Have We Strayed From ‘We the People’?

The United States seems to be drifting away from its founding principles embodied in "We the People," as political corruption increasingly becomes a norm. Recent scandals have fueled doubt about the integrity of elected officials, raising questions about whether they genuinely serve the public or prioritize personal financial interests. Allegations of insider trading involving politicians from both major parties have shaken public confidence, suggesting that lawmakers may be putting personal gain ahead of the nation’s best interests.

Senator Dianne Feinstein became a prominent figure in the 2020 congressional insider trading scandal when her husband, Richard Blumenthal, sold biotech stocks just before the market crashed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Feinstein denied any involvement and the Department of Justice closed the investigation without charges, the incident left lingering doubts about transparency and the accountability of those in power. 

Similarly, Senator Richard Burr, then-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, faced intense scrutiny for selling up to $1.7 million in stocks after receiving classified briefings on the economic risks posed by the pandemic. Even though he was cleared of criminal charges, the timing of his trades raised questions about whether personal profit was prioritized over public duty.

In contrast to Feinstein and Burr, former Congressman Christopher Collins faced more definitive legal consequences. In 2020, he was convicted and sentenced to 26 months in prison for tipping off his son about the failure of a drug trial, marking a rare instance where a politician was held accountable for insider trading. While Collins' case shows that corruption can be punished, many other instances reveal how easily accountability can be evaded.

The emergence of financial tracking apps like Capitol Trades and Unusual Whales, which allow the public to follow lawmakers' stock trades, has drawn attention to the questionable ethical standards of elected officials. Although these platforms promote transparency, they also prompt a deeper concern: if the political system was genuinely rooted in integrity, would there even be a need for tools to monitor lawmakers' financial activities? These apps may indeed expose corruption, but they also underscore just how deeply embedded it appears to be within the system.

The 2012 STOCK Act aimed to curb insider trading among lawmakers by requiring timely disclosure of their stock trades, yet its effectiveness has been dubious. Many politicians have failed to comply, and enforcement remains weak. Ongoing scandals indicate that the law has not been enough to address the ethical concerns surrounding insider trading in politics.

As long as lawmakers benefit from insider information while writing the very laws that govern the public, meaningful reform remains a distant prospect. The system may not be capable of policing itself, leaving the responsibility to voters to demand the changes needed to restore trust in the government. In a democracy built on public trust, anything less than full integrity from those elected to lead should not be accepted.