adminWhen Rep. Bryan Steil told Laura Ingraham this week that the law governing congressional stock trading is “woefully insufficient,” he spoke for millions of Americans fed up with a two-tier system in Washington. For too long the people who write the rules have treated personal gain as a side hustle, and that rot corrodes trust in every institution conservatives cherish — family, community, and the free market itself.
This isn’t a partisan hobbyhorse for voters anymore; it’s about basic integrity. When lawmakers can trade on information and influence policy that moves markets, ordinary taxpayers lose and elites win, and no amount of hand-wringing from the political class restores that confidence.
Congressional Republicans should seize this moment and lead real reform, not cheap headlines. Steil’s call for change is exactly the kind of principled conservatism we need: hold public servants to a higher standard while protecting Americans’ right to invest in a fair system.
Practical, commonsense fixes exist that respect liberty yet end the insider economy: a true ban on individual stock trading by members and senior staff, mandatory blind trusts, faster disclosure windows, and real penalties when the law is broken. These aren’t radical ideas — they’re the minimum demanded by citizens who pay the bills and expect honest stewardship.
Conservatives must also be clear-eyed about the difference between accountability and expanding government control over private markets. Reform should target conflicts of interest, not punish ordinary investors or hand more power to regulators who have failed on their own watch.
The entrenched leadership in both parties will resist because privilege is bipartisan. That resistance is exactly why Steil’s words matter; they give House conservatives political cover to push reforms that actually change behavior instead of producing theatrical hearings that go nowhere.
Hardworking Americans deserve representatives who serve the country, not their portfolios. It’s time for Republicans to turn righteous anger into legislation, force meaningful enforcement, and restore confidence in the people’s House. If we won’t demand better from our elected leaders, who will?
