Morals and Politics – an Oxymoron

[Monty]

In case you haven’t heard by now, New York’s Governor, Elliot Spitzer was caught on audio tape calling a prostitute that he had flown down from New York to Washington, DC, on Feb 13th….
He was on TV today for a grand total of 2 minutes, apologized to his family and the people of New York (he didn’t say why) and left without taking questions.
I’m curious to see what all of YOU think about this – should he have resigned, should he continue to be the Governor, or what?
Personally, I am OUTRAGED! What is this country coming to, when a major political figure (already under suspicion for tampering with a rival’s politcal campaign) can just say “Ooops, sorry” and go on as if nothing had happened. Are we that morally bankrupt? Is this the new standard in politics?
Supposedly, he is in violation of the Mann act, which prohibits transporting anyone over state lines for immoral purposes, which carries up to a 1 year penalty. Anyone care to bet how much jail time he’ll get? *shakes head*
I guess his wife can stand next to Hillary and exchange notes on how to run for President now…..
All I can say as a lifelong New York resident, is – Only in New York! Geez……
I would add more, but I can’t print most of the words here…….

M3C

P.S. – Sorry about the typo in the poll – you can’t edit them after they’re submitted….

[Valgrimm]

Any political figure or person responsible for making/enforcing laws, must adhere to them. They should be held to a higher standard than the general populace. I say remove him from office and he should go to jail. All to often, top political figures have all sorts of bargaining chips, connections and most importantly money. This generally makes any public mistakes they make disappear. It makes you wonder that if only a few indescretions come to be public knowledge, and they still can slide out of them, how many criminal acts or immoral situations have these people been in that we never even hear about.

If this guy got busted having a hooker transported once, he’s been doing it for years. That’s why the “I made one mistake and I’m sorry” doesn’t apply. He’s only sorry he got caught.

[G_kinkaid]

yeah that Val.

[Monty]

If this guy got busted having a hooker transported once, he’s been doing it for years.

Oh, he’s on tape saying “pay for it the same as before”, so there’s no doubt he’s been doing this all along. But he’s really thinks that an apology squares matters. The arrogance is unbelievable….

M3C

[Thrym]

Personally, I think public officials should be held to a higher standard.

Unlike your average citizen, public officials should be audited completely for any wrong doings regularly. And while it would include financial/tax auditing I don’t mean just auditing their finances.

They should be investigated when they take office, each time they are re-elected and when they leave office.

As a public official you have given over your life to the public. I don’t mean we get to reveal their personal issues with their families etc. but given their level of power they should be checked against that power. Even a superficial investigation would give pause to those in power.

The country is built on checks and balances. Those that serve the country in positions of power should be subject to the same.

[Aelswith]

I feel bad for his wife and daughters.

[SpymasterGend]

Just to be clear–it’s not “only in New York.” Activity–so to speak, that we know of–occurred in the country’s capital. Though why he felt a need to import talent into that showcase is unknown.

Gend

[Monty]

The “Only in New York” part is being arrogant enough NOT to resign, and not being INSTANTLY impeached and removed from office.

From the Musical 1776

Have you ever been to a meeting of the New York State Legislature? They talk very loud, and very fast, and no one listens to anyone else, with the result that nothing ever gets done.

M3C

[SpymasterGend]

Compared to, say, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”? Plenty of hypocrisy and arrogance to go around–seem to coalesce around the powerful–my point only that New York not even close to having a monopoly on them.

And I thought I was the only living soul who knew “1776.” LOL.

Gend

[BoostNJuice]

not sure I agree with you guys, see new post.

-boost

[mule]

Well, this may shock you guys but I really could care less that he was buying high paid hookers (5 grand, yikes). What irks me is he was some sort of public crusader, Mr. Squeaky clean, what a hypocrite. I agree that public officials should be held to the laws to the tee. They make the laws and enforce them, they better damn well follow them.

Interestingly he was caught because of bank software that watches bank transfers and withdraws for suspicious activity. In fact, he insisted the banks in New York have this software and at the standards it runs at… So he should have known better.

– mule

[muddy]

I laughed when he was on the radio saying, “I’ll be busy getting back in touch with my family”

I could give a rats ass about any of these things, nothing will ever change except the players.

[Opinvu]

He got caught because of the way he was hiding the money trail. It was illegal masking. If he does it for hookers for himself, what else has he done for others and himself before this? I agree with T.

[mule]

newsflash, politicians are corrupt, more at 11… lol..

oh and it’s in…apparently he’s resigning.

– mule

[domf]

i dont talk about politics….or religion usually…but..

we had the same thing happen in ohio i believe…mr. springer didnt have a squeeky clean reputation either…

but…as ive begun to learn now…you cant change people no matter how much you want to…i think i am with mule…i dont care he bought a hooker…though i will never buy one myself…i could care less..

does he do a good job in office? who gives a fart..as long as he gets the job done?

[G_kinkaid]

Our elected leaders are sworn into their various offices, somewhat like those that serve in the armed forces. Our soldiers/sailors/flyboys/mechanics etc. are all held to the UCMJ, I do not see any case why our elected leaders should not be as well. I mean, they are only the ones that get us into wars 😉

“But G, people are people and the UCMJ can be harsh!”

Sure can, only the serious need apply.

“Dude, there are plenty of asclowns in the (insert branch here) getting foreign kids to chant awful things and throwing puppies off cliffs.”

Ayup, and their asses end up in slings/fired/jailed/brandedforlife/busteddownranks for breaking the rules when they get caught, instead of /wristslap. When there are no real penalites for taking a heater on the laws of the land you govern, crap like this stays out of hand. Keeping it easy for them to conduct shenanigans like this on our tab is bogus too. They’re servants, not deities.

[Monty]

Well, he’s gone. Hope he gets jail, but doubt he will.

M3C

[SpymasterGend]

Re G_kinkaid post above:

Regardless of whether personal lives of public figures pertinent to job performance, there is a fundamental issue as touched on here. UCMJ, just in its title, makes the issue clear. C=Code; laws written down for all to see and know. J=Justice; in broadest sense, that violations incur commensurate penalties. U=Uniform; that system is applied equally to all. The M just serves to differentiate Military from civil systems, but IMO all legal systems should be U, C, and J. Tyranny otherwise, but that may be a uniquely American point of view.

Gend

[G_kinkaid]

pretty much the intent of what I was going for.

have a bit to say about keeping the M in there.

Our pres and most (all states that have their own guard) Gov’s are the commanders-in-chief of their military forces. The Pres being the top dog but each states Gov is the himfic of their states Guardsmen.

Our pres could wade into any battlefield and take command of the troops.. why in the world is this position not subject to the UCMJ? Our Governors also have that right.. .kinda looney but it’s there. So maybe having county commissioners and the like fall under UCMJ is a stretch… but not for parts of upper level fed/state government folks.

[mule]

Actually, commonly Johns aren’t prosecuted. There’s a few reasons for that, one is police and other officials are often the ones to fall into that particular abyss, something about working with that temptation. Another is that if you more harshly prosecute the Johns you may cause more abuse of the prostitutes by virtue of the stakes being higher.

However, Spitzer might go down for his money handling technique, because he was trying to hide it from detection.

– mule

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