October 05, 2006
Final Words on Foley
However this turns out, this is the last time I'll be discussing it at length here.
First off, let me say that what Mark Foley did was wrong. Even though he never approached any of them or had physical contact (that we know of), it should be considered harassment by a man in a position of power over young volunteers. The only correct thing Foley has done in this sorry episode is to have stepped down as Congressman.
There is word that the IMs he sent were to a young man of legal age. While it does not excuse Foley for abusing his position, the Democrats now have one less thing to bleat about. ("It's about the children!")
What I cannot believe -- or rather, I should say I can believe -- is the way the Democrats are playing the old double standard card with absolutely no shame. This is the party:
-that continues to support a man who walked away from a serious accident, leaving a young woman to drown, because his reputation as a married man was obviously more important than her life.
-that gave us Congressman Gerry Studds, who was proven to have been in a physical relationship with a 17-year-old male page. Studds was merely censured, not forced to step down, and was re-elected five times.
-that told us then-fifty-something Bill Clinton's "indiscretions" with then-19-year-old Monica Lewinsky were private and that we should just "move on." (Catchy name, eh?)
-that would rather celebrate Jim McGreevey's "coming out" as a gay man than what prompted his sudden decision to make his personal life public: his extremely corrupt administration.
-that gave us Congressman William Jefferson (D-LA), who was found to have $90,000 in bribery money in his freezer. The same William Jefferson who used National Guard troops to bring personal property out of his home in the aftermath of Katrina. Jefferson was asked to step down from a lucrative committee assignment, but was not asked to step down from his Congressional seat.
-that excused Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) for his DUI incident in Washington DC earlier this year.
When a Democrat shows human flaws, we are supposed to forgive and understand. When a Republican shows the same human flaws, we are supposed to roast him over the proverbial coals until he smokes.
Rot.
We need to hold all of our elected officials to higher standards, no matter what the party. And we need to apply the law to all of our elected officials in the same way it is held to ordinary citizens. Unlike the royalty we sought to escape back in 1776, we are all equal before the law. This includes those who make the laws.
Mark Foley abused his power, but those who knew about it and sat on the story until it was politically expedient are just as culpable in this mess. They too need to be held accountable.
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Very well said!
Posted by: oddybobo at October 5, 2006 11:15 AMa great post Pam...
I note in regards to Clinton, the issue for myself, was that the Chief Law Enforcement Officer was willing to lie, manipulate, undermine the laws in this Country.
His predator nature was clearly on display, and the unethical nature of exploiting an intern who worked in the White House was pathetic enough. It was also revealing, that this troubled fool, was not paying attention to the job, with 2am phone calls to this youth.
However, with his history of abuses against people who worked for him, mixed with the idea he would abuse Our laws, to try to hide his ugly behavior, was sound reason for his removal. A sitting President being held in contempt in his own sexual harrassment trial says it all.
And Democrats went out of their way to defend him, and promote this negligence...
In fact, we now know, the MSM hid much of the concerning nature of Bill Clinton's past to the American Public to aid his election.
Now, it appears the partisans in ABC, with groups funded by Soros, have orchestrated the exploitation of a deeply troubled Congressman named Foley.
They are now doing the exact opposite (as opposed to Bill's folly), to try to empower Democrats. It is not about News, or the victim of a troubled predator, but the push to give Democrats power.
It is simply pathetic...
Posted by: hnav at October 5, 2006 11:39 AMTerrific post, Pam! Has anyone ever noticed that when Republicans cross the line and there is ample evidence of it (Cunningham, Ney, Packwood) or even, often, when there is not (Gingrich, Delay, Scarborough), they are rooted out of office by their own, but Democrats rally around the cretins (you forgot Barney Frank, by the way) and start calling the accusers dirty names? How interesting.
And the Studds thing in particular (he was given a standing ovation by the members of his party following his censure and then elected to head a prime committee by them) shows the Dems to be absolutely ridiculous hypocrites here. It's a shame more folks don't follow politics closely enough to notice these things. Sigh...
Posted by: Mr. Right at October 5, 2006 11:13 PM
