leaning toward female candidates make me a traitor to my sex? Frankly I dont care. The bigger issue is the election of candidates who are most inclined to honor their oath of office.

Comments may be addressed to: rgraef@verizon.net.