Do integrity and trustworthiness even matter anymore?

Don’t actions speak louder than words?

If a Senator states that he is a huge fan of the need for accountability to the People by Congress and that he believes that transparency is essential to that accountability – but then supports processes in the Senate that are almost totally opaque and without any accountability to the People, how can people trust that politician? If actions do not align with words, what should a citizen conclude about that politician’s integrity?

If a President publicly states that he will pay a lot more under a tax plan being crafted and that many of his wealthy friends are upset with him because they too will pay a lot more – but the reality is that the politician, his family and his wealthy friends benefit in big ways by the tax changes (including by a phase out of the estate tax – which provides no benefit, nada, to over 99% of Americans), what should a citizen conclude about that politician’s integrity?

If a politician observes that citizens do not value, expect nor demand integrity and ethical behavior, what should a politician conclude about the need to act ethically and with integrity?

Should voters start prioritizing ethics and integrity more that the letter behind a politician’s name – be that “R”, “D”, “I”, “L”, or “G”?

Are voters enabling today’s political outcomes by placing more importance upon the letter behind a politician’s name?