Trust: having faith or belief to uphold the truth.

Corruption: wicked or dishonest to the truth.

Those are powerful words that hold explicit meaning to the relationship between the Republican-controlled Congress and the people of these United States — words that imply integrity or blatant acts of lawlessness against Americans and toward the Constitution of these United States.

In light of the scandals relating to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, ex-Republican Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California, and former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, and the warrantless wiretapping of American citizens, it is hard to regard the Republican Party as anything more than a power-happy, egotistical, slap-happy bunch of crooks who will go to extremes to conceal their deceptive agenda.

Yeah, these are harsh words, but they're ever so deserving.

And, I also know not all Republicans are corrupt.

It's a shame that, for the most part, the Republican-controlled Congress, and the Republican "super lobbyist" Abramoff's criminal acts, put a very bad light on an industry that has many reputable people working in it. Those people and organizations range from union lobbyists to gaming lobbyists to health-care lobbyists to enviromental lobbyists.

There are many good lobbyists doing the work of the people they represent in a lawful and trustworthy way.

It is time for the Republicans to clean their own house before they trash-talk about Democrats.

In recent letters to the editor, I've read the trash-talking about U.S. Rep. John Murtha. Those who are smearing Murtha's remarks about Iraq have little knowledge of how politics works on the inside.

Murtha is an example of a person whose words people can trust. At this moment in time, those who are trash-talking about Democrats have little ground to stand on.

And, a little side note: I wonder how many people realize that China has lobbied and spent over $90 million to take good-paying jobs away from Americans since the Republican-controlled Congress took over 10 years ago? I am not against world trade; it's just that there is no balance left in fair trade.

With all that has happened to our country since the takeover of American politics by Republican extremists, do people really think they can trust this Republican-controlled Congress and the Bush administration to look out for the best interests of America any more?

I think not.