adminWisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil told Newsmax this week that a member of Congress “shouldn’t be getting rich off inside info,” and he’s right to demand action when public trust in our institutions is collapsing. Americans are sick of the double standard where elites in Washington can sit in on briefings and then turn that knowledge into personal fortune while the rest of us play by the rules. Steil’s plain-spoken call for reform deserves attention, not the usual Beltway excuses.
This moment has already sparked bipartisan momentum in the halls of Congress, with lawmakers on both sides proposing a ban on trading individual stocks to clean up the appearance and reality of corruption. After years of toothless disclosures and empty promises, members are finally talking about meaningful change that would force divestment of individual holdings and limit conflicts of interest. If Congress won’t act decisively, Americans will rightly wonder whether their representatives serve the nation or their brokerage accounts.
Not every conservative in Washington agrees on the mechanics, and the debate is healthy: some, like Rep. Byron Donalds, argue for allowing passive brokerage arrangements while banning members from initiating trades, while others resist any ban on principle. Those concerns about property rights and the burdens of divestment aren’t trivial, but they don’t excuse a system that rewards access to inside information. The right solution protects both constitutional rights and the public interest by narrowing the ways elected officials can profit while holding office.
Remember, the STOCK Act was supposed to stop this behavior back in 2012, but loopholes and lax enforcement have left the American people unconvinced. Laws without teeth or enforcement are just window dressing for the same swamp that keeps finding new ways to enrich itself. Conservatives should be the first to demand real enforcement, sharper rules like a ban on individual stock ownership while in office, and criminal penalties when insiders try to game the system.
There’s a moral angle here beyond the legal fix: public service must be about sacrifice and stewardship, not a ticket to Wall Street fortunes. Voters of every stripe are fed up with the spectacle of lawmakers who legislate policy while betting on its outcomes. Republicans who want to rebuild trust and win back skeptical voters should lead the charge for reform instead of protecting careers built on insider advantage.
It’s time for conservative leaders to stop pleading the “rights” of a few wealthy officeholders and start defending the integrity of the republic. Clean rules, real penalties, and transparent enforcement will restore confidence in representative government and put the people back at the center of policy decisions. Washington can either change now, or watch its credibility erode further — conservatives should choose reform and accountability.
