I am a 14-year old student that attends middle school. Unlike many of my peers, I keep up with things that happen in our country and around our world. I keep up with the decisions being made in Washington. I see the corruption. I see our economy slowly deteriorating. I ask myself day after day, “Are we just going to stand by and watch our Constitution be put on a dusty shelf; brought out only when it suits our purpose?” My frustrations are boiling over as I observe the government take more and more control of my life and my future.  

            Sometimes our country’s leaders forget that they work for us, not the other way around. And yet, some of them are the most corrupt, selfish and greedy people on the planet. But the real crime is that the American people are sitting idly by as the leaders break their pledge to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” For example, Timothy Geithner did not pay his taxes, but "Legolas" is still our Treasury Secretary. Chris Dodd gets a sweetheart mortgage deal, but he’s doing just fine. Countless congressional leaders insert ridiculous earmarks into the stimulus bill, but are not held accountable. Maybe some of our leaders are getting too old to remember middle school, where you get suspended when you do something wrong. It’s high time that our so called-representatives get suspended when they do something wrong. It’s a shame that when you’re a politician, you can do something illegal and the punishment is you get to keep your job.

            You may ask yourself, “Why does a 14-year old care about what’s happening in Washington?” I care because I feel the burden on my shoulders getting heavier and heavier as our leaders spend more and more. When I am an adult, I will be the one paying back the money that is so drenched in irresponsibility. The ones who spent it will be long gone. I have come to the sad realization that the majority of my classmates have no idea about the kind of decisions being made in Washington. I debate endlessly with some of my fellow students, trying to get across to them the harsh realities that await them in their future. They couldn’t care less that in 30 years, they will be the ones answering for what their beloved leaders of today do. I don’t want my future stolen away from me by leaders who love money and power more than America. I am as proud as anyone to be an American. It gives me such pride to know that our country was founded on principles that are as priceless as our freedom. And I for one will do everything in my power, however little that power may be, to stop the shredding of our Constitution and to regain America’s reputation of being the most respected nation on Earth.   

Why do I live in an apartment?   I refused to pay for an overpriced home a few years ago when I was finally approved to buy my very first house because it was not a smart thing to do. The reward from the government for my sense of fiscal responsibility? . . . . help those who did not have common sense enough to NOT buy a home during the housing bubble    Now people who did that will get help on their mortgages with MY MONEY.

Irresponsibility is the new modus operandi for individuals and corporations and the government. Make poor judgments, dig yourself in a hole, cheat your clients and the government will reward you with taxpayer money. The sad thing is that the government caused many of the problems in the first place! 

I am sick of the lying, the deceit, the robbery, the theft, and the cheating—I think that about covers the government. It will only get worse with the Democrats in charge; they simply wink at their sins and misdeeds and drag Republicans into hearings for years and years. Their response to not paying taxes, lying under oath, and getting sweetheart mortgage deals—“I didn’t know.” President Obama is no stranger to misspeak –“I didn’t know Jeremiah Wright held those views.” “I can’t find my college thesis.” “I promise transparency.” (Boy, that’s working well!)  Even Blagojevich would be going strong today if he hadn’t had the unfortunate lot of being recorded. Otherwise, he would be lying his way out of it like every other crook on Capitol Hill.

What we need are more whistleblowers. We need some good leaks from someone who works in government to shine the light on all of the shenanigans that are going on, and I don’t care who gets busted—Republican or Democrat—many of them are drunk with power and indifferent to scandalous behavior.  It wouldn’t take much light to reveal enough corruption to cause many hardworking Americans to riot.   Count me as one of them; I can’t take much more.