Public service is meant to be an act of trust — a promise that those elected to lead will put the people first. Yet lately, that trust has been shaken.
We have seen reports that some members of Congress, including long-time officials, have earned extraordinary profits from stock trades while in office — returns far beyond what ordinary investors could ever achieve.
Now, even if every one of those trades was technically legal, we must ask: Is it right? Should public service be a path to immense personal wealth? Or should it be a pledge to serve the public good above all else?
Serving the Public, Not the Portfolio
When someone holds public office, they hold the people’s confidence. That confidence is broken the moment personal financial gain even appears to influence public duty.
Our leaders should never face a situation where their next vote could affect their own investments. Their decisions should be guided by what is best for our children, our communities, and our nation — not by what is best for their portfolio.
The Importance of Ethics and Transparency
Ethics is not just about avoiding crime — it is about doing what is right even when no one is watching. That means avoiding not only conflicts of interest, but the appearance of them. Because when citizens begin to wonder whose interests are being served, faith in democracy itself begins to crumble.
That is why we need stronger rules and greater transparency.
No more vague disclosure forms months after the fact. No more pretending “blind trusts” are truly blind. We need real-time public reporting of lawmakers’ financial activity — or better yet, a ban on trading individual stocks altogether while in office.
If elected officials want to invest, let them do it the same way millions of working Americans do — through broad mutual funds where no single company can sway their judgment.
Restoring Trust
We teach our kids that honesty matters, that fairness matters. Shouldn’t the same be true for those who lead our country?
Public service should never be about privilege — it should be about purpose.
Let’s raise the ethical bar. Let’s demand that those who write the laws live by the highest standards of integrity. Because democracy depends not on wealth or power — but on trust.
Let’s rebuild that trust, together.