MY NAME IS MICHAEL KILGUS. I AM A COMBAT VETERAN OF THE VIETNAM WAR. I FLEW AS A CREWCHIEF WITH THE 57TH ASSUALT HELICOPTER COMPANY, THE GLADIATORS, IN 1968. OUR GUNSHIPS WERE THE “COUGARS” AND, TOGETHER, WE FLEW DAILY MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF VIETNAM.  OUR HOME BASE WAS IN KONTUM, JUST OFF THE TRI-BORDER OF VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, AND LAOS. 
 
 

DURING THE MID-EIGHTIES, I WORKED ON THE “HILL” IN DC, AS AN ACTIVIST/LOBBYIST FOR VETERANS’ RIGHTS AND ON THE POW ISSUE. I WORKED WITH SEVERAL CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS AND I GOT A CLOSE-UP AND PERSONAL VIEW OF HOW OUR GOVERNMENT RUNS ITS BUSINESS AND, BELIEVE ME; IT WASN’T PRETTY!  I LEARNED TWO BASIC PRINCIPLES CONCERNING OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CAPITOL:
 
 

1. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN HONEST, HONORABLE POLITICIAN; THEY MAY GO TO WASHINGTON AS DECENT PEOPLE, BUT THEY ALL WIND UP SELLING THEIR SOULS TO THE POWER STRUCTURE WITHIN CONGRESS.
 
 

2. THE BASIS FOR GETTING THINGS DONE IN DC REQUIRES THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER A LEGISLATOR. AND, THE SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO OFFER MUST BE FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST; SEX DRUGS, MONEY AND/OR POWER. I KNOW THAT THEY WILL STAND WITH ALL DIGNITY AND TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT, THAT THEY ARE TOO HONORABLE TO FALL VICTIM TO THE LURE OF ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT THAT IS A LIE! YOU DON’T PLEA TO A LEGISLATOR FOR ASSISTANCE, YOU BRIBE HIM, OR HER. 
 
 

                       kilgus@michaelkilgus.com