If the non-stop slew of negative political advertising isn't enough to turn people off to voting on Nov. 7, recent scandals have helped fuel the fires of disillusionment.

Not long after disgraced Congressman Mark Foley quit, Ohio Rep. Bob Ney said he would resign after admitting accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of "gifts" (reality check: bribes) from lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

There was the book by David Kuo, a former insider in President Bush's faith-based initiative office. "Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction" describes high-ranking White House officials courting conservative Christian leaders while calling them "nuts" behind their backs.

I couldn't help but think the ranks of Religious Right conservatives in the Republicans' camp are bound to shrink when word of such pandering filters across Middle America.

The same day I first read about Kuo's book, I scanned a column by Louisville Courier-Journal columnist Betty Baye in which she talked about the moral scandals in Washington, D.C. going far beyond the Foley scandal.

Questionable practices she cited include oil companies short-changing taxpayers on royalties for petroleum pumped from federal lands and contractor corruption careening out of control in Iraq.

Before rushing out to vote the straight ticket for Democrats, though, consider another report that broke the very same day. It concerned Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid failing to report a $1.1 million windfall in 2001 on land he hadn't owned for three years.

It would seem egregious political shenanigans aren't limited to the GOP. I'm still waiting for a coherent explanation of how (Democratic) Sen. Hillary Clinton netted $100,000 in the commodities market on a $1,000 investment. This in an arena where more than 90 percent of investors lose money. That's what a former commodities broker told me in explaining why he was leaving the field—his inability to go to work knowing he would lose most people's money.

It's enough to make one throw up your hands and grumble, "They're all a bunch of dishonest crooks," and skip voting. The trouble with such a choice is it further entrenches the crooks who ought to be summarily tossed out of office.

The fear of embarrassment and having to pay for one's crimes doesn't begin to match the fear of facing voters' wrath on Election Day. Yet, if the public embraces apathy, what will corrupt officials have to be concerned about?

In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul wrote, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

I would suggest that praying for public officials isn't enough. A natural extension of Paul's logic dictates that we participate in choosing them. And then, keeping an eye on them to make sure further abuses of public trust don't continue to be part of daily headlines.