Congresswoman: America Is Not for Sale. Neither Is Congress | Opinion

George Washington warned that "Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder," a sentiment that remains strikingly relevant today. Despite significant progress over the past 250 years, human nature has not changed. Corruption in politics is an enduring issue, but when investment strategies based on members of Congress' trading activities consistently outperform the S&P 500, the problem becomes extremely concerning.

Washington needs to be held accountable, and it is becoming increasingly apparent that self-dealing has become commonplace. As Americans struggle to make ends meet with rising costs for essentials like groceries, gas, housing, and healthcare, career politicians in Washington have only enriched themselves at the expense of the American people.

Decades of neglecting key issues that directly impact everyday life have allowed these politicians to serve their own interests instead of those of the people they are supposed to represent.

In a recent op-ed, Congresswoman Young Kim argued that politicians have sold the American people's best interests to the highest bidder, frequently trading stocks with insider information and using taxpayer money to benefit themselves. She ran for Congress to break the gridlock in Washington and deliver real results for California families.

Some of her accomplishments include negotiating to increase the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction, lowering health care costs, cutting middle-class taxes, and supporting small businesses across Southern California.

Kim is now focused on holding Washington accountable and ensuring that Congress remains focused on serving the American people. She supports several pieces of legislation, such as the Stop Insider Trading Act and the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which aim to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks. Additionally, she has cosponsored the Congressional Pension Accountability Act and the End Government Pensions for Sexual Abusers Act to strip disgraced politicians of their taxpayer-funded pensions when they violate public trust.

Kim emphasizes the importance of term limits for members of Congress, arguing that career politicians should not be in D.C. for decades, accumulating wealth and losing touch with their constituents. She recently introduced the Stop Congressional Self-Enrichment Resolution, which would prohibit members of Congress from appropriating federal dollars for projects that increase their personal net worth.

This resolution aims to close loopholes in current House rules that allow indirect financial interests to influence decision-making.

Kim believes that self-enrichment and corruption in Congress are antithetical to the principles of the Founding Fathers. When politicians exploit their positions for personal gain, they betray the public's trust and silence the very voices they were elected to represent. She remains committed to rooting out corruption and ensuring that Congress prioritizes lowering costs, rein in health care prices, and acting in the best interests of the American people.