The answer to that question is probably no. After all, we routinely dismiss serious character flaws and low moral values as insignificant or (my favorite) not relevant because they relate to ones personal life.
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=blumenthal&iid=8844191″ src=”http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/8844191/richard-blumenthal/richard-blumenthal.jpg?size=500&imageId=8844191″ width=”190″ height=”205″ /] I really do have to learn to lie better
Are we so stupid to believe that such behavior and absurd rationalizations do not also apply to the politician’s behavior on the job? In Connecticut Blumenthal blatantly and repeatedly lied about serving in Vietnam, but he is ahead in the polls. Why would we assume he will not lie on the job if he is elected? Why is his overall behavior not an indication of his ethics in all that he does, especially in the world of power and politics?
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=rangel&iid=9810260″ src=”http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9810260/rangel-attends-the/rangel-attends-the.jpg?size=500&imageId=9810260″ width=”190″ height=”126″ /] Lack of support, what lack of support?
Candidates of supposedly high (or at least acceptable) moral character routinely “approve” attack ads knowing they are at best misleading and more likely contain outright lies. Sarah Palin made hay out of her claims about “death panels” as part of health care reform and rather than obtain the facts, her “supporters” lapped it up like a cat with spilled milk.
African-Americans (not all let’s hope) can be counted on to rally behind Black politicians caught red-handed breaking the law or displaying serious lapses in ethics as they like to say. In truth, this is exactly the opposite of what any group demanding (and deserving) respect should be doing. Rather, they should be demanding the highest level of ethics and morality from those representing them (as should we all for that matter). Two prime examples of this not happening involve Marion Barry and Charles Rangel who seem to be able to garner support regardless of their behavior.
Hey, nobody is perfect, we all have our skeletons in the closet I guess, but that is different from having the chutzpah to flaunt blatant unethical and illegal behavior by even running for office and expecting to win.
American voters get exactly what we deserve and should expect. We get politicians who say and act for the primary goal of getting elected because they know if they tell Americans the truth they will not be elected. Once elected they continue the same personality traits they had when running for office. With more power it is not a grand leap to rationalizing all their behavior. What the heck, there are still millions of Americans who cannot see the connection between Bill Clinton’s behavior in the White House and his duties as President of the United States.
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=lewinski&iid=2173028″ src=”http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/2173028/men-health-best-life-host/men-health-best-life-host.jpg?size=500&imageId=2173028″ width=”190″ height=”228″ /] Mens Health huh?
The most frightening part of all this is that the views of the American electorate are likely a reflection of the values of our society as a whole, but what do I know, I don’t even make the baby boomer generation. Have you checked the TV line up lately? I wish it were only a vast wasteland.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
